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Finding Your Place in the Law

The legal field is a wide and remarkably diverse one, and finding you way in it can seem like a daunting task.  As the law touches nearly every area of public and private life, you will find lawyers working on almost any topic you can imagine, and often on several sides of the same issue!  As advocates, they argue for their clients in civil and criminal courts; as counselors, they advise on business decisions and manage complex transactions; as negotiators, they draft contracts and regulations -- all related to topics as different as business, civil rights, education, the environment, real estate, criminal justice, and more.

For all that diversity, though, there are some important common threads.  The great majority of lawyers practicing in the United States hold the Juris Doctor (JD), which they have earned from one of roughly 200 law schools accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) in the US and Canada; many more have come from abroad, earning law degrees in their home countries before attaining a Legum Magister (LLM) that allows them to practice in the United States.  Whatever the particular field, all serve in effect as guides, steering their clients through arcane legal processes and translating the complicated web of laws and precedents that amounts to our legal system.

The legal profession demands a strong code of ethics and a clear sense of duty--to clients, to fellow citizens, to the law--because lawyers often find themselves handling sensitive information in cases of tremendous personal and/or public significance.  Lawyers must also be effective and persuasive communicators, as well as strong leaders, able to manage 

Below you will find resources to help you explore different areas of the law.  Have a look, and see what interests you.  And, as always, get in touch with the Pre-Law Advising Office when you have questions.

• Why go to law school?

  A law degree (J.D.) is a professional graduate degree that enables its recipient to practice law, upon passing the state bar exam and meeting the character and fitness requirement for admission to practice in a given state.

  Attending law school is a personal choice. It is generally a poor idea to plan to attend law school unless one intends to practice law and is committed to and passionate about doing so. 

  Thus, it is crucial to address the question of “Why should I go to law school?” before you apply or even start preparing for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), and to take time before applying to explore the legal field through shadowing, internships, summer jobs and talking to as many lawyers as possible, including those who became discontent and changed careers. You, and only you, can decide if law is the right calling for you, and the best way to decide this is through practical, hands-on experience and networking with current legal professionals.

• What should I major in?

  There is no right or wrong undergraduate program that best prepares a student for academic success in law school. Law schools are looking for well-rounded, curious and highly motivated students. Instead, select a major that matches your strengths, values and interests.

• Exploring law-related careers

  The has many resources to explore law or law-related careers.

• Pre-Law listserv

  Email announcements of pre-law events, deadlines, opportunities and issues will be sent out through the pre-law listserv. To be added to the pre-law listserv, please . Once submitted, it will take three to five business days for you to be added to the listserv.