Becoming A Financial Attorney

A financial attorney specializes in working within an array of areas including corporate compliance, tax, marriage, divorce, banking and public arenas. In most cases, these lawyers will offer legal assistance surrounding issues including policy, environmental and public issues, acquisitions and mergers. These legal professionals represent government organizations, corporations and individuals alike. If you are interested in becoming a finance attorney, the article below will provide you with the information you need to make it happen.

Step 1: Start out by enrolling in a 4-year university or college of your choice. Choose your classes dealing with financial planning, business administration, accounting, and estate planning. If you are more interested in working in a corporate environment, you may decide to take additional classes that focus more on acquisitions and mergers.

Step 2: Register for a law school that has been accredited by the ABA (American Bar Association). It will generally take three years to complete your course load. Consider the possibility of attention law school part-time or during the evenings if work is conflicting with your school schedule. Sign up for and pass the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) with flying colors. Some schools may require you to have experience working as an attorney in addition to completing an in-person interview in order to attend.

Step 3: Practice as a finance attorney underneath a lawyer who is currently running a successful practice. Land yourself an internship with government financial agencies, law schools and corporate law departments where internships are offered. Once you've completed your internship, you will need to register for additional training in order to keep yourself current, while increasing your knowledge of the field.

Step 4: Look into the licensing requirements in the state where you will be practicing. Be aware that many states require their attorneys to pass a written bar exam in addition to a written ethics exam prior to granting a license. Find out whether you will be required to complete a multi-state 6-hour bar exam or a multi-state 3-hour exam for the state where you are hoping to practice.

Step 5: Write out an effective and strong resume. This resume should highlight your internships, education, legal working experience and licenses. Peruse job boards and get in touch with your old school mates at the old college, university and law school to locate available open positions for finance lawyers that intrigue you. If you're interested in working at an office, government agency or corporate firm, be sure to get in touch with the head recruiter at HR to set up an interview.

Step 6: Once you get your foot in the door, it's time to prove yourself. The legal field is competitive and stressful. Many individuals have trouble balancing a social life with the workload. If you've come this far, there's no sense in turning back now. Buckle down and get moving on your new career. Though the investment is large, the potential returns are well worth the effort.