The Student Education & Admission to the Bar Committee (SEABC)
Presents
SO YOU WANT TO BECOME A
2021-2022
LAWYER?
LAW SCHOOL HANDBOOK
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................................3
WHAT IS THE PRACTICE OF LAW? .......................................................................................................3
THE LAWYER’S ROLE ...............................................................................................................................3
CHOOSING A LEGAL CAREER ................................................................................................................4
A LAWYER’S JOB DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................ 4
A LAWYER’S INCOME ...............................................................................................................................5
OTHER LAW-RELATED CAREERS .........................................................................................................6
PRE-LAW EDUCATION ..............................................................................................................................6
LAW SCHOOLS AND COSTS .....................................................................................................................7
THE FLORIDA BAR ....................................................................................................................................9
BAR ADMISSION THROUGH THE FLORIDA BOARD OF BAR EXAMINERS ..............................10
WHAT INCOMING 1L’S MUST AND NEED TO KNOW ......................................................................12
I. 1L COURSES ..................................................................................................................................12
II. 1L COURSE TEACHING METHODS .........................................................................................13
III. THE 1L AS A FOUNDATIONAL EXPERIENCE ........................................................................14
IV. PLANNING AHEAD FOR WHAT ELSE IS REQUIRED TO PRACTICE LAW ....................15
WELL-BEING AND SELF-CARE IN LAW SCHOOL ............................................................................17
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................18
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INTRODUCTION
Today, more than ever before, the legal profession oers a unique opportunity for the dedicated
individual to make a signicant contribution to society. Opportunities exist in the legal profession for
service that helps individuals and society. This handbook is intended to help those of you who are
considering law as a career. It should give you a better idea of what to expect on your educational
path in pursuit of a law degree, as well as the career opportunities that may be open to you once you
obtain your law degree.
WHAT IS THE PRACTICE OF LAW?
Generally, the practice of law involves counseling clients on legal matters and preparing legal
instruments aecting important rights of a person under the law, advocating on a client’s behalf in
transactions and disputes, and preparing pleadings and other papers incident to any action in any court
or other judicial body. A lawyer may practice law as a general practitioner who is available to assist
and counsel clients on a variety of matters, such as estate planning, family law, personal injury, and
criminal defense. However, a lawyer may also choose to specialize in a select area of law, such as
practicing solely in the areas of intellectual property, tax, or immigration. Individuals interested in
the practice of law in the state of Florida must fulll several requirements, including, among other
requirements, passing the Florida Bar Exam and becoming licensed by the Supreme Court of Florida.
THE LAWYER’S ROLE
A lawyer, as a member of the legal profession, is a representative of clients, an ocer of the legal
system, and a public citizen having special responsibility for the quality of justice.
As a representative of clients, a lawyer performs various functions. For example, a lawyer provides
clients with advice and informed knowledge of the client’s legal rights and obligations. A lawyer also
zealously advocates for the client’s position under the rules of the adversary system. Moreover, a
lawyer, as a representative of clients, seeks a result advantageous to the client but consistent with
requirements of fair and honest dealings.
As an ocer of the legal system, a lawyer is responsible to the judiciary for his or her professional
activities. The legal profession, generally, has been granted powers of self-regulation, and it is self-
regulation that maintains the legal profession’s independence and responsibility.
As a public citizen, a lawyer seeks improvement of the law, access to the legal system, the
administration of justice, and the quality of services rendered by the legal profession. A lawyer promotes
knowledge of the law beyond its use for clients, utilizes that knowledge in transformation of the law,
and works to improve legal education. In addition, a lawyer increases the public’s understanding of
and condence in the rule of law and the justice system.
However, no matter the professional function or role, a lawyer must always be competent, prompt,
and diligent. A lawyer’s conduct should conform to the requirements of the law, both in professional
service to clients as well as in the lawyer’s business and personal aairs.
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CHOOSING A LEGAL CAREER
Before choosing a career in law, you should evaluate your personal goals, strengths and abilities,
and your areas of interest in the legal arena. A career in law requires intelligence, diligence, and
perseverance. It is no small task to earn a law degree, to pass the Bar exam, and to be admitted to a
state Bar, which allows one to practice law and represent clients.
To successfully complete law school requires dedication and stamina. You must be driven to work
as many hours a week as are needed to complete your law school studies, which typically consists
of a three-year, full-time degree program beyond your undergraduate studies. Later, as a practicing
lawyer, working nights and weekends on cases may be required as well as functioning under stringent
deadlines with the professional grace and courtesy required of members of the Bar.
As for personal goals, while it is true that a legal career may provide opportunities to earn a
substantial income, the legal profession is often geared toward providing a professional service.
Whether it be to the general public or in the private sector, a lawyer’s duty is to serve. While your
individual career path may lead to a position of authority and inuence, it is important to recognize
and embrace a focus on practicing with competency as well as uplifting the reputation of the legal
profession. Lawyers are in a unique position to help see that laws are upheld, that personal rights are
protected, and that our system of justice continues to equally serve and protect the citizens of this
country. It is important to approach your legal career with reasonable expectations and identiable
goals.
A LAWYER’S JOB DESCRIPTION
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook
Handbook, there are 813,900 lawyers in the U.S. as of 2019. Activities and responsibilities of those
in the legal profession vary according to the individual lawyer’s personality and area of practice.
