How Do I Become a Federal Workers' Compensation Attorney?

Although law school provides a broad overview of the laws within the United States allowing practice in any area of the law he or she chooses upon completion, most attorneys choose to focus on one or two areas of the law after graduation. One of the many options is to become a federal workers' compensation attorney. In order to become a federal workers' compensation attorney, an individual must complete an undergraduate degree, receive a juris doctorate degree, and then pass the bar examination in the state where he or she plans to practice law. In order to practice in the area of federal workers' compensation law, a lawyer will also need to be admitted to practice in the federal court of the jurisdiction where he or she plans to practice law.

Many countries throughout the world have a system that provides assistance to injured workers. Within the United States, the workers' compensation system provides wage replacement and medical coverage for workers who have suffered a work-related illness or injury. If the employee is a federal employee, then he or she will need to file a claim with one of the four federal workers' compensation programs. Although an attorney is not required, many claimants choose to retain the services of an attorney to help them in the claim process or to help with an appeal if the original claim is denied.

Within the United States, with very few exceptions, anyone who wishes to become a federal workers' compensation attorney will first need to complete an undergraduate degree. Contrary to what many people believe, there is no "pre-law" undergraduate major. A student may choose any major he or she is interested in, as law schools consider applicants from all majors. Common undergraduate majors, however, include Political Science, Business, English, and History. The difficulty of the undergraduate program may be considered in the law school applications process, as well as the student's grade point average. A high score on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is also a requirement for acceptance into most law schools.

The next step for anyone who aspires to become a federal workers' compensation attorney is to apply to and be accepted into law school. A traditional law school program will take the student three years to complete, upon which he or she will receive a juris doctorate degree. After law school, an attorney must be licensed in the state where he or she plan to practice. Licensing generally requires that the applicant successfully pass the bar examination, the multi-state professional responsibility examination, and a background check.

An attorney who plans to become a federal workers' compensation attorney will also need to be admitted to practice in the federal court that serves the area where he or she practices. Once licensed and admitted to practice, an attorney may seek employment with one of the federal workers' compensation agencies or may choose to represent claimants. In order to represent claimants, an attorney should seek employment with a firm that specializes in federal workers' compensation cases.