Pre-law

PRE-LAW ADVISING AT ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE, NEW YORK

The pre-law program on the Brooklyn Campus of St. Joseph's University serves in an advisory role for students interested in law as a possible career. Select faculty members serve as pre-law advisers and give guidance to students who have questions about a career in law. The pre-law program organizes various events including speakers, LSAT preparations seminars, personal statement workshops. In addition, the pre-law program provides resources to aid students who are applying to law schools and offers information about preparing for the LSAT, different law schools, and the admissions process.

The American Bar Association (ABA) does not prescribe a particular major as a prerequisite for admission to law school. Rather prospective law students are free to choose among the wide variety of majors including the humanities, social sciences, sciences, arts, or other disciplines.

Consider pre-law as a state of mind, then, rather than a major. Although any major will prepare you to enter law school, it is very important to talk to those who know about law as a profession and about applying to law school as you work out your career plans and goals.

One step along this path is to select courses that will help you develop the skills necessary to succeed as an attorney. To facilitate this selection process, the ABA has identified the following skills:

• analytical thinking
• critical reading
• oral communication
• problem solving
• research
• task organization and management
• writing

At the same time, you should select courses that you find both interesting and intellectually challenging. Since law school admission is highly competitive, it is important that you attain a high grade point average and that you also prepare for the possibility of a career outside of law.

Possible Courses to Consider

Students interested in law school might consider classes in any of the following areas:

• Courses in English that emphasize writing will help you to master this important means of communication.
• Courses in Political Science and History will help you develop an understanding of government institutions.
• Courses in Economics, Statistics, Accounting, and Computer Science are valuable preparation for any profession.
• Courses in Philosophy, Psychology, Religion, and Sociology are also good preparation for studying law as a social science.
• Many students pursuing a pre-law program of studies are double majors.

Pre Law Advisory Committee

Elizabeth Bonina, J.D.
Lecturer
Business Administration
[email protected]

S. Margaret Buckley, C.S.J., Ed.D.
Professor, Associate Chair
Education
[email protected]
St. Angela Hall, Room 502

Michael Burke, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Philosophy
[email protected]
St. Angela Hall, First Floor

Peter M. Maust, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
History
[email protected]
Lorenzo Hall, Third floor

Joseph Pascarella, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Criminal Justice
[email protected]
Lorenzo Hall

Benedick G. Turner, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Coordinator of Bridge Programs
English
[email protected]
Lorenzo Hall, Second floor

Prospective students may contact Pre-law  ([email protected]) to obtain information about the Pre-Law program and about the faculty advisers in the program.