Lawyers are known to be problem solvers. They serve as advocates for their clients whether the
client is a plainti, defendant, or a non-party to a legal matter. The day-to-day responsibilities could
include legal research, drafting memorandum of law, contracts, wills, trusts, demand letters, and
other legal documents. It could also include meetings with clients, co-counsel, opposing counsel,
witnesses, investigators, government ocials, law enforcement ocers, and judges. Lawyers also
spend a reasonable amount of time negotiating a client’s case, whether civil or criminal. A lot of time
for many lawyers is also spent mediating a civil case or plea bargaining a criminal matter.
More than half of all lawyers go into private practice, setting up a solo oce or joining a law rm
of two or more partners. Private practitioners usually handle a variety of cases, although they often
earn a reputation for concentrating in a particular area. This reputation leads to client referrals. For
example, a lawyer might gain a reputation as a divorce lawyer, handling enough cases in this area
that they make up most or all of their practice. As an alternative to private practice, many lawyers are
employed by departments and agencies of federal, state, and municipal governments. Additionally,
lawyers may choose to work for private businesses, large corporations, or industrial rms. Some
lawyers become judges, politicians, mediators, or teachers. Others apply their legal education in areas
such as banking, insurance, and real estate, where legal knowledge may be a part of the job’s activities.
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Lawyers may also focus their practice in a specialized practice area of the law. For example,
some may seek certication in certain practice areas such as immigration, tax, health, elder, aviation,
family, or estate planning, just to name a few. The certication requires a lawyer to have advanced
knowledge and skills in the area of certication. Accordingly, lawyers can then market to clients any
certication and specialization in the law they may have.
Because the profession of law is so diverse and complicated, law school provides a general legal
background, after which there are many options as to the specic area of law or career to be pursued.
As the practice of law is becoming increasingly competitive, students should attempt to improve their
chances of attaining the legal career they desire, which can vary widely. In law school, students can
adequately prepare for their future careers by identifying the general area of law they may want to
practice in, take classes in the subject area, focus their extracurricular activities, and seek opportunities
that will enhance real world experience. Internships and summer employment in these specic areas
will be a valuable contribution to marketability. This will help ensure that after you become a lawyer,
you will provide an almost immediate contribution to the law rm, without much training. Law rms
are increasingly moving to hiring lawyers who can immediately add value without extensive (and
costly) training.
A LAWYER’S INCOME
According to The Florida Bar’s 2018 Economics and Law Oce Management Survey, the median
salary for a starting lawyer with no internship or clerking experience is $50,000. Salaries for starting
lawyers with no prior clerking experience vary among the three regions of Florida. In the North
Region, which includes Jacksonville, Tallahassee, and Pensacola, the median salary for a beginning
lawyer is $45,000. In the Central-Southwest Region, which includes the Orlando and Tampa areas,
the median salary is $50,000 for a beginning lawyer. In the Southeast Region, which includes Palm
Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, the median salary for a beginning lawyer is $60,000.
As with all compensation, there is a strong correlation between years of experience and salary.
The median salary in Florida is $75,000 for a lawyer with three to ve years of experience, $90,000
for six to eight years of experience, and $150,000 as a partner in a rm. Larger rms generally oer
greater initial salaries and more employee benets than smaller rms. Salary amounts vary according
to years of experience, area of expertise, type of practice, and rm size.
Additionally, there are various payment structures lawyers may utilize to receive compensation,
which include, but are not limited to, the use of consultation fees, at rates, hourly rates, retainers, and
contingency arrangements. For example, consultation fees may be charged by lawyers to compensate
for the time the lawyer takes to get initial information from the client to help the lawyer decide
whether to take the case. However, some lawyers may oer free consultations. Alternatively, a at
rate may be utilized as a fee-for-service the lawyer performs or for a certain type of case, such as
an uncontested legal matter that requires a dened amount of the lawyer’s time (i.e., an uncontested
divorce). Lawyers may also charge their clients hourly rates, which, for example, not only includes
the hours the lawyer expends litigating a case, but it also includes the hours of preparation for the
litigation. For clients who may have a continual need for legal services, a retainer fee may be utilized,
which ensures that the lawyer will be accessible to provide the client legal services, when necessary.
Lastly, a lawyer may choose to utilize a contingency arrangement with his or her client where the
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lawyer will be paid a certain percentage of the monetary damages the client is awarded (i.e., personal
injury or wrongful death cases).
OTHER LAW-RELATED CAREERS
For those who have an interest in law but are not necessarily looking for a career as a lawyer, there
are countless other professions that value the skills of a law school graduate, and alternatively, there
are other educational paths that lend themselves toward a law-oriented career.
The skills and knowledge developed from law school are applicable in many dierent industries,
professions, and careers. For example, there are many available professions in the legal industry for
law school graduates, such as client service managers, legal recruiters, legal sales representatives,
and e-discovery professionals. Likewise, there are many areas outside of the legal profession that are
compatible with the skills and qualities of law school graduates, such as compliance ocers, policy
advisors, content writers, entrepreneurs, and teachers or professors.
Although a law degree from an accredited law school is required to practice law in the state
of Florida, there are other available law-oriented career paths and professions that do not require
a law degree. Career paths in the legal eld that do not necessarily require a law degree include
positions such as law oce manager, personnel director of a law rm, lobbyist, bookkeeper, librarian,
law school recruiting specialist, legal assistant coordinator, and mediator. Educational paths, such as
earning a master’s degree in law or getting certied as a paralegal, are alternative career paths for
those who may wish to pursue a position in a law rm or in another law-oriented profession.
