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This question is about defense attorney education.
What degree do you need to be a defense attorney?
You need a Juris Doctor, or JD, to be a defense attorney. The requirements necessary to become an attorney involve several degrees and exams on the state and national levels.
All aspiring law school candidates must first graduate with a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. The bachelor's degree can be held in criminology, sociology, or even government. Maintaining high grades throughout your undergraduate coursework is important.
Graduates will next take the law school entrance exam, or LSAT. Law schools will use the results of this test to determine your acceptance. Law school lasts for three years. During the first 18 months, students take classes on criminal and constitutional law as well as civil procedure. The last 18 months allow students to focus on specialized areas of law such as the criminal process important to defense attorneys.
After graduating with a JD from an accredited law school, new lawyers must pass their state bar exam as well as an ethics based test known as the MPRE.
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