If you are planning to apply for law school and you want to know where to start, you should begin by finding a list of all of the schools that possess ABA accreditation. The ABA, also known as the American Bar Association, is one of the largest professional organizations in the world and is committed to improving the legal profession as a whole.
While the association does a lot more than just grant voluntary accreditation to law programs, this is one of the major roles it serves to ensure that future attorneys are getting a quality education. For undergraduate students who want to move on to a law program, you might be wondering if there are benefits to choosing an ABA-accredited school. Read on, and find out what the benefits of selecting schools approved by the ABA are so that you do not make a mistake that could affect your legal career.
Freedom to Take the Bar Examination in Any State
If you are attending law school, there is a good chance that you intend to take the bar exam so that you can be a lawyer or judge. When you want to take the bar, you should check to see what the requirements are in your state. While some states will allow you to sit for the bar when you have completed a law program with a non-ABA affiliated school, most states will only recognize programs that were accredited by the ABA.
If you are not sure where you want to test for your bar, it is best to complete a degree program that will be recognized in any state and not just a select few. You will benefit from enjoying the flexibility and freedom to test in any state if you only stick with programs that have been assessed and approved by the American Bar Association. You never need to worry that the classes that you took will not fulfill testing requirements.
Secure Jobs With Legal Firms
All legal firms have heard of the ABA and are more than likely members of the ABA, as well. Most attorneys who have just recently earned their license will work with a firm before they consider starting their own business. When you are applying for legal jobs and you have a non-accredited school on your resume in the education section, you might get glanced over. If you even secure an interview, you should be asked to defend your degree and their admissions standards. When you stick with an accredited school, the employer knows how hard it is to get into the program and how much commitment it takes to pass a legal program with curriculum that meets high standards.
Sifting through all of the law schools in the nation or in your vicinity to verify accreditation can be a tedious process. Luckily, the internet and database technology makes searching for the right law schools easier than you might have thought. If you want to find every single ABA accredited school on a single website, you can select the state and find a comprehensive list through the ABA. Once you decide which school to apply to, set up a date to take the LSAT and then gain acceptance into law school with ABA accreditation so that you can begin your studies.