Education

Pre-legal Education

Do you have the necessary education to pursue a legal career? Find out more.

Legal Education

Most people go to law school before becoming an attorney, but it isn’t the only way to get a legal education. Applicants can also study in a law office or with a judge. Here are all the options:

  • Three or four years of study at a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA)
  • Four years of study at a State Bar-registered, fixed-facility law school
  • Four years of study with a minimum of 864 hours of preparation at a registered unaccredited distance-learning or correspondence law school
  • Four years of study under the supervision of a state judge or attorney 
  • A combination of these programs

Law Schools

The ABA accredits 18 law schools in California. The State Bar of California accredits additional law schools in the state. But lawyers come from all types of law schools in California: accredited, unaccredited, fixed-facility and correspondence.

The type of schools applicants choose may affect credits they receive for legal study. Find out more about types of law schools.

Foreign Education

Applicants don’t have to be United States citizens to practice law in California.

But if applicants are educated or practiced law outside of the United States, they need to file paperwork that exempts them from having a Social Security number if they do not have one. Find out more about requirements for foreign applicants.

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