How Do I Become a Business Litigation Attorney?

Those who plan to become a business litigation attorney should research all job details before pursuing this career because of the amount of work required to practice law. Education is extremely important, and students should map out an educational plan in order to fulfill all necessary requirements needed to become a business litigation attorney. Business litigation is a complex field because these lawyers represent small and large corporations in most legal matters, which makes it a highly specialized position. A wide range of legal techniques are required due to the volume and variety of corporate legal matters.

Students should locate a four year undergraduate university that has a well-developed pre-law program. Some countries offer a bachelor's of law degree, but locations that do not often have various legal based courses. Although an individual can become a business litigation attorney without undergraduate level pre-legal studies, these courses can prepare him or her for a law school admissions exam and advanced legal courses. Some pre-law programs offer coursework in contemporary legal issues, law and economics, legal history, crime and society, communication courses based on legal studies, and various technical writing classes.

After receiving a bachelor's degree in the student's chosen field, he or she should choose a law school and perform any necessary tasks needed for acceptance. Students who were unable to take pre-law courses during their four year undergraduate program can usually find prep material at the library or on the Internet. There are also courses designed to help students with law school admissions exams. Courses in law school will be primarily focused on the fundamentals of law, and students will have to enroll in separate courses that cover business litigation. These classes may include topics such as contracts, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, antitrusts, business taxation, and corporate governance of the public firm.

Successful completion of all law school coursework should result in a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree, which is one of the necessary requirements to become a business litigation attorney. After receiving a degree, graduates will need to complete local examinations required to practice law. In addition to education and certification, experience is essential to become a business litigation attorney, and students should apply for internships with law firms that have a successful business litigation department. Most students apply for these early in their law school career in order to gain as much experience as possible, and an internship may also lead to a permanent position in the firm. The final step is to create a resume that includes all necessary education and experience.