Step 3: Decide if You'll Attend Law School or Read the Law as a Legal Apprentice

Though most U.S. states require licensed attorneys to have a law degree, there are states such as California and Vermont where it is possible to become a lawyer without attending law school if the person spends several years working and training under the supervision of a practicing attorney. This is known as "reading the law" and is rare for aspiring attorneys to do nowadays, though it used to be a common practice.

Jason Ruen – an executive attorney at Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, a national personal injury law firm – notes that only seven states allow someone to practice law without a law degree. Wyoming, New York and Maine require some formal legal education, although they don't mandate completion of a J.D. degree.

"It's a very old model of becoming a lawyer, and one that was more common before the widespread availability of law schools," he says. "It is not a shortcut. In fact, it will likely require more time than just going to law school."

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