How to Become a Divorce Attorney

• Step 1

  Successfully obtain a B.A. or B.S. Because law school is a post-graduate program, you must first obtain a bachelor's degree. Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to participate in a pre-law program, major in political science, or major in any other specific baccalaureate program to be accepted into law school. Law school students have a diverse educational background, including science majors and liberal arts majors. Your academic success during your undergraduate career and your participation in extracurricular activities are much more important than your major in determining your success in law school.

• Step 2

  Attend and graduate from an ABA-accredited law school. The process of applying to law school is famously burdensome, mostly due to the difficulty of the law school admission test (LSAT) and the selective nature of law schools. Most law schools offer a three-year program for full-time law students and a four-year program for part-time law students. If you achieve a high student rank during your law school career, your chances of practicing your chosen specialization increase dramatically, and you may be recruited by several law firms before you graduate. Regardless of your rank, you should perform well in domestic relations courses if you want to practice divorce law. You should also clerk for divorce attorneys or clerk for a family court judge during your summer breaks. Volunteering with local legal clinics designed to assist low-income divorcing spouses will also help you gain first-hand experience in divorce law.

• Step 3

  Pass your state's bar exam. The bar exam is a state-administered test law graduates must take in order to obtain a license to practice law. After graduation, most students immediately begin studying for the bar exam, which is administered in July and February each year. Although the subjects tested on the bar exam varies by state, many states test on family law and, even when testing other subjects, can include in the exam essay fact patterns about divorcing spouses.

• Step 4

  Participate in your state bar's swearing-in ceremony. Once the state bar sends you an official letter indicating that you have passed its bar exam, you still are not yet licensed to practice law. Whether lawyers in your state are regulated by the state's highest court or its bar association (or both) new lawyers must first be sworn in. Because new lawyers must belong to the state's bar association, they must also pay state bar dues and other fees before receiving their license to practice law.

• Step 5

  Establish or join a family law practice. Once you receive a license to practice law in your state---and, to be prudent, purchase malpractice insurance---you can immediately begin practicing divorce law. If you work for a large law firm and are part of a domestic relations practice group, you may immediately begin preparing divorces, advising clients and assisting experienced attorneys prepare to litigate divorce cases. New divorce attorneys in small firms and new solo practitioners will have to take more active steps to establish a viable divorce law practice and may begin by taking on easier cases, such as uncontested divorces.

• 4
• If you are currently enrolled in a university, meet with your advisor for personalized guidance on preparing for law school. Once you become a divorce attorney, participating in the domestic relations or family law section of your state bar association will keep you apprised of new changes in state law, continuing education opportunities, and networking opportunities.
• If you are currently enrolled in a university, meet with your advisor for personalized guidance on preparing for law school.
• Once you become a divorce attorney, participating in the domestic relations or family law section of your state bar association will keep you apprised of new changes in state law, continuing education opportunities, and networking opportunities.

References & Resources

• U.S. News & World Report -- Law School Rankings
• American Bar Association -- Preparing for Law School
• Law School Admission Council (LSAC)