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Kayla Basenese
Mrs. Harrell
English IV Honors
14 November 2014
Service Research Paper
The road to becoming an attorney is not an easy one; it requires an incredible amount of
time, energy and finances. Law school takes an additional 3 to 4 years to complete after
obtaining a bachelors degree and the average law school graduate carries a debt of about
$60,000 to $100,000. The amount of dedication and skill it takes is astonishing. Some skills one
needs to consider when deciding whether the legal field is right for him/her include oral
communication, analytical reasoning, and teamwork. However, qualifications vary for different
legal positions. The qualifications one has to have to become an attorney are a proper education,
an understanding of technology and globalization, and the ability to help improve the
competence of defendants.
One of the most important steps in becoming an attorney is the proper education;
education is a powerful implement. Attorneys need to be thoroughly familiar with legal
proceedings, be knowledgeable about the law and carry a high level of confidence. In statistical
terms, only 19% said that they were very or extremely confident in the legal profession, which
can be contrasted with the same sample's confidence in doctors, which was 50% (Gutheil,
Miller and Commons 398). A research was done on attorneys preparedness despite their
relatively low opinion of their confidence. They were asked to think about a recent case in which
they or the opposing counsel showed a lack of preparation. The results showed that neither the

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retaining or opposing attorney was seen as being particularly well prepared in terms of direct
examination, cross examination or being familiar with legal issues (Gutheil, Miller and
Commons 407). In order to prevent this from occurring in future law graduates, the proper
education needs to be obtained and practiced. More than just a bachelors degree and passing of
the Bar exam is essential in the steps to becoming an attorney.
Advances in technology and globalization have had a significant impact on every aspect
of society today. The new digital age is already presenting new and challenging situations for
current and future law students. Amendments to certain Model Rules, like Model Rule 1.1 and
Model Rule 1.4, have already taken place. Model Rule 1.1 now encourages attorneys to stay
abreast of benefits and risks of technology and Model Rule 1.4 talks about protections relating to
the transmission of data through technology (Lewinbuk 322). Professional conduct such as,
communicating with clients properly is critical in any field. The increased use of access to
educational technology will result in improved economics so competence of new technology is
imperative in todays workforce (Lewinbuk 326).
There is a longstanding legal requirement, dating back to the 1700s, that adult criminal
defendants cannot be tried unless they are competent to stand trial (Viljoen 630). This has been
particularly applied to adults, however, in recent years, the juvenile justice system has applied
this also. Studies have revealed that young adolescents show high rates of competence- related
legal deficits compared to adults mainly because they are still growing and maturing (Viljoen
631). The law requires that criminal defendants have adequate factual and rational understanding
of basic legal proceedings, and the capacity to communicate with their attorneys (Viljoen 630). It
is the attorneys ultimate responsibility in detecting if a defendant is incompetent. They can
perform a competence test or even spend additional time meeting with the individual going over

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basic legal proceedings if he/she shows signs of incompetence. If a defendant does show signs of
incompetence, then the attorney will have a hard time preparing a strong defense case and
gathering relevant information, therefore, the ability to help defendants understand basic legal
concepts is critical in entering the legal field.
In conclusion, becoming an attorney will take an immense amount of dedication and hard
work. With the right qualifications such as the appropriate education, an understanding of new
technology and globalization and the ability to improve the proficiency of the accused, will be
extremely beneficial along the way.