Set up a meeting with the career services office at your school to find out about internship opportunities in your area. Bar associations have the power to either recommend or choose not to recommend you for a judgeship, so these applications should be taken seriously. I have completed a communications degree but now I want to go into law. The first step is earning a bachelor's degree. It's possible to become a judge in your mid-30s. Most judicial posts will require a relevant legal qualification that has been held for either five or seven years.Government lawyers are eligible to apply for all judicial posts, but when sitting as a fee-paid judge they must not hear cases involving their own department.For salaried judicial appointments, applicants must normally have served as a fee-paid judicial office-holder for at least two years or have completed 30 sitting days since appointment in a fee-paid capacity. If you are dissatisfied with your LSAT score, you can take the test again before applying to law school. I'm 12 years old. You will be asked about your involvement in past lawsuits, treatment or counseling you have received for substance abuse, and so on. There is a relatively set path for becoming a judge, including the following steps: Earn a bachelor's degree. This article has been viewed 680,691 times. Enroll in a bar preparatory course. Last Updated: November 18, 2020 They research laws and regulations, issue opinions and case decisions, supervise the work of law clerks and other court staff, meet with attorneys to discuss cases and encourage settlement, and establish court rules and procedures. As an attorney, practice keeping a cool head and make sure you're respectful toward judicial assistants, court reporters, and the opposing counsel. The basic requirements of being a judge: Understandably, judges have to be citizens of the UK, Republic of Ireland or a Commonwealth country and should also be able to offer a ‘reasonable length of service’, which is usually at least five years. http://education-portal.com/become_a_judge.html, http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2011/01/20/when-law-school-is-worth-the-cost/, http://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/bar_admissions.html, http://www.dcbar.org/for_lawyers/resources/publications/washington_lawyer/november_2003/judge.cfm, http://www.myazbar.org/AZAttorney/Archives/Nov99/judge.pdf, http://www.isba.org/ibj/2010/09/soyouwanttobeajudge, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/judges-mediators-and-hearing-officers.htm, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. I live in New Zealand. I am 15 years old. % of people told us that this article helped them. To prepare yourself for getting into a top-notch law school, attend the best university possible. It's essential that you get experience working with lawyers while you're in law school. When you are first starting out, apply for entry-level law positions at law firms and offices in your state. In some states, you may become a judge without a law degree, but your prospects will be greatly enhanced if you obtain this credential. People who go on to be judges are usually top scorers. Get real-world experience by completing an internship at a law firm during your undergraduate years. This isn't easy to do, but it's absolutely necessary. Continue appearing in court so that judges get used to your presence. Obtain a bachelor's degree from a 4-year university. For more tips, like how exactly to apply and what training you'll need, read on! All campaigns involve raising enough money to make you a viable contender. Before you can become a judge, you must attend law school and pass the bar exam. Judges are either appointed or elected. Attend law school and earn a Juris Doctorate. Your performance in college will determine whether you're accepted into law school, so get the highest grades possible. You may like to know that judges are highly thought of in many communities and are well paid, in a relatively stable job that's not going to go out of fashion the way many jobs will in the coming years. Argue motions and try cases as often as possible. Continue your education. Take the Law School Admission Test. Competition for getting into law school is notoriously high, and even more so at the best law schools in the country. Apply to and get accepted to a law school. To create this article, 35 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. In most states, judges are appointed by a commission. It's important to score as highly as possible. The sooner you get familiar with the legal world, the better. Either way, aspiring judges must have a good reputation within the legal profession. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. In the USA, to become a judge you must first obtain a degree from a college or university and then a law degree (JD) from an accredited law school. The expected job growth rate for judges between 2010 and 2020 is 7%. Whether appointed or elected, judges must participate in a training session administered by the state. You can find more here: No, but you must be an attorney to become a judge; therefore, you have to pass many subjects in law school as well as pass the state bar exam. Spending time in the courtroom is also beneficial because it gives standing judges and other people whose support you may later need the chance to get to know you. Apply more than once. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Take the bar as soon as possible after graduating law school so that the information is fresh. It isn't mandatory to be a prosecutor to become a judge, but the majority of people who apply and are appointed to judgeships have a plenty of prosecutorial experience. Raise money. Be a people person. Work through simple question and explanation practice tests to familiarize yourself. You must pass the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) in order to be admitted to law school.