Every year I participate in the Career Fair. All of Fayette County’s eighth graders come to a place (this year it was Heritage Christian Church) to meet workers from all imaginable vocations. There are firefighters, law enforcement officers, hair dressers, massage therapists, ministers, funeral home personnel, writers, teachers, restaurant workers, accountants, and many other careers represented. The kids mingle with the adults and learn about the careers that interest them.

I field all sorts of questions. How much education is required to be a lawyer? How much do you earn? Is your job stressful? What is the most enjoyable part of your work? What kinds of benefits do you receive? More than one teenager has said to me, “My mom says I should be a lawyer because I like to argue.”

My son, David, has been involved in the application process for law schools for the past year. Perhaps you have a child that likes to argue and you’ve encouraged her to try a career in law. Maybe you have considered becoming a lawyer, but didn’t know where to start. Let me help.

First, you must get a four-year college degree with top grades. The major doesn’t matter. Law schools accept applicants with all kinds of backgrounds. The important thing is to have good grades.

Then, you have to take the Law School Admission Test. This is a multiple choice test that involves reading comprehension, logic games, and other similar sections.

A 3.5 GPA and a LSAT score in the 150’s will get you into a school somewhere in the country. Once you’re in law school, you study theory for three years. Although there are clinical programs that provide practical experience, most of law school prepares you for the Bar Exam.

The Bar Exam takes three days. You answer multiple choice questions about laws that apply in all states. You answer essay questions about Georgia law. And, you complete a multiple choice section about ethics. If you pass, you are authorized to practice law in Georgia.

By the way, we learned this week that David was accepted to the University of Georgia College of Law. He’ll be a Law Dawg. After all, that’s exactly what this place needs—yet another Ballard lawyer.