Step 2: Cultivate Communication and Reasoning Skills and Develop a Strong Work Ethic

Once a person has determined that the legal profession is a good fit, he or she should start seeking out academic and extracurricular experiences that will prepare him or her to be a great lawyer.

Aspiring lawyers should take classes that involve extensive reading and writing so that they can become better readers and writers, since those skills are critical to most legal jobs, according to law school professors.

Courses in social science are also helpful, since those classes cultivate societal awareness and teach people skills. It's also beneficial to take analytical courses of some sort, whether in philosophy or science, technology, engineering or math – STEM fields – since logical reasoning is a fundamental component of the legal profession.

One great way to prepare for a career as a lawyer is to get involved with a speech and debate team or a mock trial team. Those extracurricular activities allow students to develop their capacity to argue persuasively, lawyers explain, adding that drama also provides solid preparation for a legal career since the performing arts emphasize public speaking skills.

Even an activity that doesn't initially appear to be related to the practice of law, such as athletics, could prove useful to an aspiring attorney if it helps him or her develop and demonstrate personal discipline.

In addition, aspiring lawyers should be studious, since law is a scholarly field that requires intellectual prowess, according to legal experts.