Character Opportunity: a lawyer who didn’t attend law school

spokane county courthouseA sidebar in Books, Crooks & Counselors asks if it’s still possible to “read” for the bar exam like Lincoln did. Short answer: no — modern law schools did not become the norm until late in the 19th century. But several states, including Washington, allow those who pass rigorous apprenticeship programs to sit for the bar. This blog post from a graduate of Washington’s Law Clerk program explains the process in more detail.

It’s a different path — and as readers and writers, we like characters who choose different paths.What would prompt a person to follow this route instead of traditional law school? What career choices might he or she make later? How will those character and personality traits help — or hinder — him or her in practice — and on the pages of your stories?

Shown: Spokane County (Washington) courthouse. Photo from Spokane County website.

 

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