Since there are no “Pre-law” designated classes at UB — given there is no single-path or particular academic background required for Law School — it can be somewhat daunting for students to choose courses with the intent of furthering themselves in the field of law. Common questions I am asked include:
1) Are there specific courses that will be helpful in preparing for law school?
2) Are their specific courses that will improve chances of admission?
3) How about classes that will help me perform better on the LSAT or strengthen my application generally?
4) Are there courses here that I can take to help me decide whether Law School is right for me or not?
To start with 1) today (and the following parts to cover the other questions), the American Bar Association has a good overview of Pre-Law, and has a nice section regarding course selection. Following the link, you’ll see they then break-down the various different categories too. They assign “skills and values” as general core abilities one should obtain while in college:
Core Skills and Values:
* Analytic / Problem Solving Skills
* Critical Reading
* Writing Skills
* Oral Communication / Listening Abilities
* General Research Skills
* Task Organization / Management Skills
* Public Service and Promotion of Justice
Keep in mind that any major is ok for Law School. Students with a background in science for example have an excellent foundation in problem-solving and critical thinking abilities that will serve them well in law school (and possibly qualify them for certain specialty areas non-science majors wouldn’t qualify for). Social Behavioral Sciences majors such as Psychology or Political Science are also very sound disciplines to consider, as is Business or the Humanities. Below are just some thoughts to complement your major of choice in addition to your major classes.
So in summary, there are numerous courses at UB that are applicable to the foundational skill sets Law School will demand. To summarize it as effectively possible, however, your writing abilities should be positively top-notch. Secondly, reference and research paper writing know-how is critical. Try to take a few upper-level courses that require a thesis of some sort. Thirdly, being able to effectively absorb and comprehend large quantities of reading material is enormously helpful. When your law professors give you a stack of 100 cases to go through for the next couple of weeks, you’d better have some keen organizational skills in place and the ability to concentrate and absorb data on an impressive scale.
At UB, therefore, consider taking some Humanities courses that stress reading and writing. Any English literature courses at the 200-level is a very good beginning. Classics, Philosophy, History, etc, that focus intensely on paper assignments are great. Also, additional, advanced-level courses that stress research papers would be a wonderful follow-up to these initial classes. As a very integral by-product, a lot of these courses have a strong discussion and participatory requirement. Oral communication skills are very critical to your success in Law School. A lot of your law classes will be discussion-based.
For this Fall, here are some examples of writing / discussion / linguistic analysis courses that should prove beneficial (note that content is contingent on instructor’s intent and changes from year to year and are just examples from a variety of different programs on campus at the 200-level).
AAS 290 - Race & the Law
AMS 207 - US in the World
CL 222 - Greek Civilization
COL 226 - Memory as Art
ENG 253 - Lit Types - Novel
HIS 220 - Culture & Arts East Asia
LIN 207 - Lang Society & Individual
PHI 215 - Deductive Logic
SSC 221 - Writing in the Law
MFC 334 - Legal Research and Writing
These courses are by no means ‘necessary’ and are based on individual interest level and are just relatively random examples, given the absolute plethora of good options. Also, keep in mind that research and Independent Study credit are also excellent ways to enrich your academic experience. For Independent Study credit, consult your departmental adviser. There may also be research or internship hours available for credit. There is also a wonderful resource on research projects available on the CURCA Web site (Center for Research & Creative Activities).
The Law School Admission Council has a very nice, organized list of Pre-Law reference books. This would be a great place to go if looking to find out more regarding a certain specialty area or more about the law school experience. Link to the PDF file.
Posted February 11, 2008 in Uncategorized
Kaplan surveyed law schools over the summer regarding their applicant numbers. The study results appear to show that now is a good time to apply to law schools, as there is an overall decline in applicants nationally into JD programs. While competition remains very fierce, a statistical drop in applications is always encouraging to the current applicant. Read more.
Posted December 11, 2007 in Uncategorized
Professor Ehrenberg has a very good Pre-Law class that he is teaching this upcoming Fall 2007 semester, Phi 162: Law, Morality, and Authority. This class is a very good introduction to moral and political philosophy, areas of law that will be a very good foundation heading into law school. Beneficial for Legal Studies majors, Philosophy majors, Philosophy of Law minors, or simply any Pre-Law student interested in learning more about a very core subject area of Law.