For example, a Florida Registered Paralegal is a person who has met the requirements as set forth
in Chapter 20 of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar. While Florida Registered Paralegals are not
members of The Florida Bar and may not provide legal advice or practice law, they are an integral
part of legal practice. Paralegals often are in a unique position of being in communication with clients,
lawyers, judicial assistants, court reporters, mediators, and many other individuals in the legal arena.
People skills are a must, and a strong educational background and interest in and anity for the law
can put a paralegal in a position to earn a very comfortable salary without attending law school.
Another interesting and important law-related profession that does not require a law degree is
court reporting. Court reporters create word-for-word transcripts of trials, hearings, depositions, and
other legal proceedings. Without a transcript of proceedings, judicial decisions cannot be legally
challenged or reviewed on appeal. An interest in the law and attention to detail are highly sought for
this profession.
PRE-LAW EDUCATION
If interested in pursuing a legal education or law-oriented career, it is of utmost importance that
you take the high school and undergraduate courses required for admission to the law school you
wish to attend. See your high school counselor or undergraduate pre-law advisor to make sure you
are maximizing your education potential. Courses that develop your ability to read and write more
precisely are important, especially if one ultimately seeks to pursue a law degree after successfully
completing undergraduate studies.
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No law school requires a formal pre-law course of study for admission. While no specic courses
are required, a strong liberal arts background is benecial. Specic useful subjects include English,
political science, economics, philosophy, logic, business management, a foreign language and other
courses that enhance your reading, reasoning, writing, and communication abilities. It is helpful to
set goals in your pre-law education coursework that will allow you to develop your strengths and
knowledge in the areas of 1) analytical skills, 2) written and verbal communication skills, and 3)
opening your mind and attention to a broad awareness of our society and the world at large. Language
is the tool of the lawyer, whether it is in oral arguments in court or in letters, legal briefs, and drafting
pleadings. Therefore, any course that develops this skill is valuable.
In addition to the pre-law academic portion of preparing to enter law school, it is benecial for
pre-law students to become involved in pre-law organizations. For example, Phi Alpha Delta (PAD) is
a legal fraternity that oers membership to pre-law students to learn more about the legal profession
while building a diverse community. In addition, some colleges and universities oer student-run
mock trial teams and debate clubs which oer undergraduate students the opportunity of immersing
themselves into the legal system.
LAW SCHOOLS AND COSTS
At the time of publication of this handbook, there are 199 American Bar Association-accredited
law schools in the United States. Florida has 12 law schools: Ave Maria School of Law, Naples;
Barry University, Orlando; Florida A&M University College of Law, Orlando; Florida Coastal
School of Law, Jacksonville; Florida International University College of Law, Miami; Florida State
University College of Law, Tallahassee; Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad law Center,
Fort Lauderdale; Stetson University College of Law, St. Petersburg; St. Thomas University School
of Law, Miami; Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Riverview; University of Florida Levin College of
Law, Gainesville; and University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables.
Applying to law school is a strategic endeavor that requires time, attention, and careful
planning. Being proactive and motivated throughout the law school application process will be most
advantageous to aspiring law students, as many law schools employ a rolling admissions process
that benets applicants who submit their law school applications early. Therefore, you should begin
your application process approximately one year before submission of your law school applications.
Ideally, it would be prudent to submit your law school applications by November or December, if
not earlier, regardless of the ocial deadlines given by the desired law school. Thus, you should
begin your application process in the previous December to fully address and complete all of the
requirements for law school admission, including researching law schools, gathering your letters of
recommendations, writing your personal statement, updating your resume, scheduling to take the Law
School Admission Test (LSAT), and studying for the LSAT.
Most law schools require applicants to include a score from a prescribed standardized test that
the law school believes will eectively predict one’s aptitude to successfully complete law school
and become a lawyer. All American Bar Association accredited law schools accept scores from the
LSAT. However, many schools are also accepting scores from the Graduate Record Examining (GRE)
General Test and/or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Nonetheless, because the LSAT
is the only test that is accepted by all accredited law schools, it remains the most popular standardized
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test among law school applicants. Fortunately, the LSAT is oered several times year, which gives law
school applicants many available dates to choose from. No single LSAT oered is more challenging
than the others oered on alternative dates, so it is recommended to select a date that works best
within your study schedule. Because the LSAT is the kind of test that takes preparation, it is also
recommended that applicants explore instructor-led LSAT preparation courses, on-demand preparation
courses, self-study, or tutoring to nd the study plan that makes most sense for you.
In addition to preparing for the LSAT, law school applicants should register with the Credential
Assembly Service (CAS), provided by the Law School Admission Council, which is required by
most American Bar Association-accredited law schools. For a small fee, CAS will assemble a report
containing your transcript, LSAT scores, and letters of recommendation. Upon applying to your
desired law schools, the schools will contact the CAS directly and request a copy of your report.
Moreover, all aspiring law students will need to know which law schools they would like to apply
to before submitting applications, because nding the law schools that are right for you is crucial.
Therefore, it is imperative that all high school and undergraduate students who wish to attend law
school conduct plentiful research on each desired law school. For example, nd out where your GPA
and LSAT scores t within the application pool of each school. Additionally, it is important to keep
in mind the tuition for each school and preferred locations that are conducive to helping law school
graduates pass the bar and obtain employment. If possible, meet with law school recruiters face-to-
face to discuss how the schools develop lawyers for the legal profession, the benets of a law degree
from the school, LSAT prep, employment post-graduation, bar passage rates, the school’s specic
application process, and more.
