Family Lawyer: Education and Job Requirements

<h2 id="section---CareerInformationAtAGlance">Career Information At A Glance</h2> <p>Family lawyers specialize in legal representation of issues pertaining to the family. Take a look at the table below to discover more about being a family lawyer. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Education Required</b> </td><td> Professional (Juris Doctor)</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Education Field of Study</b> </td><td> Law</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Licensure</b> </td><td> Bar examination</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Skills Required</b> </td><td> Analytical, interpersonal, problem solving, speaking, writing</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Job Growth (2020-2030)</b> </td><td> 9% (for all lawyers)*</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Median Salary (2020) </b></td><td> $126,930 (for all lawyers)*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)</i> </p> <h3 id="section---HowCanIBecomeAFamilyLawyer">How Can I Become A Family Lawyer?</h3> <p>Those wanting to work as lawyers, including family lawyers, need to complete a four-year bachelor's degree followed by a Juris Doctor at law school, which typically takes three years. Those wishing to apply to law school may consider taking undergraduate courses in areas such as English, government, history and economics; however, this is not essential. Most American Bar Association (ABA)-accredited law schools require applicants to pass the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). To further your experience, consider taking voluntary or paid work that provides family law legal services, or work as a law clerk in a firm that has a concentration in family law. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatCoursesShouldITake">What Courses Should I Take?</h3> <p>During law school, those wishing to move into family law upon qualifying should take classes in the field. Core courses often include studying topics such as marital property, children and the law, adoption law and mediation. To widen your knowledge in this specialized area, look for additional courses such as juvenile justice and elder law. You may also consider taking a tax course as this is a common area of family law. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatKindOfWorkWillIDo">What Kind Of Work Will I Do?</h3> <p>Family lawyers often work with people from a wide range of personal backgrounds and income levels. You may often work with parents and children, but will also encounter cases involving grandparents and extended family. Typical work in family law includes divorce and custody agreements, adoption, child support and visitation rights. You should also expect to work with cases involving domestic violence and abused children. Family law is often considered as an area of law which has a big impact on the lives of those you are working with. </p> <h3 id="section---WhereWillIWork">Where Will I Work?</h3> <p>Family lawyers often work in small family-law firms or mid-sized firms that have a family law branch as part of their services. It is not uncommon for family lawyers to work in non-profit organizations due to the nature of the role. You may represent low income families on a range of family law matters in this working environment. Working as a lawyer for the state is also possible as most attorney offices have a specialized child and domestic support unit. </p> <h3 id="section---HowMuchWillIEarn">How Much Will I Earn?</h3> <p>The BLS reported the median salary for all lawyers in 2020 as $126,930. Those who own their own law practice are reported to typically earn less than those who work in law firms or as lawyers in other business organizations. Lawyers working for the state government earned a lower median salary in 2020, at $91,450 than lawyers in other establishments.</p>