Alumni Attorney Talks is a virtual series that aims to provide prospective law students with helpful insights about attending law school and pursuing a legal career. This series features interviews with University of Illinois alumni working in a variety of diverse settings within the legal profession.

Brian Sproul

ATTORNEY-ADVISOR,
Federal Highway Administration

Mr. Sproul is an attorney-advisor at the Federal Highway Administration. He is based in Atlanta, Georgia. His work focuses on environmental impacts.

Mr. Sproul graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in English Language and Literature in 2006. He then attended law school at the University of Illinois College of Law, graduating in 2010. Mr. Sproul also obtained a Master of Laws from the University of Oregon School of Law.

Learn more about Mr. Sproul here in the Alumni Attorney Talk Directory.

Law School Admissions Early Decision (ED) programs* provide a unique admissions pathway for many applicants each year. ED programs can offer some strategic advantages but are not necessarily the right fit for every applicant. If you are thinking about ED programs, start by reading the information and tips below. The more you understand, the easier it will be to decide if this is the right path for you!

*Interested applicants should verify Early Decision (ED) program details directly with each law school for the current law admissions cycle.

What is Early Decision?

Some law schools offer an Early Decision (ED) application option for students who have identified a clear first-choice law school. Like Early Decision programs for undergraduate admissions, applying ED signals a strong commitment to attend if admitted. However, law school ED programs can vary significantly from one institution to another. Most are binding, meaning that if you are accepted, you must enroll and withdraw any pending applications from other law schools. Others may be non-binding or include different requirements, timelines, or scholarship considerations. ED applications have earlier deadlines than the regular admission cycle and may involve separate review processes while guaranteeing applicants specific decision/outcome dates.

TIP! Early Decision programs are not all the same. Unlike undergraduate admissions, where ED policies tend to be more standardized, law school ED programs can differ considerably in their expectations, deadlines, benefits, and obligations. Before applying, carefully review each school’s ED policies and make sure you understand the terms of participation. If anything is unclear, contact the law school’s admissions office for guidance.

Early Decision in 2026: Not All Commitments Are Equal

Understanding the nuances of ED programs in law school admissions is an important first step in evaluating whether this is the best move for you, the applicant. Once you understand the basics, the question is no longer simply whether to apply ED – the real question is whether a specific law school’s ED program advances your goals or limits your options.

Let’s explore a few different types of ED programs so you can educate yourself on what to look for and what to ask law schools you are evaluating.

1. The Guaranteed Scholarship ED Program

These types of programs offer a significant financial incentive in exchange for a binding commitment.

Example: Northwestern Pritzker School of Law

Northwestern’s ED program remains one of the most attractive in the country because admitted students receive a guaranteed merit scholarship. For the entering 2026 class, the scholarship is $135,000 spread over three years. Northwestern also requires the online interview and an ED application by November 1. The program is binding. (Source)

Takeaway for applicants:

• Strong option for applicants who know Northwestern is their first choice.
• The guaranteed scholarship reduces some of the financial uncertainty that often accompanies binding ED programs.
• Applicants give up the ability to consider potential offers of admission from other schools or consider alternative (and possibly greater) scholarship offers from other schools.

Tip: Compare the guaranteed scholarship to what applicants with similar credentials historically receive through regular decision. A guaranteed award is valuable, but not always better than competing scholarship offers elsewhere.

2. The Full-Tuition Scholarship ED Program – Or Not…

Example: Boston University School of Law

BU offers two very different ED programs: BU’s Distinguished Scholar Binding Early Decision Program and the BU Bound Binding Decision Program.

The highly competitive Distinguished Scholar Program awards a full-tuition scholarship to admitted students. The BU Bound program, on the other hand, does not include a consideration for merit scholarships – although need based scholarships may be available following admissions decisions. (Source) Additionally, the deadlines for the programs vary significantly, with the former being due by early November and the latter in February. (Always make sure to verify deadlines for your cycle.) Both programs have strict expectations that applicants must adhere to regarding application to binding ED programs at other institutions; both programs have firm decision notification dates.

Takeaway for applicants:

• A school may have multiple ED tracks or programs with differing benefits and expectations.
• Not all ED programs receive the same financial benefits, including at the same school.
• Read the details carefully before assuming ED comes with scholarship funding.
• Confirm if your ED program has designated notifcation dates.