A law school education is an investment. The costs to attend law school, including tuition, vary
greatly among law schools, from the modest tuition of state-supported schools to the much higher
tuition of the private law schools. According to a study conducted by U.S. News and World Report,
the average annual tuition and fees in the 2019-2020 academic year for private schools was $49,548,
the average annual tuition and fees at public in-state law schools was $28,264, and the average annual
tuition and fees at public out-of-state law schools was $41,726. The total dierence between average
annual tuition and fees at private schools and average annual in-state tuition and fees at public schools
was approximately $21,300.
The American Bar Association Young Lawyer’s Division 2020 Law School Student Loan Debt
Survey Report found that among the new and young lawyers surveyed, more than 75% of respondents
had at least $100,000 in student loans at graduation, over half of the respondents surveyed had more
than $150,000 in student loan debt, more than one of every four respondents had $200,000 or more
in student loan debt, and over 85% of the respondents had more than $80,000 in student loan debt
at graduation. However, many students nance their law school education through scholarships and
government-backed student loans. Several law schools and other legal organizations provide merit or
need-based scholarships and grants as well as tuition discounts and student loan programs.
When exploring options to nance a law school education, one should thoroughly research the
type of nancial aid available, as the type of nancial aid available for graduate students may dier
from the nancial aid available to undergraduate students. For example, graduate students cannot
borrow federal subsidized loans and are generally not eligible for Pell Grants. Knowing the various
options for nancial aid can assist aspiring law students in deciding how they will pay for law school.
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Similarly, aspiring law students should understand the range of available repayment options for any
student loans. For example, a six-month grace period before repaying student loans, while commonly
available to those when paying back undergraduate loans, may not always be available for law school
graduates. However, law school graduates with higher loan debt or those who are employed full-time
by a public-service employer may be eligible for varying repayment programs, such as an income-
based repayment program or the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Lastly, although law
schools commonly prohibit full-time students from being employed during their rst year, many
students help nance their legal education by part-time employment. Alternatively, some law students
enroll law school on a part-time basis, allowing them to work while obtaining their law degree. Lastly,
due to the cost considerations in deciding to attend law school, all aspiring law students should obtain
tuition, scholarship, nancial aid, and other nancing information from the law school you wish to
attend.
THE FLORIDA BAR
The Florida Bar is the organization of all lawyers who are licensed by the Supreme Court of
Florida to practice law in the state. Any lawyer desiring to practice law in Florida must be a member
of The Florida Bar and be considered in good standing with The Florida Bar. To seek admission to
The Florida Bar, a person must meet specic eligibility qualications, such as earning a Doctor of
Jurisprudence degree from an American Bar Association-accredited law school, passing the Florida Bar
Examination, passing the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination, producing satisfactory
evidence of good moral character and tness, and ling the appropriate applications and fees.
Members of The Florida Bar in good standing have paid annual membership dues and are not
retired, resigned, delinquent, inactive, or suspended. Additionally, to remain an active member in
good standing with The Florida Bar, all members of The Florida Bar are required to complete 33
hours of continuing legal education credits over a three-year period - ve of which must be in the
area of ethics, professionalism, substance abuse, mental illness awareness, or bias elimination; three
hours must be in the area of technology; and one hour must include professionalism. As of November
1, 2020, there were 89,739 members of The Florida Bar who were eligible to practice law and are in
good standing.
The Florida Bar helps protect the public from harm that could result in unqualied people
practicing law. As such, The Florida Bar’s core functions are to prosecute unethical lawyers through
the Attorney Discipline System; administer a client protection fund to cover certain nancial losses
a client might suer due to misappropriation by a lawyer; administer a substance abuse program;
and provide continuing education services for lawyers. In addition, The Florida Bar provides many
other services to members and the public, including publishing legal periodicals, administering a
public information program, providing ethics and law oce management advice, and sponsoring
conferences and meetings.
As a member of The Florida Bar, each lawyer is expected to devote some time to the improvement
of the profession. Lawyers participate in the work of The Florida Bar and uphold the established
ethical standards and discipline procedures. The Florida Bar members are encouraged to support
the public interest by providing free or low-cost services (“pro bono”) to individuals or charitable
organizations in need and by working with and nancially supporting organizations that provide legal
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services to those in need. The Florida Bar’s aspirational goal is for each lawyer to provide 20 hours
annually in pro bono service or $350 in contributions to legal aid organizations.
BAR ADMISSION THROUGH THE FLORIDA BOARD OF BAR EXAMINERS
Law school graduates receive a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. Because law school fosters an
environment of creative thinking and problem solving, some law school graduates are oered
employment in positions that do not require additional credentials. However, to represent clients in
the state of Florida, a law school graduate must also pass the Florida Bar Examination and the Florida
Board of Bar Examiners’ (Board) character and tness investigation.
The Board is an administrative agency of the Supreme Court of Florida. The Board consists of
12 members of The Florida Bar and three non-lawyer members of the general public. The Board is
responsible for making recommendations to the Supreme Court of Florida regarding whether each
applicant seeking admission to The Florida Bar should be admitted. The Board must ensure that
each applicant meets the requirements regarding educational qualication, technical competence, and
character and tness before recommending an applicant for admission.
To seek admission to The Florida Bar, a person must meet the eligibility educational qualications,
that is – all applicants seeking admission to The Florida Bar must be enrolled in an American Bar
Association (ABA)-accredited law school that will ultimately result in the awarding of a Doctor of
Jurisprudence degree, or must have already been awarded the Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from
an ABA-accredited law school at a time when the law school was accredited or within 12 months
of accreditation or be found educationally qualied by the Board under an alternative method of
educational qualication set forth in the rules of the Florida Supreme Court relating to admissions to
The Florida Bar.
