Pre-Law Orientation 2024

Daniela Martinez Author

09/30/2024 Added

5 Plays

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This workshop is designed for any student considering applying to law school in the future. Freshmen through seniors will hear what it means to be pre-law, how to best plan your undergraduate education for law school success, and what makes a competitive applicant. We will discuss specific timelines for undergraduate preparation for law school admission.

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[00:00:00.000]Hi everyone, my name is Daniela Martinez and I'm an academic advisor at the Explore Center.
[00:00:09.340]I'm here to present to you about our pre-law orientation. So this is meant for students
[00:00:16.600]who are new to pre-law and kind of start understanding what it means to be a pre-law
[00:00:24.140]student and how you can be strategic and plan for your pre-law pathway.
[00:00:29.900]So here is a bit of our agenda. Like I said, we'll cover what pre-law means.
[00:00:41.260]We'll also talk about any ways that you can begin exploring legal careers,
[00:00:48.400]as well as develop important skills and attributes that you'll need
[00:00:53.680]to be a pre-law student. So I'm going to start with the first one, which is how you can be a
[00:00:54.000]to be successful in law school and beyond in a career in the legal profession.
[00:00:59.400]We'll touch a little bit about the timeline for applying to law school.
[00:01:06.060]It may not be like on your radar right now, but may be more relevant in the future. However,
[00:01:13.920]I do find sharing a bit about what that may look like for you can be helpful. So you know what is
[00:01:20.980]coming up.
[00:01:23.540]And then we'll also talk about just ways that the Explore Center can help support you in your journey as a pre-law student.
[00:01:31.740]So pre-law is an advising category here on campus. We call these pre-professional pathways a prep plan.
[00:01:43.300]If you are receiving communication and emails from Explore Center regarding pre-law,
[00:01:53.080]programming, then that likely means you already have this designation on your profile.
[00:01:59.200]But if not, the way that you would add this would be by emailing explorecenter@unl.edu
[00:02:08.000]or speaking directly with your major advisor about adding the pre-law prep plan. What this
[00:02:14.340]means is you will then be tagged as a pre-law student and just be on our radar and on our
[00:02:22.620]pre-law roster to receive any communications we may be sending out. With that being said, pre-law
[00:02:30.760]is not a degree granting program so you cannot graduate from UNL with a degree in pre-law.
[00:02:37.740]Students will still choose a major from one of the colleges here on campus for your bachelor's
[00:02:44.520]degree and you can pick any major and go on to law school, so there isn't any particular
[00:02:52.160]requirements about a specific major that you'll need before going on to law school.
[00:02:59.600]A little bit about what a law program looks like. It's typically a three-year-long program
[00:03:07.880]after you graduate with your bachelor's degree. Typically the first year, or 1L
[00:03:14.720]students have a common curriculum or foundational courses that are applicable to
[00:03:21.700]everyone and then for the second and third years there may be some choices
[00:03:29.200]that you can make regarding the types of courses or training that you'd like to
[00:03:34.580]receive. So this can vary depending on which law program that you go to but it's
[00:03:43.000]a bit of a glimpse of what that structure may look like or that format. So
[00:03:51.240]if you're watching this you've probably been thinking about a career in law
[00:03:56.760]possibly for some time or maybe it's something that has just been a thought
[00:04:04.520]for you lately and you're investigating more about it. There are several benefits
[00:04:10.440]of attending law school. One of them is just the job opportunities and outlook
[00:04:16.580]in that profession. So
[00:04:20.780]skill sets that are important for law schools and a career as a lawyer include
[00:04:29.460]a lot of writing and critical thinking, problem solving. All those types of skill
[00:04:36.280]sets are very marketable in multiple industries. Sometimes students go on to
[00:04:43.800]law school and take the bar exam to become practicing attorneys. But there are
[00:04:50.320]also ways that you can implement a degree from law school into other
[00:04:56.480]industries or other areas like banking and finance, law enforcement, consulting,
[00:05:03.080]human resources, and government and politics. So attending law school and
[00:05:11.220]earning your JD degree doesn't always necessarily mean that you will be a
[00:05:19.860]practicing attorney if there are other career interests that you have. A lot of the skills that you learned in a
[00:05:23.740]degree like this or a program like this are very helpful. We often think about
[00:05:29.700]lawyers having high earning potential, and that can be true. At the same time,
[00:05:35.380]it's likely that lawyers are working more than 40 hours a week, and there's