Tip: If affordability is a major consideration, make sure you understand whether an ED program guarantees funding, merely considers you for funding, or excludes you from merit scholarships.

3. The “Move You To Regular Decision” ED Program

Example: Indiana University McKinney School of Law

Similar to other programs, the IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law ED Program is a binding admission option for applicants who are certain that McKinney is their first-choice law school. The Admissions Committee gives priority review and provides a decision no later than January 1. To be considered, applicants must submit a complete application by November 15, including all required materials and qualifying LSAT or GRE scores.

McKinney’s program also allows applicants who are waitlisted in the ED process to move to the regular decision pool and releases those applicants from the binding ED commitment.

Takeaway for applicants:

• Confirm how your application will be treated if not selected for ED. What are the potential outcomes – could there be continuing paths to admissions if not selected ED.
• If allowed to continue for consideration if not selected ED – this may reduce some of the downside risk if unsuccessful ED applicants are still eligible under regular consideration, removing the binding obligation of ED.

Tip: Ask whether unsuccessful ED applicants are automatically moved into the regular decision pool. Policies vary considerably among schools.

4. A Unique ED Program with Scholarship Tiers

Example: Boston College Law

Boston College’s Early Decision program is one of the more distinctive offerings among highly ranked law schools because applicants choose among three ED tracks, each with a different scholarship structure. Applicants receive expedited review and, if admitted, are required to matriculate at BC Law and withdraw applications from other law schools. (Source)

BC Law currently offers:

• Dean’s Scholars – a highly competitive option that provides between $40,000 and $55,000 per year in scholarship funding (up to $165,000 total over three years). This track is generally aimed at applicants with credentials above BC Law’s 75th percentiles.
• BC Scholars – provides between $20,000 and $35,000 per year in scholarship funding (up to $105,000 total over three years).
• Eagle Track – a binding ED option for applicants committed to attending BC Law but who understand they will not be considered for merit scholarship funding.

BC also offers two Early Decision deadlines (December 1 and January 15), giving applicants some flexibility while maintaining the benefits of a binding application.

Takeaway for Applicants

BC’s program illustrates why applicants should look beyond the simple question of whether a school offers Early Decision and really evaluate what additional benefit(s) they are receiving in exchange for making a binding commitment.

Tip: Before applying ED, weigh the certainty of any guaranteed scholarship or admissions benefit against the flexibility of the regular admissions process. While some ED programs may offer scholarship guarantees, expedited review, or a demonstrated-interest advantage, they also typically require applicants to forgo the opportunity to compare admission offers and negotiate financial aid packages among multiple schools. For some applicants, the certainty provided by an ED program is worth the tradeoff; for others, maintaining flexibility may be the better strategic choice.

Considerations for Today’s Applicants

Continue reading for a summary of top considerations when evaluated if ED is right for you. The PLAS office is also a great resource for discussing your individual goals and how ED might or might not, best support them…

Alumni Attorney Talks is a virtual series that aims to provide prospective law students with helpful insights about attending law school and pursuing a legal career. This series features interviews with University of Illinois alumni working in a variety of diverse settings within the legal profession.

Julia Rausch

COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS COUNSEL AT ePAYPOLICY*

*At the time of this recording, Julie was an In-House Counsel at the
Teacher Retirement System of Texas

Julia Rausch was an in-house attorney for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. She is based in Austin, Texas. Her work consisted of contracts and procurements.

Ms. Rausch received a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Psychology from the University of Illinois in 2020. She then received her J.D. from the St. Mary’s University School of Law in 2023.

Learn more about Ms. Rausch here in the Alumni Attorney Talk Directory.

In honor of America’s 250^th celebration, we take a look at the rich legal history of our country by highlighting some of the earliest years of the U.S. Supreme Court and perhaps the most important case to date. 

Be sure to read to the end for a fun summer bonus!

The Early Years 1776 – 1803

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed, giving birth to the United States of America. It would, however, take a war and over ten years before the U.S. Constitution was created in 1787, establishing the Judicial branch of government through Article III of the Constitution. Later, Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789, giving greater definition to the judicial branch of government, including establishing the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) and the lower federal court system.