Class is MWF 9:00 – 9:50 am, registration # 294071.
Class Schedule link.
The UB Law School will be presenting a workshop on the UB Law School Application process this upcoming April 18th, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. in 145 A Student Union. Admissions officers will provide information on the application itself, admissions to the law school, curriculum of study, student-life, and even post-law school opportunities. They will also answer questions you may have.
If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Jon Bonebrake by either sending an email to bonebrak@buffalo.edu or calling my office number at 716.645.6031, by no later than April 11th.
This is a wonderful opportunity to hear first-hand about UB Law School, and I encourage everyone interesting in law in general to attend this highly informative event.
Other Workshops
Just a reminder that a couple of other upcoming workshops:
Professor Charles Carr is presenting a second session of his very helpful Personal Statement workshop:
Perfecting the Law School Personal Statement
Wednesday, March 7. 1:00 to 1:50 p.m. 145 A Student Union
Your law school personal statement can be the deciding factor for acceptance. This session will teach you how to write a winning essay that will positively impact your overall law school application.
Please register for this workshop on the Life & Learning Workshop Series Web site.
…And also this helpful workshop presented by Wayne Porterfield of Career Services (and myself) on career opportunities and helpful resources UB Career Services has to offer for undergraduate students, as well as mention financial considerations:
Careers in Law and Financial Success
Thursday, April 12th. 1:00 to 1:50 p.m. 145 A Student Union
What are the various legal specialties and what is my earning potential? How will I finance my law education? This workshop will address employment/salary trends for law school graduates, in addition to the variations among large and small firms, government agencies and other settings. This workshop will also address financial aid and personal finance.
Please register for this workshop on the Life & Learning Workshop Series Web site.
First week of classes are over with and it’s freezing cold outside. Many of you may be mainly interested in staying home and watching a good movie. Given “Law” is a common theme on this Web site ;), I thought I’d list a bunch of movies you might find interesting and fun.
I stumbled upon this Listmania “Law in the Movies” and looks like a pretty comprehensive list.
Just a reminder that a law school fair will be held right here in Buffalo near the North Campus on September 25th!
The 2nd annual Greater Western New York Law School Fair sponsored by the Western New York Association of College Career Centers (WNYACCC) including UB CAREER SERVICES will be held on Monday, September 25th 2006, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Buffalo-Niagara Marriott, 1340 Millersport Highway, Amherst, N.Y.
Here’s a list of list of partcipating law schools.
This is a great opportunity to talk to law school representatives directly . Wayne Porterfield from Career Services is organizing this event and all inquiries can be directed to him by calling 716) 645-2232 ext. 130, or emailing at wp9@buffalo.edu
Posted September 14, 2006 in Uncategorized
The Dalai Lama is going to be visiting the UB Law School:
The conference, “Law, Buddhism and Social Change: A Conversation with the Dalai Lama,” will be held Sept. 20-21 at the University at Buffalo Law School. An intimate two-hour discussion between the Dalai Lama and legal practitioners and scholars from around the world will open the conference at 9 a.m. on Sept. 20.
Here is more specific information regarding this extraordinary event.
read more at the UB News Center
Posted September 11, 2006 in Uncategorized
Just wanted to remind you of two upcoming workshops:
LSAT Practice Test. Wednesday, April 5th, 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. at the Kaplan Center in UB Commons.
Just wanted to remind you all that Kaplan is hosting a free LSAT Practice Test this Wednesday in their office on the second floor of the UB Commons. If you’re interested, you could always just stop by there to get more information, or show up for the actual practice test time.
Perfecting the Law School Personal Statement, Wednesday, April 12th, 1:00 – 1:50 p.m, 145 C Student Union.
Additionally, next week on Wednesday Professor Carr will be given a workshop on the Law School Personal Statement. I highly encourage all who are applying to law schools to attend this workshop.
Paraphrased from Tiffanie, president of the Pre Law Society:
Meeting is at 5pm in 209 O’Brian Hall on Thursday, March 9th. Carl Neussle from KAPLAN will be there to talk about the LSAT, law school preparation, and the overall application process.
At the conclusion of the meeting, they will be drawing for a $500 voucher that can be used toward a Kaplan course, which cuts your cost in HALF for this course!
Please be sure to attend! There are also a few other things that will be discussed, so if you’ve already taken the LSAT, please still attend.
I’ll see everyone at 5pm!