[00:05:43.960]also a high cost of attending law school. So there's also that
[00:05:49.400]debt and loan repayment aspect that is there to consider.
[00:05:54.700]If you like to be challenged and you like to be someone who continues to learn,
[00:06:03.080]going to law school is a great way to do that. It is a rigorous type of program.
[00:06:12.080]So if you identify with needing to and wanting to learn
[00:06:18.940]more and being challenged, this is a great way to be able to do that.
[00:06:25.240]During law school, they utilize a case method approach. So a lot of times you'll get
[00:06:33.720]documentation about a case that you'll go through and kind of treat it as a case study and
[00:06:39.940]be able to explore the facts that are presented, think about the legal principles that are present,
[00:06:48.480]in that scenario, think about conclusions and be analytical about, you know, what the outcome here
[00:06:57.680]can be or would look like. So it is a way to, you know, be challenged every day and,
[00:07:08.560]you know, be able to put that thinking hat on. So if you're looking for ways to
[00:07:18.020]learn more about legal careers, there's a few different ways to do so. At UNL, there's a course
[00:07:26.060]that's offered in the fall semesters only called Introduction to Legal Professions.
[00:07:31.340]In the last few years, Dr. Dean Moberly has been leading this class and oftentimes brings
[00:07:40.600]various guest speakers and guest lecturers, typically professors from UNL Law School to come and
[00:07:47.560]talk about their work and about their focus area. So you do get to be exposed to that case studies
[00:07:56.400]approach and start learning more about the legal system and get a glimpse of that.
[00:08:03.820]We also offer a variety of law-related coursework at UNL from various departments like
[00:08:11.660]criminal justice, sociology, business law, political science,
[00:08:17.100]that may be relevant to your interests. So you can talk to your academic advisor or visit
[00:08:22.280]with an Explore Center advisor about some of the coursework that may be relevant for you
[00:08:28.140]or that you're interested in. There's also a podcast that you can look at, I Am the Law,
[00:08:34.840]and that's available online through the LSAC website.
[00:08:40.260]Lots of student involvement opportunities as well, such as Pre-Law Club.
[00:08:46.640]Many students who are pre-law also enjoy mock trial. That's a great way to get experience
[00:08:55.240]with that analysis and case studies, because you'll get to do that in an opportunity like that.
[00:09:07.260]Student government is also something that you may consider. Also think about the network in
[00:09:16.180]your life and whether there are family members, instructors, community members that are doing
[00:09:26.120]some of the work that you're passionate about or would like to learn more about. See if you can
[00:09:34.280]make some new connections based on those and sharing with others that you're interested
[00:09:38.960]in pursuing a career in the legal field. Usually someone in your life may know or have a
[00:09:45.720]connection to people who are doing that work and you can kind of use that as a jumping point
[00:09:52.280]and possibly contact them for an informational interview or a shadowing
[00:09:58.480]opportunity, even jobs sometimes that can get you that exposure. With that being said, there's
[00:10:07.400]also internships and organizations on campus that can offer opportunities for advocacy and
[00:10:15.260]volunteering and internships. So be on the lookout for the job and internship fairs,
[00:10:22.240]which usually are hosted each semester by Career Services. You can also pay attention
[00:10:28.960]to the Explore Center emails for unique opportunities and even social media.
[00:10:35.720]Social media or LinkedIn can be great jumping points as well. There are a variety of different types
[00:10:44.800]of law out there, sometimes areas that maybe we didn't initially think about. So it's great to
[00:10:52.720]learn more about, you know, the broad and diverse aspects of legal careers.
[00:10:59.380]Here are a couple of examples that you can utilize for exploration. These events
[00:11:10.460]are going on during Fall 2024.
[00:11:14.340]There is a Law Degrees In Action event where there will be alumni from UNL College of Law
[00:11:24.580]that will be sharing about how they're currently using their law degree and what their work looks
[00:11:30.660]like. And then there's also a virtual event about public interest lawyers and how Nebraska Law may
[00:11:40.000]be a good place to receive education and training if you are interested in becoming a public interest attorney.
[00:11:43.880]So I've been foreshadowing some of these skill sets throughout the PowerPoint, but these clusters of skill sets and attributes are important for success in the legal profession.
[00:12:07.180]Of course, we think about analytical reasoning, public service,
[00:12:13.420]and justice promotion, you know, organization and relationships are important in this type of field.
[00:12:22.960]So, when you're thinking about your own involvement
[00:12:25.740]or how you would like to move forward,
[00:12:27.880]you can reflect about how these clusters of skill sets
