The basics
What's it like to be an immigration lawyer?
Overview
Immigration law can be considered the foundation of law. Many citizens from other countries arrive in the United States seeking political asylum, searching for better opportunities, or hoping to reunite with their families. Immigration lawyers are the professionals that help these individuals with various ethnicities and backgrounds obtain a visa to enter America. In addition, these lawyers may help temporary residents secure a green card, become an American citizen, or even help immigrants leave the US. Some of their responsibilities include meeting with immigration officials to discuss a client, making presentations for the case, or even representing their client in court. Immigration law is for those who have a passion for human rights, a service complex, and an interest in law. Regardless of whether an aspiring lawyer becomes an immigration, family, criminal, business, or tax lawyer, studying immigration law is beneficial for all areas.
Requirements
In order to become any type of lawyer, a bachelor’s degree is required. For those set on pursuing law, common undergraduate majors include political science, history, philosophy, economics, or business. But, any bachelor’s degree is accepted so if a student chooses law later in life, it is still an accessible career path. The American Bar Association (ABA) encourages aspiring lawyers to focus on honing their interpersonal and communication skills during their undergraduate years. After completing a bachelor’s degree, students must attend law school and complete a Juris Doctor Law degree. Typically a JD program lasts 3 years but can be longer or shorter depending on the program. Immigration specific programs will cover subjects like citizenship, advising clients, and interviewing prospects. Finally, after obtaining a JD degree, the last step is to pass the bar exam. Something unique to immigration law is that only one bar exam is required to practice immigration law anywhere in the US. Once lawyers pass the bar exam, they are able to transition to the workplace and start their careers.
What Can High School Students Do?
- Enroll in classes such as speech and debate, drama, and Model UN to hone communication and interpersonal skills
- Improve your writing skills
- Enroll in classes such as psychology, business, economics, advanced social science classes, and government
- Learn about different cultures and communicate with a variety of people
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