How to become a lawyer?

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Eli733

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Hi, I am a female student that has not yet finished high school, but is very interested in becoming a lawyer. I have a lot of questions to ask but cannot find people who are job related to the field of business/law that I want to go into. So here I am seeking help in hope of finding answers to my questions.

1. Is there such a type of lawyer that conducts work and has a degree in buisness and law? Like a business lawyer?

2. What are some of the mandatory courses you need to take in high school to become a lawyer? [Law, history...etc]

3. What extra curriculum activities should I get involved in to improve my application to universities?

4. How many community hours should I have?

5. Is this a good job for a female? And is it needed now/ requested?

6. Is McGill, Queen, U of T good choices for universities into progressing and becoming a lawyer?

7. How does the undergrad program work?

8. OFF topic but does anyone know any programs that can help with improving your French or even learning it from the beginning to be able to speak and communicate with other French speaking people?

9. Do you have any ideas of a career that I would be better with my personality?

... I like a job that is inside an office, I am great with software's/ programs such as Microsoft office (word, excel, PowerPoint). I am really interested in history it is currently one of my best subjects my second greatest subject is business like to be absorbed by my work and can be available 24/7. I love to work independently but is a good team player. In a group I usually take control to organize the event, project hence my great organization skills. But I do not boss people around unless they are not willing to work. I have a sophisticated passion for clothes/fashion. That suits the look for a lawyer or a business woman. I am a hard worker and love paper work. I also have a passion to work with people and help them which I would through fighting for their side proving them right. I have an argumentum and opinionated personality that stands and sticks to her word winning the war. Etc

Thank you please!

 
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Hi, I am a female student that has not yet finished high school, but is very intrested in becoming a lawyer. I have a lot of questions to ask but cannot find people who are job related to the field of buisness/law that I want to go into. So here I am seeking help in hope of finding answers to my questions.

1. Is there such a type of lawyer that conducts work and has a degree in buisness and law? like a buisness lawyer?

2. What are some of the mandetory courses you need to take in high school to become a lawyer? [ law, history...etc]

3. what extra curriculum activities should I get involved in to improve my application to universities?

4. How many community hours should I have?

5.Is this a good job for a female? and is it needed now/ requested?

6. Is McGill, Queen, U of T good choices for universities into progressing and becoming a lawyer?

7. How does the undergrad programm work ?

8. OFF topic but does anyone know any programms that can help with improving your french or even learning it from the beginning to be able to speak and communicate with other french speaking people?

9. Do you have any ideas of a career that I would be better with my personality ?

... I like a job that is inside an office, I am great with softwares/ programs such as microsoft office (word, excel, powepoint). I am really intrested in history it is currently one of my best subjects my second greatest subject is buisness.I like to be absorbed by my work and can be available 24/7. I love to work independetly but am a good team player. In a group I usually take control to organise the event, prjoect. Hence my great organization skills. But I do not boss people around unless they are not willing to work. I have a sofisticated passion for clothes/fashion. That suits the look for a lawyer or a business women. I am a hard worker and love paper work. I also have a pasiion to wor with people and help them which I would throught fighting for their side proving them right. I have an argumental and oppinianated personality that stands and sticks to her word winning the war. Etc

Thank you please answer asap! :)



Knowledge and use of basic grammar and spelling would be your first step.
 
Thanks and welcome to our site. Yes, we really do try (and should be) friendly people here. :)

1. Is there such a type of lawyer that conducts work and has a degree in business and law? Like a business lawyer?
There are lawyers who have an MBA and do "business law" (I'm one of them.) However, the area of law is a large one and most usually specialize in a certain area of business, e.g. "entertainment law". I do more Internet Law and media law although my knowledge covers generally what one encounters in running a business.

Personally, I think you are a long way off from deciding what you like and what you want to be. Best advice - try working in a law office in an area that interests you. See what they do. Learn a little about the job. Decide if this is something you might be interested in after college. Note - you can always work after college and then apply for law school, which many recommend.

2. What are some of the mandatory courses you need to take in high school to become a lawyer? [Law, history...etc]
Nothing. Go to a good college and study hard and do as well as you can in whatever interests you. Sometimes non-legal majors are of interest to law school admissions committees. There are some colleges with pre-law course or political science studies. It may help a little but I would say it will make little to no difference overall.