Holding its first session in 1790, the Supreme Court was not initially viewed as the prestigious institution it is today.  In the initial years, the Supreme Court lacked the same perceived level of responsibility and authority as the other two branches of government; justices were tasked with traveling across the country to the various federal circuit courts, and the court lacked consistent leadership, hosting four Chief Justices within the first few years. The first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was John Jay, who left the Supreme Court to serve as Governor of New York after only a few years!

DID YOU KNOW?  The original Supreme Court was comprised of six judges, not nine.  Over the years Congress has changed the number of judges from as few as five to as many as ten.  The current nine judge structure was created in 1869 following the Civil War.

One aspect of the Supreme Court that has been true from the very beginning is its ability to make substantial and impactful decisions – some of which invite strong criticism and controversy.  A perfect example is the early case Chisholm v. Georgia (1793), which held that states could be sued in federal court by citizens of another state.  This decision was viewed widely as a threat to state sovereignty and led to the ultimate adoption of the Eleventh Amendment!  

Despite some significant decisions in the early years, arguably the most important case in American Legal history, Marbury vs. Madison, was decided in 1803, reshaping the role of the U.S. Supreme Court forever.

It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is. 

Chief Justice John Marshall– Marbury v. Madison

In Marbury vs. Madison, the Supreme Court held that a provision of the Judiciary Act of 1789 conflicted with the scope of original jurisdiction provided by Article III of the Constitution. The court held that the Congressional provision in the Judiciary Act of 1789 could not supersede the Constitution and “struck down” the conflicting provision of the Judiciary Act as unconstitutional.  The Court’s act of constitutional interpretation of a Congressional act established the principle of Judicial Review and solidified the concept of “checks and balances” within the federal government, providing the Court the unique ability to determine the constitutionality of legislative acts. 

Learn more about the “Midnight Judges” and the Groundbreaking case Marbury v. Madison

• Marbury v. Madison
• Marbury v. Madison | BRI’s Homework Help Series
• Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. (1 Cranch) 137 (1803): Case Brief Summary | Quimbee
• Marbury v. Madison Case Brief Summary | Law Case Explained
• Introduction – Marbury v. Madison: Primary Documents in American History – Research Guides at Library of Congress

Beyond Marbury v. Madison…

Marbury v. Madison established the authority upon which the modern U.S. Supreme Court operates today, but it is only one in hundreds of Supreme Court decisions that have played a profound role in shaping our understanding of the U.S. Constitution and informing every aspect of our society today.

Important legal cases demonstrate the critical relevance of the Judiciary and help illuminate the impact lawyers can have through their professional work. Learning about the history of the Judiciary helps us understand its importance and also appreciate its role in our greater democracy.

Learn More!

• National Archives | Home
• Research Guides at the Library of Congress
• Sources for Early American Legal History – Research Guides at Harvard Library
• The D’Angelo Law Library – The University of Chicago Library
• Charters & Constitutions – American Legal History Online Sources – Library Guides at UChicago
• American Legal History Research Guide – Guides at Georgetown Law Library
• Historic American Law – Research Guides at Library of Congress
• American Society for Legal History – https://aslh.net/
• American Legal History Podcast – https://alhtji.libsyn.com/
• The Court and Its Traditions – Supreme Court of the United States
• The Supreme Court History and Traditions

Law on the Screen…

It can also be very inspiring to see the work of lawyers and the court come to life on the big screen. In fact, many prospective law students cite TV shows or movies (we see you, To Kill A Mockingbird) as serving as early inspiration for their interest in law. Whether based in real life, inspired by real issues of our time, or completely fictional (we are looking at you, Legally Blonde), there is often nothing like a good courtroom movie for those who love the law. In honor of the summer season of blockbuster movies, we have compiled a highlight of some great movies featuring legal cases (most real, some not so real)!

“Legal networking refers to the process by which lawyers and other legal professionals establish and maintain connections within their field. This involves interacting with peers, mentors, and potential clients to share information, resources, and support. The primary aim is to create a web of contacts that can provide mutual benefits in terms of knowledge, opportunities, and professional growth.” – American Bar Association

As pre-law students, you have likely heard about the importance of networking in the legal field and may feel pressure to begin building legal connections as early as possible. Networking is an important tool in building a supportive network that will directly contribute to helping you achieve professional goals, navigating professional challenges and opportunities, and offering trusted guidance and insights throughout your career. The act of “networking” takes many forms and is an important professional skill that you will continue to develop throughout your academic and professional journey. Because networking plays an important role for all professions, the prospect of networking can be daunting for undergraduate students, especially those interested in law who may feel that professors, judges, and attorneys are inaccessible to students. However, understanding that in its simplest form networking fundamentally comes down to the first step of creating and building connections can lessen anxiety.

