Legal Education In The Us :: essays research papers

Legal Education In The USThere is no undergraduate justice degree in the United States thus, students cannotexpect to landing field law without first completing an undergraduate degree. Basicadmissions conductments for American law schools are a Bachelors degree in anyfield and the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). The American law degree iscalled the Juris Doctor (JD) and usually requires three years of study. The JD computer broadcastme involves courses in American common and statute law as well asinternational and business law. Overseas students who are considering anAmerican JD should note that this program focuses on preparation for US legalpractice. Undergraduate Preparation for Law SchoolNo particular subject or major field of study is required at the undergraduatelevel. Law schools are concerned that applicants have taken courses whichdevelop communication and analytical skills, and that they have exposedthemselves to a conformation of disciplines. The Prelaw Handbook ( Association ofAmerican Law Schools) suggests students study some or most of the followingfields but stresses that "well-developed faculty member ability" is preferable tointense forte in any one field economics, social sciences (sociology,psychology, anthropology, political science), computers, accounting, and thesciences. Most pre-law students earn their undergraduate degrees in one of thesocial sciences, rounding out their universal preparation with courses from otherdisciplines. All these subjects may be studied at virtually any university. Lawschools in the US do not require that students complete their Bachelors degreein America, but because of fierce competition for places in law schools, fewstudents are accepted from overseas universities. At the beginning of the lowestyear of undergraduate study, JD applicants should take the LSAT. No knowledge oflaw is needed to do well on this exam it is a standardized test of academicaptitude in the areas of reading comprehens ion and analytical and logicalreasoning. Legal EducationStudents thinking of law study soon discover that the programs of most lawschools have a great deal in common. The choice of one school over another isnot easily made on the pedestal of catalog descriptions of the teaching methods,course offerings, and formal requirements. The similarity is natural, since mostAmerican law schools share the aim of educating lawyers for careers that maytake many paths and that will ofttimes not be limited to any particular stateor region. Although many lawyers eventually find themselves practicing withinsome special branch of the law, American legal education is still fundamentallyan education for generalists. It emphasizes the acquisition of broad and basicknowledge of law, understanding of the functioning of the legal system, and