Are you interested in attending law school in the United States? If so, you might want to consider taking more liberal arts courses.
According to a new nationwide poll of attorneys, a liberal arts major is the best preparation for a career in law – 34 percent of respondents selected it as the top choice. Business also ranked high in the survey, receiving 24 percent of the response.
The survey was developed by The Affiliates, a leading staffing service specializing in project attorneys, paralegals and legal support personnel. It was conducted by an independent research firm and includes responses from 200 attorneys among the nation’s 1,200 largest law firms.
Attorneys were asked, “What field of study, or major, would you recommend for an undergraduate student who is planning to attend law school?” Their responses:
Liberal arts – 34%
Business – 24%
Technical/science – 20%
Political science – 5%
Social sciences – 4%
Other – 6%
Don’t know/no answer – 7%
“A diverse educational background is a critical asset for today’s professionals, particularly attorneys,” said Kathleen Call, executive director of The Affiliates.
“They must have an understanding not only of the law but also of clients’ businesses, and be able to communicate intelligently with executives and professionals in a variety of industries.”
Call added that many lawyers today work with start-up companies and participate in key operational decisions, making a business degree highly beneficial as well.
Keen to embark on this course? View our important things to know before studying law.