If you are interested in the requirements to become a lawyer you are reading the right article. Back in the day when Abraham Lincoln became a lawyer law school didn't exist. Future lawyers received their training by working under the tutelage of an experienced and established attorney. All that changed in the 20th century as different courts began recognizing local bar associations as gatekeepers to the legal profession. These new gate keeps required law degrees and a great deal more education from prospective lawyers before allowing them to practice law in their jurisdiction.

Nowadays, in order to become a lawyer, one must posses a valid undergraduate degree from an accredited or equivalent (foreign) institution. This degree, in turn, will get you admitted to one of 200 law schools in the United States. Law schools scrutinize undergraduate transcripts and, generally speaking, favor grade point averages north of 3.0/4.0. Class work in history, political science, and philosophy are also looked up as strong preparation for the study of the law.

Lawyers must go through special schooling. Before being allowed to practice law in most states, a person usually must:

• have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent;
• complete three years at an accredited law school;
• pass a state bar examination, which usually lasts for two or three days; it tests knowledge in selected areas of law and in professional ethics and responsibility;
• pass a character and fitness review; each applicant for a law license must be approved by a committee that investigates his or her character and background;
• take an oath swearing to uphold the laws and the state and federal constitutions;
• receive a license from the state supreme court; some states have additional requirements, such as internship in a law office, before a license will be granted.