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?