I agree with what you`re saying about the difficulty of being lawyers. Recently we have been examined on how we present our case in front of a judge - this is part of the course that law students need to complete in order to be admitted as a lawyer in Australia. It does require a lot of preparation, a lot of reading, and the ability to think REALLY quickly! But I feel that it is not very difficult to become a lawyer in Australia. After the bachelor degree, one only needs to complete a 3-months professional course and a 3-months work experience component. After that, one can get admitted and practice with a restricted licence (under supervision of senior lawyers). After 2 years, a full licence will be given - no more supervision required. However, that is for solicitors. As for barristers, I think there is further work experience required. I don`t know about the States. Do you have a distinction between barristers and solicitors?