1 Answer

Generally, a four-year baccalaureate degree and three years of Law School are required to earn a degree in Law. Then you have to obtain a license by gaining admittance to the Bar in the jurisdiction in which you wish to practice.

Four years to earn an undergraduate degree, the major can be almost anything but most students choose Criminal Justice or Political Science; some institutions offer a Bachelor's Degree in pre-law. Before being accepted to law school you must take the LSAT which is a test for admittance. If the law student carries a full credit load they can conceivably finish in three years.
After graduating from law school the person will have a Juris Doctor (a doctorate of law) and may then take the bar exam in the state where they choose to be licensed. This usually occurs a few months after graduation. Most states offer the Bar exam in February and July, about two months after most schools graduate their classes. Results can take many months before they are announced. (July exam results are typically published in November!)

After completing all the requirements and obtaining a position with a firm or opening a private practice, an attorney's "real" education begins.
Different jurisdictions have different rules on what type of schooling is required to become a lawyer. As a general rule in the USA it takes about 4 years, other nations only require you to pass the 'bar exam' to become a lawyer.

Source :http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_long_does_it_take_to_become_a_lawyer