[00:12:33.100]and attributes may be showing up for you
[00:12:36.760]and how they've manifested.
[00:12:38.620]Or if there's an area here that you would like to grow in,
[00:12:42.320]you can be intentional about finding opportunities
[00:12:46.160]to grow in that field.
[00:12:52.100]There's a few more examples of ways to explore or opportunities
[00:12:56.540]to take advantage of to build that well-roundedness
[00:13:03.620]and learn more about yourself and expose yourself
[00:13:06.560]to new things.
[00:13:10.080]So there is going to be a Global Experiences Fair September
[00:13:16.460]17th from 11:00 to 2:00 in the Union Plaza.
[00:13:21.240]Again, if you aren't able to make these events during Fall
[00:13:25.040]2024, there are still ways that you can get some
[00:13:29.180]of this information.
[00:13:31.860]Particularly with Global Experiences,
[00:13:34.440]you can visit their office inside Louise Pound Hall
[00:13:37.360]to learn more about programs that you
[00:13:39.740]might be interested in.
[00:13:43.640]We've also sent out an opportunity
[00:13:46.700]through our pre-law emails in the last couple of weeks
[00:13:49.660]as a legal runner.
[00:13:51.220]So opportunities like this, as I mentioned,
[00:13:55.000]can be found through our emails, also through Handshake,
[00:14:00.520]and even networking.
[00:14:01.820]So be thinking about any opportunities as far as job
[00:14:08.200]goes to expose yourself to working in the legal area
[00:14:14.360]or at a firm.
[00:14:16.660]There's also an interesting connection
[00:14:19.120]through Insect Science Club.
[00:14:21.200]There's an initiative through the One Health program
[00:14:26.880]where they've been a part of that
[00:14:29.260]and been looking at some of the policy that
[00:14:33.840]is taking place within the areas of wildlife
[00:14:39.220]and natural resources.
[00:14:41.960]So that can be a unique opportunity
[00:14:45.880]to be a part of that.
[00:14:49.260]And then usually, also, each summer,
[00:14:51.180]semester, there's a program that
[00:14:53.620]is run by SLICE, the Student Involvement Office on campus.
[00:14:59.120]And that is the Nonprofits in Residence program.
[00:15:03.000]So they host various non-profits throughout the semester
[00:15:09.360]to come and do some tabling, typically at the Union.
[00:15:13.780]And that's a great time, also, to gain experience and network
[00:15:17.700]and see what opportunities there are for
[00:15:21.160]volunteering and internships and advocacy work,
[00:15:25.660]if that's something that you're interested in.
[00:15:27.760]So in terms of some action steps that you can take moving forward
[00:15:37.720]would be to, one, sign up for an account through LSAC.org.
[00:15:43.300]The LSAC is the Law School Admission Council.
[00:15:46.180]So they are the organization that handles
[00:15:51.140]the law school admission process.
[00:15:53.760]And also, they are the writers of the LSAT exam,
[00:15:58.700]which I'll touch on a little bit in the next few slides.
[00:16:03.560]So visiting this website is great.
[00:16:05.540]It has lots of free resources about exploring legal careers,
[00:16:11.540]law school directories.
[00:16:13.940]They offer different forums and webinars
[00:16:17.340]that can be helpful as you prepare to enter law
[00:16:21.120]school.
[00:16:21.620]So signing up for an account is a great way
[00:16:23.780]to stay in the know about what they have going on.
[00:16:28.800]We talked a lot recently about joining clubs or activities
[00:16:38.060]and being involved in various different ways
[00:16:41.180]to help you grow and explore your interests and your
[00:16:44.840]passions and learn more about the legal career.
[00:16:49.480]You can utilize
[00:16:51.100]the academic and career advising centers
[00:16:54.940]for exploring majors, to prepare for internships
[00:16:59.320]and career fairs, networking.
[00:17:02.800]So please visit with the Explore Center
[00:17:04.600]or the academic advising or career advising team
[00:17:08.500]members from your college.
[00:17:12.340]And then, of course, wanting to be able to find a good balance
[00:17:21.080]between work and school, establishing
[00:17:26.400]great healthy habits and good time management skills
[00:17:32.120]that you can carry on into your time in law school and beyond.
[00:17:37.920]I had also put in a plug here for the Pre-Law Club.
[00:17:46.720]They were meeting this month in September.
[00:17:51.060]If you're interested in joining the club this Fall 2024,
[00:17:56.780]you can contact the President Jacob or look at the club
[00:18:01.180]information on the EnvolvU website
[00:18:05.100]to learn more about future club meetings
[00:18:07.500]and find out when those will be.
[00:18:10.920]There's also a little bit of an ad here
[00:18:17.220]for a future workshop that you're invited
[00:18:21.040]to called Gaining Experiences as a Pre-Law Student.
[00:18:25.140]That's going to be on September 26, 2024
[00:18:29.640]from 4 to 5 in Love Library South 221.
[00:18:34.060]So as I began sharing about ways to be involved
[00:18:38.600]and explore your interests, this can
[00:18:40.980]be a great continuation of that to help yourself reflect