3. What extra curriculum activities should I get involved in to improve my application to universities?
Difficult to say but usually something of substance. Perhaps working as a student intern at an established business or even working at a non-profit organization that does something meaningful to better humankind. Much also depends upon the university. Speaking additional languages is good to have on your application.

4. How many community hours should I have?
This isn't jail. :) Nothing is required. If you have done work with your community, it's certainly something to note and could serve you well on your application.

5. Is this a good job for a female? And is it needed now/ requested?
I think so. You haven't really specific a job in particular. There are many lawyers here and, in some ways, far more lawyers than there is a demand. Let your true desire drive the process of where to go in your career. Someone who is very motivated and passionate about what they do should be able to succeed based upon their ability and ambition.

6. Is McGill, Queen, U of T good choices for universities into progressing and becoming a lawyer?
I have heard good things about both schools and have many friends who have attended each. I don't know enough about Canada to speak on this topic. I will say that you probably have a long way to go before you need to decide on law school. One thing at a time... let's start with college.

7. How does the undergrad program work?
Go to the best school you can. Go to an accredited four year college if you are in the US. In Canada it may work differently but I'm sure the system is similar in that you'll have a good chance applying from a better school.

8. OFF topic but does anyone know any programs that can help with improving your French or even learning it from the beginning to be able to speak and communicate with other French speaking people?
In Quebec that is a requirement. I can't answer where the best place is to learn.

9. Do you have any ideas of a career that I would be better with my personality?
We don't know your personality so we can't tell... other than you like purple. :) But you have a long time to decide what you want to do. My suggestion - first make it through college. You'll have a different perspective after you do.

I have a sophisticated passion for clothes/fashion. That suits the look for a lawyer or a business woman. I am a hard worker and love paper work. I also have a passion to work with people and help them which I would through fighting for their side proving them right. I have an argumentum and opinionated personality that stands and sticks to her word winning the war.
We all were there once. I'll leave you with some thoughts of a person who went through this:

1) After a few months of having to pay for the cost of drycleaning and deal with the business suits, you'll soon be happier if you didn't have to dress this way.

2) Frequently much in litigation (fighting over who is right in a lawsuit) has little to do with argument. Much deals with mountains of paperwork before you ever even get to the stage of argument. With regard to business law such as contracts, that's more productive and deals with negotiating skills. If you want to be a litigator, I highly advise you to work in an attorney's office. You will soon realize how different it is from on TV.

Best of luck to you. There is a lot of living ahead of you...
 
Canada has two levels of lawyer. Solicitors, who handle common legal issues not requiring court appearance and Barristers, who are Solicitors, that practice primarily in court.
 
Canada has two levels of lawyer. Solicitors, who handle common legal issues not requiring court appearance and Barristers, who are Solicitors, that practice primarily in court.
My understanding is that those positions are one and the same in Canada although separated in the UK and Wales.
 
Without being specific, to the point of showing my limited knowledge, I had to make an appearance in traffic court, in Ontario. I was represented by a Solicitor, who took the case because it was minor. She admitted she had no court experience, because she was not a Barrister in her firm. The distinction appears to be whether they have enough experience as a Solicitor to know the law and the desire to become a trial only attorney, a Barrister. From a licensing perspective, I do not believe there is a difference. A Barrister to represent me, ranged from $1400 to $2000, depending on the firm. The Solicitor charged me $500.
 
You could be right. I've always done transactional work with the great people up north and never had to think about the distinctions. It's also interesting that the law in Quebec will vary from the rest of the country (including bilingual requirements.) I wonder if there are firm distinctions between the two as there are in the UK. In the US there are some very limited abilities for advocates to make appearances on behalf of clients even though they are not attorneys (here we seem to prioritize protecting our own and the fees.) Learn new things every day... hope you were able to beat the ticket. :)
 
It was a bogus charge. A lady rolled her SUV after changing lanes and claimed I cut her off. Seeing her SUV gliding down the QEW, on its roof, I pulled over to render aid. The responding officer tried to brow beat me into confessing I cut her off, as she claimed, saying he had a witness willing to testify I did so. He issued me a ticket. After showing up to court, I discovered the "witness" was her boyfriend/husband and that he had refused to give a statement. Neither of them showed for court mysteriously. The case was dismissed for lack of evidence.
 
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