Making connections is something that you already do in other aspects of your life almost daily. Networking is about developing and refining your existing skills of connection building for a professional setting and through a professional lense. It is also important to think about the types of individuals with whom connections can be beneficial to your goals and growth – appreciating that building connection with different types of professionals and individuals can all assist you. Finally, as you begin efforts to create connections – you should set realistic goals. Your networking efforts should not be centered solely on what you can gain from those individuals either now or ultimately in the future. Networking is about creating long-term relationships that start simple with creating a connection to build upon.

As you explore future law school and legal careers, you likely want to learn more about the legal profession or get your feet wet by speaking with an attorney. You can start developing networking skills early by taking intentional steps to establish connection and building professional relationships that focus on both the legal profession, but also other aspects of your professional and academic development.

• Create strategies to create initial connects and build relationships with professors, upper-level students, supervisors from all types of jobs and professional experiences, advisors, administrators, and other individuals who know you from different aspects of your life.
• Engage in different types of activities – attending receptions, open office hours, or seek out informational interviews. Use these interactions as a chance to hone social skills and practice communicating professionally, learning how to address others in a professional manner, especially prior to a job, internship, or interview.
• Have a goal of developing a wide range of connections that can assist you with common reasons to network such as gaining guidance and mentorship, securing recommendations or references needed for an internship, scholarships, awards, and, inevitably, support for law school applications.

Professionals, especially those in the legal field, are eager to support students, emerging leaders, community members, and individuals who are up-and-coming in their industries. Approach initial interactions with the goal of taking advantage of their knowledge and insights only – trying not to focus on the result of a future letter of recommendation or a job opportunity. In fact, the best networking relationships happen when you are genuine, authentic, and show sincere interest in what the other person says and does.

Continue reading to gain insights on how other students have created meaningful professional connections!

Alumni Attorney Talks is a virtual series that aims to provide prospective law students with helpful insights about attending law school and pursuing a legal career. This series features interviews with University of Illinois alumni working in a variety of diverse settings within the legal profession.

William Ward

STATE PUBLIC DEFENDER,
Minnesota Board of Public Defense

William Ward is the State Public Defender for the Minnesota Board of Public Defense, overseeing an agency of nearly 900 staff. He is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Mr. Ward graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Political Science in 1983. He then received his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law in 1986. His work focuses on criminal defense, a specialty in which he has over 40 years of experience.

Learn more about Mr. Ward here in the Alumni Attorney Talk Directory.

Summer is a strategic time to begin prioritizing and making meaningful steps toward your goals for attending law school.

For those considering the “right” timeline for law school, it is essential to remember there is no single best timeline to apply to law school. Every individual should consider the best timing for their application and start to law school recognizing that an alternative timeline can often be the key decision in long-term success.

For students entering their final year of undergraduate study, a decision may have already been made that one or more growth (gap) years prior to law school is the best path forward. Summer in this scenario is well spent researching and planning what activities might best support personal, academic, and professional goals. Whether focused on preparing for law school, gaining meaningful work experience, or simply confirming if law is the right fit -growth years should be tailored to each individual. Use summer to begin researching opportunities that are ideally suited and connect with career experts to help you develop a plan.

For those committed to applying in the upcoming cycle, the summer “pre-application” period, when used strategically, offers an opportunity to complete simple steps that can have a profound impact on the overall manageability and success of your application process.

Keep reading for our top suggestions for summer application preparations…

Alumni Attorney Talks is a virtual series that aims to provide prospective law students with helpful insights about attending law school and pursuing a legal career. This series features interviews with University of Illinois alumni working in a variety of diverse settings within the legal profession.

Justin Randall

CO-FOUNDER AND PARTNER,
ER Injury Attorneys

Mr. Randall is a co-founder and partner at ER Injury Attorneys. His office is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. His work focuses on personal injury.

Mr. Randall graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Political Science and Communication in 2008. He then went on to attend law school at the University of Iowa College of Law, graduating in 2011. While in law school, he clerked at the Federal District of Nevada and the Northern District of Iowa.

