DR. JESSICA ADOLINO

ASSOCIATE DEAN

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND LETTERS

PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

PRE-LAW AT JMU

Pre-Law at JMU

What does it mean to be a declared Pre-Law student at JMU? An ADVISING system

What does Pre-Law advising involve? A network of advisors Advisor choice left up to student

Pre-Law at JMU

2012-13 JMU Pre-Law AdvisorsJessica Adolino, Political Science, College of Arts and LettersBen Carr, School of Hospitality, Recreation and ManagementElaine Chisek, University Advising, Political ScienceArt Hamilton, Finance/Business LawKevin Hardwick, HistoryBill Hawk, Philosophy and ReligionDavid Jeffrey, College of Arts and Letters, EnglishHoward Lubert, Political ScienceBob Roberts, Political ScienceRoger Soenksen, Media Arts and DesignDaphyne Thomas, Finance/Business Law

Pre-Law at JMU

Preparing for Law School What matters most in law school admissions?

LSAT score and GPA Recommendations, personal statement, extracurricular

activities, internships or summer employment in law firms or law-related businesses

Pre-Law at JMU

Selected LSAT scores and GPA’s for accepted JMU students and alumni, fall 2011 (of 180 possible on LSAT)

Schools LSAT GPAAmerican University 160 3.42Appalachian School of Law 149 3.06Catholic University 158 3.31Charleston School of Law 156 3.33Florida Coastal University 149 3.13George Mason University 162 3.62Hofstra University 159 3.07Penn State - Dickinson 161 3.20Temple University 164 3.51New York University 173 3.92Quinnipiac 162 3.43University of Pittsburgh 158 3.59University of Richmond 164 3.29University of Virginia 165 3.95Viilanova University 158 3.56Washington and Lee 163 3.52West Virginia University 157 3.39William and Mary 165 3.52

Pre-Law at JMU

Preparing for Law School Is there a JMU Pre-Law curriculum?

Pre-legal education has no restrictions or requirements Choose something you like and can do well in

Pre-Law at JMU

Preparing for Law School Are there particular majors recommended for students

considering law school? NO! Most common majors of JMU law school applicants in 2010

Political Science, History, Philosophy, Communications Studies, Finance, Economics, English, Business Management

But also Psychology, Justice Studies, Sociology, Accounting, Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry, International Affairs, Public Policy and Administration, Computer Science and nearly every other academic major

Pre-Law at JMU

Preparing for Law School Are there any particular JMU courses recommended for

students considering law school? Communication, including composition, language and

speech Liberal arts, including work in the humanities and social

sciences Critical thinking, logic, mathematics, accounting, and the

natural sciences Economics (micro & macro) and basic accounting Courses that develop independent research skills Courses (and other experiences) that require public

speaking and presenting of ideas before others

Pre-Law at JMU

Preparing for Law School at JMU Academic Timeline

First year Sophomore year Junior year Senior year

Pre-Law Opportunities at JMU Phi Alpha Delta Judicial visits, attorney speaker series Law school visits Moot Court LSAT practice tests

Pre-Law at JMU

Law school acceptances For 2011 matriculation, 141 JMU seniors or alumni

applied to law school Average number of applications per applicant: 7.25 Average number of admissions per application 2.1

106 were accepted to one or more law schools 85 registered at a law school

75 percent acceptance rate

Pre-Law at JMU

106 JMU seniors and alumni accepted at one or more law schools in 2011 admissions cycle

Selected law school acceptances, 2010-2011

American University 8 students St. Johns University 4 students

Appalachian School of Law 13 students Temple University 4 students

Catholic University 7 students University of Baltimore 5 students

Charleston College 10 students University of Miami 4 students

Charlotte School of Law 10 students University of Pittsburgh 5 students Florida Coastal School 12 students University of Richmond 8 students

George Mason University 7 students University of Virginia 3 students

Georgetown University 1 student Villanova University 7 students

Hofstra University 7 students Wake Forest University 4 students

New England School of Law 8 students Washington and Lee 4 students

New York Law School 6 students Widener University 10 students

Penn State – Dickinson 4 students William and Mary 5 students

Pre-Law at JMU

Where do JMU grads who become attorneys work? Federal, state and local government agencies

U.S. and state Attorney General’s offices Major firms in U.S. major cities, for example:

Washington, D.C.: Williams & Connolly; Skadden; Orrick; Woodley & McGillivary; Shearman & Sterling; Heller Ehrman; Watt, Tudor, Hoffar & Fitzgerald; Hogan & Hartson; Sharp & Associates; Morgan Lewis; Latham & Watkins; Morrison & Foerster; Jones Day; Cleary Gottlieb; Kenyon & Kenyon; Cohn & Marks; Greenberg Trauig; Arent Fox; Ropes & Gray; Seyfarth Shaw; Reed Smith 

Richmond, VA: Hunton and Williams; McGuire Woods; Saunders Cary & Pallerson; Williams Mullen; Sands Anderson Marks & Muller; Kutak Rock

New York City: Harris Beach; Morgan Lewis, Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman, O’Melveny & Myers; Cassin Cassin & Joseph

Boston: Riemer & Braunstein; Morrison Mahoney; Robinson & Cole

Pre-Law at JMU

JMU Pre-Law website:

http://www.jmu.edu/prelaw/

Questions?