DR. JESSICA ADOLINO, DIRECTOR ASSOCIATE DEAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 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 JMU Pre-Law Advisors Bill Hawk, Philosophy and Religion Jessica Adolino, Political Science, College of Arts and Letters Elaine Chisek, University Advising, Political Science Joan Frederick, English Art Hamilton, Finance/Business Law David Jeffrey, College of Arts and Letters, English Howard Lubert, Political Science Bob Roberts, Political Science Roger Soenksen, Media Arts and Design Daphyne 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 matriculated JMU students and alumni, fall 2009 SchoolsLSATGPA American University Appalachian School of Law Catholic University Florida Coastal University George Mason University Hofstra University Penn State - Dickinson Temple University University of Alabama University of Arizona University of Pittsburgh University of Richmond University of Virginia Wake Forest Washington and Lee West Virginia University William and Mary

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 2009 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  LSAT practice tests

Pre-Law at JMU JMM students and alumni accepted at nearly 100 different law schools in Selected Law schools acceptances, (law schools accepting the greatest number of JMU students and alumni) American University 7 studentsSt. Johns University 7 students Appalachian School of Law8 studentsTemple University9 students Catholic University10 studentsUniversity of Baltimore15 students Charleston College9 studentsUniversity of Miami7 students Charlotte School of Law7 studentsUniversity of Pittsburgh5 students Drexel University7 studentsUniversity of Richmond10 students Florida Coastal School10 studentsUniversity of Virginia 2 students George Mason University13 studentsVillanova University9 students Hofstra University4 studentsWake Forest University4 students New England School5 studentsWashington and Lee 5 students New York Law School6 studentsWidener University6 students Penn State – Dickinson8 studentsWilliam and Mary Law School 8 students

Law School Acceptance Rate In , 179 JMU students or alumni applied to law school 132 were accepted to one or more law schools 109 registered at a law school 73 percent acceptance rate

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: Questions?