Becoming a maritime lawyer depends on where you want to practice. Special training and education may be required due to the unique and international laws involved. Most countries require certification for general law practice, but an LL.M. in maritime law is recommended. Membership in maritime associations is not mandatory but can be helpful. Apprenticeships are also common.
How you become a maritime lawyer depends a lot on where you want to practice maritime law, also called admiralty law. In most places, the practice of maritime law does not require special certification or licensing. As maritime law, however, tends to involve many unique and international laws, special training and education is likely to be required to ensure competence, which can be quite different from certification.
The process of becoming a lawyer varies greatly from country to country. In many places it includes specialized schooling, followed by some sort of examination, often called the Bar Examination or just The Bar. People who pass the exam are usually required to join some kind of professional association. In the United States (US), certification to practice law operates on a state-by-state basis, while many countries license attorneys at the national level.
In most countries, being certified for the general practice of law is sufficient to enable a person to become a maritime lawyer. It is worth noting, however, that until 1966 in the US, the practice of maritime law required a separate license, and some countries may still have such requirements. Furthermore, according to the US Constitution, maritime law falls under federal jurisdiction. While most maritime matters can now be tried in state courts, it is important that maritime attorneys are admitted to practice in federal courts. Admission to the Brazilian Bar Association requires membership in the American Bar Association (ABA), but no extra education or testing.
To become a maritime attorney in any meaningful sense, you must typically focus on your education. Maritime law is a very unique area of law that, in most parts of the world, remains subject to specialized statutes and court systems. Most law schools offer very few classes on maritime law in their core curriculum. Becoming a maritime lawyer is therefore often best accomplished with a Master of Laws, or LL.M., degree in maritime law.
An LL.M. is an advanced law degree that requires focused study in a specific area of law. There are numerous law schools around the world that offer LL.Ms in maritime or admiralty law. Most attorneys who describe themselves as maritime attorneys hold an LL.M. in maritime law.
Due to the specialized nature of maritime law, many regions have special associations or organizations specifically focused on maritime practice. Membership in these organizations is rarely mandatory for maritime practice. In some places, however, admission to such organizations is mandatory before someone can describe themselves as a specialist in maritime law. It is also extremely common for a new attorney looking to become a maritime attorney to find a mentor in the field and work as an intern or apprentice for a period of time to learn the more practical aspects of becoming a maritime attorney.
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