FAQs
What are the areas of specialization?
There are nine areas of legal specialization including: corporate and securities law, criminal law, environmental and natural resources law, family and juvenile law, health law, intellectual property law, international law, civil rights law, and tax law. Law schools that are approved by the ABA may not offer a law degree on line.
How are law school graduates employed?
- 57.8% of American lawyers are in private practice-most in small, one person offices
- 12.3% work for government agencies (includes 1.3% in the military)
- 11.3% work for private industries and associations
- 2.9% work for legal aid or as public defenders
- 1.5% is in legal education
- 11.6% accept judicial clerkships
What do lawyers earn?
The national median salary for the law school class of 2001 was $55,000. This compares with $51,900 for the class of 2000. This number has almost doubled since 1985.
The highest paying jobs were the exception rather than the rule. Although salaries of more than $75,000 are earned, salaries of $55,000 or less are more common
What do undergraduates major in to prepare for law school?
There is no one "best" major for preparing for law school. Students are sometimes attracted by schools offering a prelaw major. Most of these schools have no law school on their campus and, the rate of acceptance of these majors to law schools nationally is only 55.6% compared to majors in other areas where the rate of acceptance is as high as 84%. Only 1% of the students applying to law school are "pre-law" majors.
SOURCES: LSAC and ABA