Learn more about Mr. Randall here in the Alumni Attorney Talk Directory.

The Professional Readiness Series is designed to offer insights for building skills and pursuing experiences for success in the professional world. Because it can be challenging to know where to begin, how to search, what to prioritize, and which opportunities to pursue – this series will help guide students through creating connections, recognizing the value of diverse experiences, and exploring a wide range of internships and professional roles.

One of the challenges many students face, especially those intending to continue their education in law school, is knowing what to include on their resumes or feeling that they lack experiences that add meaningful value to their candidacy if they are different than traditional internships. Is it beneficial to include a childcare job from high school and school breaks? Do I seem less professional if I include my job as a server at the restaurant in my hometown? Do I have good experiences if I have more part-time work from the school year, than internships? Questions and insecurities like these are common because it can be hard to know what employers or law admissions professionals will view as valuable or relevant.

All positions and opportunities require distinct qualities, experience or knowledge to be a qualified candidate. However, it is a very common misconception that resumes need to be narrowly tailored to fit each opportunity or that there are only a small set of experiences from which you can gain certain qualifications. A resume does not need to be so narrow that it paints an incomplete picture of who you are as an applicant, particularly as a future law applicant. As you grow as a professional and seek more distinct opportunities professionally – your resume will need to be more specifically tailored and curated. As an undergraduate student or law applicant, non-law work experiences, off-campus and part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities, leadership, extracurricular activities, and more can all contribute value on your resume!

What is important to know is that many different types of experiences have the potential to add value to your candidacy for law admissions, jobs/internships, scholarships and beyond. A wide and dynamic set of skills is required to be successful in law and in almost every professional setting. Skills can be, and are, acquired from a wide-ranging set of experiences and opportunities. Seeing the value in different types of experiences and finding ways to highlight them, is an important way to maximize your candidacy for any future opportunity.

Let us analyze an example

A is applying for an internship with a local law firm. They are an Economics major, with a 3.9 GPA, an officer of a pre-law organization, and a member of the dance team. Last summer they had a research internship related to the Economics major and they are also a part-time server at Olive Garden during the academic year which they have done the past two years. 

When crafting their resume, they might want to only include their membership in a pre-law organization and prior internship experience because it is seemingly the most relevant. However, including that they are a server during the academic year may actually help demonstrates several important qualities, including a strong work ethic, the ability to manage competing obligations with success (high academic performance, leadership roles, extracurricular), and commitment (has been working at the same location for two years). Successful servers generally have to be strong communicators, have good interpersonal skills, pay close attention to details, anticipate needs, work in teams, manage competing and high demand situations, and have an outward focused mentality about their work - all exceptionally valuable qualities in the professional work environment. Additionally, if A includes that they are on the dance team, it shows that they are a well-rounded person who is passionate about their interests. If A gets an interview for the position, the hiring partner could associate the server position with hard work, good communication skills, and commitment, qualities they found lacking in other candidates. The partner may have also been a member of the dance team and value the teamwork, dedication and creativity that they associate with that activity! 

To summarize: including seemingly "non-relevant" experiences may be the thing that makes you stand out, highlights important skills and attributes to your future employer, and provides helpful insights about valuable qualities!

Choosing what to include depends on the person. It is always a good idea to consult with an advisor about your resume before sending it in for consideration for an opportunity. For law-related jobs and internships or law school admissions, make an appointment with a pre-law advisor here!

Not sure what to include? Keep reading to hear from current students!

Hibba Hoda

Class of 2026, Industrial Organizational Psychology

Pre-Law Advisory Council At-Large Representative

Ashley Winters

Northern Illinois University College of Law, Class of 2026

Pre-Law Advisory Council Alumni Representative

Lev Linderman

Class of 2029, Biology

Pre-Law Advisory Council Class of 2029 Representative

What type of opportunities for growth have you experienced that were not specifically related to academic or professional internships?

Hibba – “For part-time jobs, I’ve been a tutor for America Reads/America Counts and later became an HR Undergraduate Coordinator for America Reads/America Counts. Other opportunities include being a volunteer at the food pantry, EJP Intern (Advisory Council and College-In-Prison Intern), MSA Spring Camp Head, STO IMPACT Event Coordinator and later became Co-Director, Illini Thaakat Outreach Chair. My hobbies that led to growth include running, playing Intramural basketball, volleyball, and soccer, and reading.”

