Training Required to Become a Harrassment Attorney

If you’re interested in becoming a harassment attorney, you’ll need to obtain specialized legal training. When the term “harassment” is used many people think of sexual harassment, but harassment based on age, race, disability or religious beliefs also occur at the workplace, and you’ll be expected to have in-depth knowledge about all types of harassment laws, most of which are regulated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. 

Legal Training 

To become a harassment attorney, you’ll first need to become a licensed attorney, which requires that you obtain legal training, and pass your state bar exam. The most common path to becoming a lawyer is finishing high school, obtaining a bachelor’s degree, and then attending law school. However, some students complete master’s degrees or even PhDs, prior to attending to law school. In certain states, such as California, you can substitute apprenticeship experience with an attorney for a formal legal education. You aren’t required to obtain an undergraduate degree if you follow this path to becoming an attorney, but you do need to pass the state bar exam, which can be difficult without formal legal education.  

Specialized Training 

To become a harassment attorney, you’ll need to gain specialized information about workplace laws. You can attend a law school that provides a program focusing on workplace law, or apprentice with a harassment attorney. It’s likely that you’ll start out working general legal cases related to all different types of employment laws, and then move into harassment law. Some individuals, however, start working for a specialized firm that hires only harassment attorneys, and over time can move up and become partners. You’ll also need to take continuing education courses to maintain your license, and may be able join groups such as the National Employment Lawyers Association, which provides continuing education classes, seminars, and other resources.