How Difficult Is It to Become a Bankruptcy Lawyer?

Being a bankruptcy lawyer means working in a highly specialized field. As with any specialized career path, this means a lot of education, a lot of work, and a high price for the achievement. But how, exactly, do you become a bankruptcy lawyer? And how difficult is it? RGG Law offers a brief insight into how much work goes into becoming a bankruptcy lawyer, and how that work goes towards helping you when you are forced to file bankruptcy.

Undergraduate Education

Just like any other specialized field, becoming a bankruptcy lawyer means first getting a Bachelor’s degree. There are a range of BA degrees that are accepted across a variety of law schools – political science, psychology, history, and even philosophy. Asking anyone in a specific field what their undergraduate degree is in frequently yields surprise, since you might not expect a qualified lawyer or attorney to have a degree in philosophy.

The reason for this is usually that your undergraduate degree serves as a foundation – it demonstrates the ability to study, to carry out effective research independently, to think critically, analyze, and both communicate and understand often complex ideas. These are all factors that are essential for someone navigating the legal system, and are abilities that are often encouraged to a large degree in humanities degrees where there are no hard “right” or “wrong” answers. The skill in being able to argue a case is nurtured at the undergraduate level.

Law School Admissions and Degrees

After you have graduated with a BA and decided that it is law you want to study, the prospective bankruptcy lawyer applies to law school. Unlike many postgraduate degrees, which are frequently based on the BA degree alone, law schools require you to pass the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). The LSAT takes an exhausting half-day to complete and will put the skills we mentioned in the section on undergraduate education to the test.

This includes testing abilities to analyze, think critically, and interpret difficult, complex topics. To make things more challenging, getting below the expected score does not necessarily rule out an admission, since some of the final decision is determined by background and life experience. The LSAT exam can be a stressful experience, both in preparation and sitting to take it.

After passing the grueling ordeal of the LSAT, the law degree at law school is a three-year course that involves the study and examination of skills and learning in property law, contracts, civil laws, and more, with students choosing their area of specialization in the second year. This is where you would be able to choose bankruptcy law as your area of expertise.

Some law schools also offer experience in internship programs to give bankruptcy law students a more hands-on education to accompany their academic obligations.

Beyond Education

Obtaining a law degree requires a lot of work, a lot of education and, as with any higher degree, a lot of money. However, the journey doesn’t end with a diploma. Experience will be a key factor in establishing yourself as a bankruptcy lawyer, and getting your foot in the door of a bankruptcy law firm will need perseverance and dedication to your job hunt.

Some students are able to graduate into a law firm with on-campus recruiting, while others will have to find outside contacts – legal recruiters are dedicated to helping newer lawyers find the right career path, and are a good option.

RGG Law’s Experienced Bankruptcy Lawyers

RGG Law’s blog only has enough space to give an overview of the process of becoming a bankruptcy professional. There are many resources available to find out what you need if it is a career path you are considering – but if you are looking for legal help with a bankruptcy case, you can be assured that the RGG Law team has been through the rigorous law school system.

You can trust us to be the bankruptcy law firm to represent you.