When I was young, my teacher always asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I would proudly answer. “I want to be a lawyer,” and everyone would be happy with my career choice.
Fortunately, they didn’t follow up about the specifics of the type of law I wanted to practice. When seeking a career in law, you need to figure out what route you want to go. Do you want to become a civil litigator, or do you want to practice personal injury law?
Many personal injury attorneys are ready to represent clients, but few have the dedication and passion to provide the legal services people deserve. Attorneys take years in school to find their groove in the competitive and demanding legal profession. But there’s no shortage of areas to study law, and this article highlights the steps to follow to become a personal injury attorney in Detroit.
1: Understand Your Career Choice
Dreaming of becoming a personal injury lawyer is one thing, but understanding it is an entirely different matter. Once you’ve decided to join this noble career, you’ll quickly realize there’s plenty of competition.
Some attorneys handle severe cases like car accidents where victims seek representation from a car accident attorney Detroit. But there’s room for everyone. You can pick your niche from any of the following categories:
- Car accidents
- Dog bites
- Medical malpractice
- Product liability
One lesson you’ll quickly learn is that clients seek personal injury law services at the worst point in their lives. Your role will be to stand up for their rights and protect them from selfish insurance providers and other large corporations.
2: Earn the Necessary Qualifications
It takes many years of learning to become a personal injury attorney. Since your role is to protect the legal rights of your clients, a significant amount of education is required to anticipate legal troubles and solve them.
The first step is obtaining a four-year undergraduate degree from an accredited university in Detroit. Many law schools allow students to study in any field, including:
- Political science
- Philosophy
- Social science
- Economics
- History
However, it’s necessary to pursue a career related to law that is interesting and financially rewarding. Upon completing your bachelor’s degree, you’ll need to take an LSAT test that examines:
- Reading and comprehension
- Analytical reasoning
- Logical reasoning
After that, you’ll need to pass the strict State’s Bar exam, which assesses your understanding of legal practice and other related laws. You will then crown it by earning additional certifications to affirm your specialization.
3: Expand Your Network
As a law student, a lot is up for grabs. Prioritizing studying and extracurricular activities can make you underestimate the significance of networking. Creating professional relationships can help you in many ways, including:
- Securing internship opportunities that can lead to job offers
- Informing you about the legal profession
- Exposing you to diverse practice areas to enhance your communication and leadership skills.
- Mentorship from experienced professors and other law professionals
Although networking may seem intimidating, you can start by joining fellow students in group events that share law-related matters. Plus, you can participate in other networking events organized by legal organizations to gain valuable insights about the profession.
4: Develop Special Skills
Personal injury law school has little room for mistakes. Any subpar argument or litigation forms sufficient ground for a case to collapse. Those with communication, negotiation, and research skills stand a higher chance of success.
Remember, many attorneys in this field work on a contingency fee basis. So, hard work is required to develop skills that will enable you to help clients win cases.
5: Build Your Reputation
You can’t spend years in school to build a reputation and lose in a second by being dishonest. Building your repetition can help to attract clients seeking reputable attorneys. So, how can you create a reputation for yourself as a professional?
- Engage in continuous legal education
- Obtain relevant licences to practice law
- Join professional networks
- Develop exceptional client service
Conclusion
When you choose to become a personal injury lawyer, you’re not doing it for convenience. Don’t buy the argument that this career is simply for attorneys looking to make a living. Although it’s a noble and financially rewarding profession, it’s challenging in many ways. You’ll meet exploited and overlooked clients who need help to get the compensation they rightfully deserve. Follow the outlined steps and level the field for victims who aren’t given a fair deal.