In addition to educational qualications, all applicants to The Florida Bar must also satisfy the
requirements for technical competence through successful completion of The Florida Bar Examination.
Admission to practice law in Florida is by examination only, and applicants must complete the
requirements for law school graduation prior to submitting to the General Bar Examination (Parts
A and B). The Florida Bar Examination consists of the General Bar Examination, which includes a
Florida-prepared Examination (Part A), the Multistate Bar Examination (Part B), and the Multistate
Professional Responsibility Examination (Part C). Applicants may sit for the Multistate Professional
Responsibility Examination prior to graduation from law school.
The Board administers The Florida Bar Examination only twice a year. Specically, the examination
is administered each February and July. All law school graduates must pass this examination to obtain
a license to practice law in Florida and be a member of The Florida Bar. The Florida Bar exam is
typically a two-day event that includes a full day devoted to Florida-specic law on multiple areas
(i.e., family law, torts, criminal law, constitutional law, property, etc.). The Florida part of the test
includes the writing of essays and answering multiple-choice questions. The next exam day covers
many of the same subjects but relates to the multi-state or national laws and is mostly tested by
multiple-choice questions. Unlike other professions such as management, accounting, or engineering,
one cannot practice law without having met all of the requirements of The Florida Bar. Accordingly,
law students need to begin preparations for the Bar exam while in law school. This can involve taking
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Florida-specic law subjects or taking special research courses focusing on areas of Florida law. In
addition, most graduating law school students take a Bar exam preparation course immediately after
they complete their law school education and right before the exam. This course could take up to eight
weeks to complete and covers all areas of Florida and multi-state laws. With Bar exam pass rates
averaging about 70 percent, pre-exam preparation for The Florida Bar exam is imperative to ensure
passing the exam. Finally, developing data shows a correlation between how well a student does in
law school (GPA) and the chances of passing The Florida Bar Exam.
Lastly, all applicants to The Florida Bar must produce satisfactory evidence of good moral
character, an adequate knowledge of the standards and ideals of the profession, and proof that the
applicant is otherwise t to take the oath and perform the obligations and responsibilities of a lawyer.
In making a determination as to your character and tness to be a lawyer, the Board conducts a
thorough background investigation regarding your honesty, fairness, and respect for the rights of
others and for the laws of this country. This investigation includes an analysis of each applicant’s
ability to comply with deadlines and court rules; to communicate candidly and civilly with clients,
lawyers, courts, and others; to conduct nancial dealings in a responsible, honest, and trustworthy
manner; and to avoid acts that are illegal, dishonest, fraudulent, or deceitful. The primary purposes
of the character and tness investigation are to protect the public and safeguard the judicial system.
Since this review process is very thorough, students are encouraged to begin this process while in law
school. In addition, The Florida Bar also requires law students to pass the Professional Responsibility
Exam, which is administered several times a year. This exam can be taken by a student while still
in law school. Understanding the ethical and professional responsibility rules of The Florida Bar is
also important in helping to know what limits and barriers may be placed on a lawyer’s practice in a
specic area of law.
Once you pass all parts of the General Bar examination and meet the character and tness
requirements established by the Supreme Court of Florida, you will be recommended to the Supreme
Court of Florida for admission to the practice of law. Induction ceremonies for new lawyers are held
twice annually, usually in May and October.
The Board recommends that you le a student registration application in the rst year of law
school. By registering with the Board as a law student, you will pay a lower fee, and you will obtain a
preliminary decision from the Board as to your character and tness. Certied legal internships (CLIs)
are available to law school students. To participate in these internships, you must obtain a preliminary
decision regarding your character and tness from the Board. This is an important reason to le a
student registration in the rst year of law school.
It is also important to note that there is no reciprocity between Florida and any other state or
jurisdiction at this time. In other words, submission to The Florida Bar Examination and completion
of a character and tness investigation is required for all lawyers who wish to represent clients and
practice law in the state of Florida. Other states may open the practice of law to out-of-state applicants
who have already been admitted to the bar of another state, including those who have been admitted
to The Florida Bar. However, each state/jurisdiction establishes its own criteria for admission and
reciprocity. Therefore, one should inquire with the specic out-of-state jurisdiction to determine if the
jurisdiction oers reciprocity and the rules that govern admission to the jurisdiction’s bar.
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For information on admission or to le an application for admission to The Florida Bar, visit the
Board’s website at www.oridabarexam.org.
WHAT INCOMING 1L’S MUST AND NEED TO KNOW
Students entering law school in the rst year are designated as “1L’s”. In the subsequent years of
law school, they will advance to the status of “2L’s” and “3L’s” before graduating and going on to
practice law after they pass The Florida Bar requirements.
It is important that seniors in undergraduate school considering entering law school, as well as
students presently starting the rst year at law school have an updated and realistic picture of what
that rst “1L” year is all about. It is important that they understand the challenges and demands that
rst year presents and what, if any, advance long-term law career planning be started in that 1L year. It
is always important for aspiring law students to obtain realistic expectations so as to diminish anxiety
and fear once faced with these expected issues and conditions.
A wonderful book written by Scott Turow, entitled One L, attempted to outline the diculties
and challenges faced by 1L students. Mr. Turow documented what he experienced that rst year, in
1973, when attending the Harvard Law School. He documented the “shocks” 1L’s experience in the
“turbulent rst year of law school” such as “hazings, betrayals, and an emotional ordeal so grueling
that only the nest will survive.”
