Undegraduate Education

• An aspiring attorney must first complete four years of undergraduate education. Contrary to popular belief, there is no true "pre-law" major offered in undergraduate school. Law schools will consider applicants from all undergraduate majors; however, for anyone who plans to become a civil rights attorney, an undergraduate major in criminal justice, history or political science may be a good choice.
  
  

Law School

• After obtaining an undergraduate degree, a law school applicant must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Law school admission is very competitive and most schools depend heavily on an applicant's undergraduate grade point average and LSAT score when making decisions. Once admitted, a student must complete three years of studies culminating in the receipt of a juris doctorate degree. All law students study the basics of federal law in the first two years. Anyone with an interest in civil rights law should take advanced courses in constitutional law and civil practice, as well as discrimination law, if offered.
  
  

Licensing

• Once a law student completes law school, she must become licensed in the state where she plans to practice law. Although licensing requirements may vary somewhat by state, most states require an applicant to pass the state bar examination as well as the multi-state professional responsibility examination (MPRE). An applicant will also need to pass a character and fitness investigation which will check the applicant's criminal and credit record, among other things.
  
  

Employment

• While sill in law school, an aspiring civil law attorney should take advantage of any clinics or internship opportunities that may apply to a future career in civil rights law. The local American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an excellent place to apply for an internship or summer job. Once licensed, a civil rights lawyer may wish to apply for full-time employment with the ACLU or with any of the many other not-for-profit organizations that fight for civil rights. Employment in the government is another popular option for civil rights lawyers.