[00:18:46.360]on what your next steps may look like.
[00:18:51.020]Additionally I wanted to talk a bit about a holistic application
[00:18:58.500]when it comes to law school admissions.
[00:19:01.460]So there's a few factors that go into a law school application.
[00:19:06.480]Of course, they are wanting to notice and look
[00:19:09.860]at your academic progress, your LSAT score, and your GPA.
[00:19:17.960]There's also a personal statement component.
[00:19:21.000]where you will describe in an essay
[00:19:24.880]kind of your motivation and interest
[00:19:27.780]for pursuing a degree in law.
[00:19:32.340]And then there's also recommendation letters.
[00:19:34.440]So thinking about as you progress
[00:19:37.820]in your involvement and your experiences in undergrad,
[00:19:44.320]making sure that you maintain and develop
[00:19:46.620]those healthy relationships with professors, mentors,
[00:19:50.980]and professional supervisors that you can then
[00:19:55.720]utilize for a future letter of recommendation
[00:19:59.560]for your application.
[00:20:01.000]A little bit about the timeline for applying.
[00:20:10.100]Law school will always be available for you to attend.
[00:20:13.740]So you can think about applying whenever
[00:20:17.320]you feel ready to take that on.
[00:20:20.960]There are many students who choose
[00:20:23.480]to apply to law school right after they finish from undergrad.
[00:20:29.360]And there are other students as well that maybe law school is
[00:20:33.980]something that they've been thinking about more recently
[00:20:37.820]and still learning about.
[00:20:39.500]So they may want to just get some more work experience
[00:20:43.340]before entering into a commitment like this.
[00:20:48.260]But generally, you would be applying
[00:20:50.940]that fall of your senior year and preparing your application
[00:20:57.960]when you're a junior.
[00:21:02.160]So the recommended time to take the LSAT exam
[00:21:06.480]would be that summer, early summer after your junior year.
[00:21:12.100]Sometimes students take it as early as spring of junior year
[00:21:15.660]as well.
[00:21:16.480]The important thing is that you want
[00:21:18.120]to make sure that you are thinking
[00:21:20.920]about a study plan and have sufficient time
[00:21:24.920]to dedicate to that and take it early enough
[00:21:29.700]where if you did need to repeat the exam,
[00:21:32.540]you still have time to do that and be
[00:21:35.200]able to dedicate more study time to make
[00:21:38.140]an improvement in your score within the timeline of when
[00:21:43.060]you want to submit your application.
[00:21:46.320]There are fee waivers available as well to help Medicare
[00:21:50.900]get the cost of the exam, which right now costs $222.
[00:21:59.160]The exam itself is scored from 120 to a 180.
[00:22:05.640]Just for reference, lately at UNL Law,
[00:22:09.200]the entering average LSAT score for students who are admitted
[00:22:14.720]there is about 158.
[00:22:17.480]So that can also vary depending on the school's
[00:22:20.880]that you're applying to.
[00:22:23.280]Right now, the LSAT is available to take either at a testing
[00:22:29.580]center or remotely on your computer at home.
[00:22:34.200]It's about three hours long, and it's specifically
[00:22:37.740]designed to simulate the types of skill sets
[00:22:41.940]that you would be implementing in your first year of law
[00:22:46.320]school.
[00:22:46.880]So they do look at how ready you may
[00:22:49.380]be for something like that based
[00:22:50.860]on your score.
[00:22:53.020]So the components of the exam include an essay portion,
[00:22:58.300]reading comprehension, and logical reasoning.
[00:23:02.560]And you can find free study resources on lsac.org.
[00:23:07.900]There's even a service through there called LawHub
[00:23:12.460]where you have access to a few full length practice exams
[00:23:18.040]and can even take them under time
[00:23:20.840]conditions.
[00:23:23.420]So overall, ways that we can support you
[00:23:30.620]in your pre-law path, you can start
[00:23:33.780]by visiting Explore Center for advising appointments.
[00:23:38.820]We also offer our Professional School Visit program
[00:23:42.260]throughout the academic year where
[00:23:43.820]we invite representatives from different law schools
[00:23:47.840]to come and meet with prospective students.
[00:23:50.820]So that's a great way to research and explore law
[00:23:53.820]programs.
[00:23:55.820]We have a variety of different pre-law workshops
[00:23:58.320]that you can find on our website and in our emails.
[00:24:01.820]We also offer practice LSAT materials or sessions
[00:24:08.320]to help you in your studying.
[00:24:11.820]And then lastly, we are available for application prep
[00:24:16.820]and personal statement review as well.
[00:24:20.800]So, a lot of resources on campus
[00:24:22.480]that you can take advantage of.
[00:24:25.800]If you have questions, please let us know
[00:24:28.480]by emailing explorecenter@unl.edu.
[00:24:34.480]And that is all that I have for you guys today.
[00:24:38.020]Thank you.

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Pre-Law Orientation 2024

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