Although Mr. Turow’s documentation was, at the time and at that school, realistic, it must be
recognized that he was attending one of the most competitive law schools in the United States and
at a time when the kind of behavior he experienced was considered the norm. For that reason, it is
important to update the 1L experience and to lay out the kind of challenges and experiences one
can expect in that rst year and from a more typical law school environment. That is the purpose of
this section of the handbook; that is, to identify what an incoming law school student can expect to
experience in that rst year, including the major challenges and planning that the student may face.
For additional information about the law school/lawyer experience, including how to accustom
oneself to the rst year of law school and general productivity advice, please visit the reading list
provided by the American Bar Association. This summer reading list is specically recommended for
all incoming law students. While this reading list is comprehensive, please feel free to select a few
titles that appeal to your interest and, hopefully, they can help assist you in developing your best law
school experience.
I. 1L COURSES
In most law schools, the 1L courses are, for the most part, compulsory and considered “foundational”
courses: such as Property, Civil Procedure, Contracts, and Torts. These courses are designed to
introduce an incoming law student to the basics of the most used and practiced legal subjects. It is
hoped that the student can use these courses to develop a “feeling” as to what area of law the student
may be interested in the upcoming academic years. It is also considered an important aid for 1L’s
to use when they get a chance to identify what courses they would elect to take in the subsequent
two years of law school so as to develop a better understanding of an area of law they appear to be
interested in as a possible future law career.
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II. 1L COURSE TEACHING METHODS
In many law schools, and in many 1L courses, professors utilize the “Socratic” method of teaching.
This was a method used and developed by Socrates, a renowned Greek philosopher. It involves several
teaching techniques that an incoming 1L may never have experienced in any prior education and
which may nd very intimidating, very challenging, and that could produce great anxiety.
The method starts with the professor having at his disposal a chart listing the names of class
participants, approximately where they are seated, and a photograph of each student. The basic strategy
of this form of teaching is to ensure that a student has completed the homework readings and is fully
prepared to discuss an evaluation of the court cases included in the assigned homework readings. The
professor would then use the random questioning of students as to specic parts of the homework
readings. The emphasis is more on the questioning of students and the quality of their responses than
on the teaching skills of the professor.
Once a student is randomly called on by the professor, the student is asked to stand-up in front
of the entire class and respond to questions by the professor. For many schools, this intimidation of
standing up has been reduced. In many cases, the professor will rst ask what the specic logic of
the judge’s rationale was in deciding on the case. It is imperative that all assignments are read before
class.
If the selected student gets past the rst round of questions, the student would then be asked by
the professor what the judge’s opinion would have been if the facts of the case had been changed. The
questioning and responding could go on for minutes while the student’s responses are watched by the
entire class. In a way, the student’s very intelligence is being tested in front of the student’s classmates
and peers.
This form of teaching accomplishes its main goals; that is, to ensure that students complete their
homework case readings and analyze the thinking and rationale of the judge and what changes the
judge may have made if the facts of the case changed.
As a result of high levels of anxiety, alleged intimidation, and several societal issues, teaching
with the Socratic method has been reduced in many 1L courses and, for the most part, is not utilized
in the 2 and 3L years. The logic being that students have developed excellent learning skills in the 1L
year and do not require further pressure to eectively learn law in subsequent years.
In addition to a vastly dierent teaching method, a 1L may encounter a vastly dierent testing
method. For the most part, there is only one course exam administered at the end of the course period.
Typically, there are no pop quizzes, no mid-term exams, and the entire grade is based on that one nal
exam. There is no way for the student to gauge how they are doing during the course period. This
forces 1L’s to ensure they are developing excellent study documents, summarizing case readings and
taking eective class notes for use as a study guide for the nal exams.
Finally, that one nal exam is generally done by computer where a student is required to answer
essay type questions by typing in the answers. For this reason, and to better prepare for the state Bar
exam after graduation, where the entire test, essay, and multiple choice, are done by computer, the
1L should begin to sharpen their typing and computer skills in that rst academic year. Additionally,
learning how to write a coherent and well-structured response to a law school essay exam is
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foundational to the 1L learning experience and to one’s success in law school. Most signicantly, law
school essay questions are unlike any essay questions you might have seen in undergraduate school
or high school. Law school essay exams are written to test students’ skills in reading comprehension,
issue spotting, legal analysis, and legal writing. In law school, your exam will present a complex,
hypothetical scenario involving one or more parties who have various legal problems. Your job as a
law student will be to spot all of the legal issues, dene the relevant law, and then apply and analyze
the law to the facts described in the scenario. Due to the complexity of many of the law school exam
scenarios, it is important for a law student to apply time management while taking the exam, giving
yourself time to read the scenario, comprehend the exam question(s), issue spot, draft an analysis, and
proofread your response.
When drafting an essay response to a law school exam, it may be helpful to rst draft an outline
that includes each issue you have identied. In the response itself, however, there is no need to discuss
the issues in the order you spotted them. Instead, in your response, you should address the most
important legal issues identied rst, saving the minor issues for the end of the essay. For each issue
spotted, plan for at least one full paragraph for each of the elements in the following essay formats:
IRAC (issue, rule application, and conclusion), CREAC (conclusion, rule explanation, application,
and conclusion), or TREAT (topic sentence, rule, explanation, application, topic sentence). Regardless
of the acronym selected for your exam response, the key components of the legal analysis are the same
– that is, stating the legal issue spotted, clearly identifying the rule of law governing the particular
issue, analyzing how the law applies to the hypothetical scenario presented in the exam question, and
concluding with how the issue should be resolved.
