Best Law Schools in Texas

However, most law schools in other countries need only a high school diploma or the equivalent to admit students to study law. But in the US, the law is a professional academic field that grants Juris Doctor (J.D.) degrees.

According to Wikipedia, a law school is an institution that specializes in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction. Although Hollywood magnifies life in law school, earning a law degree is frequently synonymous with high pay and prestige.

The skills you learn in a Juris Doctor program are adaptable and could be helpful to careers outside of the law.

A Juris Doctor is a degree properly awarded to law school graduates. Most J.D. programs are three-year programs, though some are four-year or part-time programs, and a few two-year accelerated programs are available. Graduates of this program can practice any area of law after passing a state bar exam with the inconsistency of patent law, which requires a technical undergraduate major or substantial coursework in science courses and a passing score on the patent bar exam.

A Juris Doctor can also lead to a range of law-related careers in government, alternative dispute resolution, politics, business, higher education, consulting, public interest advocacy, and several other fields. If you are interested in earning a J.D. for any career other than the practice of law, make sure to investigate alternative pathways to that career which include other graduate degrees and work experience, to be sure law school in Texas is the best path.

The Salary of a Lawyer in Texas

The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor notes that two metropolitan areas in Texas were among the top-paying metropolitan areas in the country for lawyers to work. Those areas were the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land area, where lawyers averaged a mean annual salary of $174,870; and the Dallas-Plano-Irving area, where lawyers averaged a mean yearly salary of $154,490.

The minimum salary of a lawyer in Texas at that time was making $145,800 per year. However, the salaries of the lawyers according to hierarchy are as follows:

Starting level lawyer $60,900 per year

Junior-level lawyer $82,220 per year

Mid-level lawyer $127,110 per year

Senior-level lawyer $165,270

The typical tenure for a Lawyer is 1-3 years.

Can I Take the Bar Exam Without Attending one of the Law Schools in Texas?

Only four states like California, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington allow aspiring lawyers to take the bar exam without attending one of the law schools in Texas. Instead, you are given the option to apprentice with a practicing attorney or judge.

The Cost of the Bar Exam

Generally, you can expect to pay between $100 and $1300 to register for the bar exam, depending on your status and these fees are paid directly to the Board of Law Examiners of your state (or equivalent).

Becoming a Lawyer in Texas

If your goal is to earn a Juris Doctor and attend one of the law schools in Texas, follow this procedure:

• Undergraduate Pre-Law Education in Texas

Practicing law here require that you graduate from an American Bar Association-accredited law school. So, you must acquire at least a bachelor’s degree before applying to law school.

• Texas LSAT (Law School Admission Test)

The Texas Board of Law Examiners also requires that you graduate from an ABA-approved law school in order to become a bar member.

• Law Schools in Texas

After you pass the LSAT, you are ready to apply to American Bar Association-approved law schools in Texas. You must graduate from an ABA-approved law school to practice law.

• Take the Texas State Bar Exam

Now that you have graduated from an ABA-approved law school with your J.D. degree, you may now apply to take the Texas Bar Examination.

Best Law Schools in Texas

Here is the list of the Best law schools in Texas:

• Baylor University Law School
• Southern Methodist University
• The University Of Texas At Austin
• South Texas College of Law
• St Mary’s University
• University of Houston Law Center
• Texas A&M University School of Law
• Texas Southern University
• Texas Tech University

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