III. THE 1L AS A FOUNDATIONAL EXPERIENCE
As mentioned previously, the design and purpose of the 1L year is to try and give the student an
idea of what their future interests and areas may be in a law career. It is hoped that a student will
be able to determine from the basic 1L courses what specic areas of law they may be interested in
pursuing. Accordingly, the student can then decide to reinforce those areas of interest in developing a
better understanding and expertise in that specic area. Accordingly, many students consider the 1L
experience as a “foundational” experience. The building blocks of a successful law career stems from
this foundation.
Every law student must realize that employment opportunities in the legal profession are becoming
more and more competitive. They must realize that law rms, government prosecutors, and court
organizations will try and eliminate the need for considerable training of new lawyers and will try
and hire those lawyers that, for the most part, can add immediate value (and revenue) to the law rm
with minimal to no training. For these reasons, it is important that law students, right from the 1L year
on, try to maximize their employment opportunities after graduation by considering the actions listed
below.
First, a student can identify what prior experiences, education, employment, and training they
had before attending law school that would be helpful in the development of a specic law area. For
example, if a student had shown a deep interest and has had experience in reading and preparing
business contracts, they may want to begin to focus in the area of contract law for a future law career.
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Second, if a student begins to focus on contract law, that should help the student in preparing for
what elective courses they should select in the second and third year of law school. The student may
elect to take advanced contract courses or take elective individual and targeted research courses that
focus on the specics of contract law.
Third, with a focus on a future career in contract law, the student may apply for intern and externship
assignments with law rms or courts that work on contract law issues. These assignments can be done
during the school year or during the summer break periods. These assignments are probably the most
important in sharpening a student’s knowledge of the preferred area of law and making that person an
extremely valuable and immediate asset to any future employer.
Fourth, the student should attempt to nd out if there are any recent court ordered or statutory
impediments to the area of law they are considering for the future. For example, if a student has an
interest in practicing in the area of personal injury or wrongful death, they should nd out, as soon as
possible, that a recent court ordered requirement was that no lawyer could contact the victim or the
victim’s family for at least 30 days after the accident. Although there are some limited exceptions to
this rule, it would require a practicing lawyer to try to wait until after the 30-day period to contact the
victim or their families. For the most part, victims would most probably already have contacted and
retained a lawyer either by referrals from friends or from massive advertising of the selected law rm.
Per Bar rules, this would exclude any other lawyers from involvement in the case. This limitation
would probably require a new lawyer to work for a law rm that has a huge advertising budget.
Working as a solo lawyer would, most probably, not be eective in getting personal injury or wrongful
death cases. For those new lawyers that planned on practicing on their own this new legal restriction
could seriously aect and impede their law career planning.
IV. PLANNING AHEAD FOR WHAT ELSE IS REQUIRED TO PRACTICE LAW
Many law school students nd out that there are many requirements one must accomplish before
one can begin to practice law in the state of their selection in addition to successfully nishing a
three-year law school education. For many students, they nd this out too late. These are a few of the
potential “surprises”:
Passing the State Bar Exam
First, and foremost, is the fact that no graduating lawyer can practice law in their preferred state
unless they have passed that state’s Bar examination. This is dierent from other careers such as
engineering, management, or accounting when, for the most part, graduates of these programs can
immediately begin professional practice in these areas after graduation without passing any special
exams. For this reason, it is important that a 1L student, or a student considering attending law school,
research the success that school has had in the student’s pass rate. Typically, state Bar exam student
pass rates vary from 50% to 90%. Many law rms may not hire a lawyer until they pass that state’s Bar
exam. Many supporting parents may lose patience with an unemployed graduate after spending years
supporting that legal education. Many government loan agencies will begin to demand repayment of
student debt - a dicult demand when one is not employed. It may be a good idea for the future law
school candidate to check the school on the correlations, if any, between LSAT scores and the school’s
Bar passage rate to see if their LSAT scores may be an indication of their probable Bar passage.
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Finally, and more important, prospective students should also ask the school for correlations between
law school GPA’s and Bar passage rates to measure the level of school eectiveness in passing the Bar
exam - what has become a more accurate predictor of Bar passage.
The typical state Bar exams consist of a grueling two-day aair that tests the student’s knowledge
of individual state laws in several legal subject areas in addition to the knowledge one has of a
uniform national law also in several subject areas. The exam typically consists of a combination of
essays and multiple-choice questions. Accordingly, in addition to evaluating the pass rates of a law
school, a student also needs to check on what law school courses or support and guidance programs
are oered that would help a student pass the state Bar exams before they graduate. Finally, since the
writing style in which a student answers an essay format question is almost as important as the content
of the essay, students should also evaluate if a law school provides courses and programs on how to
“write as a lawyer” and how to write to pass a Bar’s exam essay test.
Typically, law students look to receive supplemental support and guidance in passing the state Bar
exam from outside sources such as Barbri Bar Review, Kaplan Test Preparation or Themis Bar Review.
Taking these postgraduate courses are an absolute necessity if the law school does not oer Bar exam
preparation courses. Although these outside sources help in passing the Bar exam, a student needs to
stay focused on the basics they learned from the law school education as a much more valuable and
essential source in passing the exam. It is best to schedule the taking of these supplemental courses
immediately after graduation and before the next scheduled Bar exam testing date.
Finally, it should be noted that most state’s schedule Bar exams only twice a year (typically in July
and February). That means if one fails the exam in July, they must wait for six months to try again
to pass. Having to wait six months could be challenging since most students nd that they may have
forgotten much of what they learned in law school courses some six months after graduation. Potential
employers may also lose patience. For that reason, it is best to schedule the Bar exam immediately
after graduation.
Passing the State’s Professional Ethics Exam
In addition to passing the state’s Bar exam, law school students are also required to pass a separate
Professional Ethics exam that is oered some time after the 1L year. Failure to pass this special exam
will prevent a graduating law school student from being admitted in the state Bar and from practicing
law in that state. Accordingly, a present or future law school student should evaluate if a law school
has special courses and programs designed to help its students pass this special exam. It would then
be recommended that the student try to take these courses as soon as possible and to schedule to take
this special exam as soon as possible. It would be tragic if a student passes the state Bar exam but nds
out that they also needed to pass the Professional Ethics exam before they can practice law. Get it out
of the way as soon as possible!
Passing the State’s Credentials Search
In addition to passing the state Bar exam and the state Professional Ethics exam there is one more
“test” a law student must “pass” before being admitted to the state Bar association and to enable that
student to practice law; that is, “passing” the Bar’s credentialing process. Most state Bars demand
that a student undergo an extensive and deep search of their backgrounds prior to attending and while
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attending law school. That search may involve numerous areas of a student’s personal and private
lives. Everything from the student’s prior employment records to the student’s criminal and civil
violations (i.e., trac violations) to the student’s prior educational records will be reviewed in great
detail.
This state Bar credentials requirement may involve numerous follow-up requests from the
reviewing state Bar association and require student explanations of critical and possibly negative
discoveries made by the Bar reviewer. The entire credentials process could take from many months
to several years. For that reason, it is critical that a 1L student begin to obtain the required forms and
accumulate what specic information is going to be required in the credentialing process as soon as
possible. Since it may take time to obtain the required documents, the sooner a student can obtain
what is needed the better!
After completion of the state’s Bar exam the Bar association will issue a condential report on
whether a person has met all of the requirements of the state Bar association. Typically, this report
is issued via the Bar’s website a few months after the exam and individual students are identied by
special Bar exam identication numbers.
Finally, prospective lawyers will receive a conrmation letter from the state’s Supreme Court
congratulating them on having achieved and met the dicult requirements of becoming a lawyer in
that state and authorizing that student to be sworn in as a lawyer by local court ocials.
WELL-BEING AND SELF-CARE IN LAW SCHOOL
You will meet many dierent people when you start law school, some you may already know from
college or the work force. Some are older students returning to school to begin a new career. Others
are fresh from undergraduate or graduate school. Law students are often amazed at the variety of
personalities and backgrounds they meet. At a minimum, you will have at least one thing in common,
a desire to understand and apply the law. When you begin, it is crucial to nd a core group of law
school cohorts with whom to build lasting relationships.
While law school may seem the most dicult task you have tackled in your life, it will only
become more intense afterward. There is a learning curve in law school, and there is a learning
curve to practicing law. There will be moments of intense joy, and some moments of hair-pulling
aggravation; and riding that roller coaster will be easier for you and your cohorts if there is a solid
group of people that each of you can reach out to and celebrate, commiserate, or just chat with about
being a lawyer.
Every law school has student organizations and you can often nd them listed on the school’s
website. These vary from school to school based upon student-body interest and continuing participation
levels. Joining one or more social groups based on identity or aliation provides the opportunity to
build enduring friendships with kindred spirits. Social groups can further provide opportunities to
engage with the local legal community as well as learn about mentoring opportunities.
Finding a group centered on an area of the law is another avenue to nd like-minded friends.
Some people have no idea what area of the law they want to practice, and others are super focused
on one particular area. You may not realize asylum and refugee law, for example, is going to become
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A special thank you to
The Student Education and Admission to the Bar (SEABC) committee members:
Brijesh Patel, Heather Thom, John Arceri, Jaclyn Behar, Deborah Cupples, John Dorris,
Michele Gavagni, Shahabudeen Kahn, Joseph Matthews, Marie Moyle, Steven Simon
your favorite, so it may take some time before you nd that related student interest group. But you
will. Eventually the relationships you build in law school will become some of your most important.
Building that social network while bonding with a core group will help you both personally and
professionally.
Law school is more than taking a series of courses and passing exams. The experience will change
the way you think, and before you know it, your casual conversations will start to include terms and
phrases that your friends and family will nd unfamiliar, or even a little bizarre. Sometimes those
relationships change as you transition from law student to lawyer, so building enduring relationships
with your fellow law students becomes even more important as you grow and become a successful
practitioner.
CONCLUSION
As you pursue your course of study in law, remember that the road is a long and tough one,
but ultimately, is a rewarding experience. Salary and living conditions are a consideration in any
profession, but it should not be your primary reason for becoming a lawyer. A lawyer’s job is to
provide a much-needed service to the community. The legal profession is exciting and challenging, as
it deals with vital areas of our lives, often when individuals and businesses are at their most dicult
crossroads.
As one judge put it, “Although more and more people are coming into the profession, we always
have room for more good lawyers.” Being a lawyer is far from easy, but for the right people, it can be
one of the most rewarding professional experiences with tangible benets to communities for years
to come.
The material in this handbook represents general information. Because the law is continually
changing, some provisions in this handbook may be out-of-date. Additionally, it is always best to
consult a lawyer about your legal rights and responsibilities regarding a particular case.