Ashley – “Aside from my academic worth, I have grown a lot as a person through my experience working on political campaigns.”

Lev – “I have held different types of coaching jobs for children’s sports. More specifically, I worked at a country club as a basketball instructor. A big job I have had on campus is that I am the Philanthropy and Civic Engagement Chair for my social fraternity. With that job, I manage a budget, a committee, and plan events to raise money for various organizations. I also organize volunteer opportunities in the areas surrounding our UIUC campus.”

What value did you gain from these experiences?

Hibba – “These experiences taught me a lot, such as soft skills, resilience, emotional intelligence, problem solving abilities in the real world that a textbook cannot always teach. It also allowed me to foster leadership abilities, teamwork, self-awareness, and collaboration with my peers. I also gained a support system outside of my academics and social groups/organizations.”

Ashley – “Through these experiences, I was able to grow in several ways. First, I was able to improve my communication skills. Whether it was talking to voters or coordinating with local campaigns, I was also put in a situation that required me to be a strong communicator. Additionally, I was taught the importance of listening to diverse points of view. It is important to recognize that you can learn a great deal from other people. Everybody has different lived experiences…take the time to learn from others.”

Lev – “From these experiences, I have dealt with many different kinds of people of all different ages. That is definitely a good experience to have for when you get out into the real world, whether it is in your workplace or even just at the grocery store. I have also gained plenty of leadership experience, and I think that it is a great thing to have since it always looks good for people to know that you can take charge of a group of people when necessary.”

Why do you think it is important for students to gain experience not related to academics?

Hibba – “It is extremely important to gain experience not related to academics because it exposes you to situations, environments, and allows you to bond/connect with your peers that you may not normally interact with. Additionally, you can learn just as much, if not more, from non-academic experiences as you would with academic experiences, and you’d be surprised by what and how much you can learn from these experiences.”

Ashley – “It is important for experiences outside of academics because a classroom can’t teach you everything. Sometimes you have to learn different skills out there on your feet. You won’t always be able to prepare for everything you face in life, so it’s important you learn to think on your feet.”

Lev – “I think it is really important for students to gain experience not related to academics because in the real world, there are a lot more things that you have to deal with on an everyday basis, other than just writing a paper. You have to figure out how to do other things, or at least understand how other things in the world work, other than just what you specialize your job in. Joining a club on campus or even holding a job in a field you may never work in again can be very beneficial to your skills for the rest of your life.”

What advice would you give to students who are apprehensive or unsure about including different types of experiences on their resumes?

Hibba – “As simple as it sounds, just do it. You do not want to have regrets and constant thoughts of “I wish I tried this, ” or “I wish I applied here.” It is better for you to try something out and find out you do not like it, rather than having constant regret about not trying it out at all. Also, having different experiences on your resume makes you stand out as an applicant and is a great conversation starter.”

Ashley – “Don’t be! I think it is fantastic to showcase things about you that occur outside of the academic setting. These experiences show you are a truly rounded person willing to expose yourself to all types of environments in order to learn.”

Lev – “For students who do not know whether they should include different types of experiences on their resumes, I say you should definitely include them. You never know if someone who looks at your application might relate to that experience that you had, and you could end up really benefiting from it. One experience could get you that job that you really wanted one day; you just never know.”

Thank you to our contributing authors!

For more information about preparing yourself and resume for future opportunities, see the resources below:

Home | The Career Center | UIUC

LAS Career Services | College of Liberal Arts & Sciences | Illinois

Career Services | ACES | Illinois

Home – Office of Career and Professional Development | Gies College of Business

Media Career Services | College of Media | Illinois

Home | Engineering Career Services | Illinois

How to Write a Resume | UIUC Career Center

Make an “Document Review” appointment with a Pre-Law Advisor!

The 2025–2026 academic year was once again both demanding and rewarding, marked by numerous achievements alongside the expected challenges of navigating the undergraduate experience, professional opportunities, and another highly competitive admissions cycle. We are incredibly proud of the perseverance, resilience, and successes demonstrated by our Illini pre-law students and alumni throughout the year and congratulate our entire Illini pre-law community on another fantastic year!

On behalf of PLAS, we thank our Illinois pre-law student & alumni leaders, law expert volunteers, and all who supported our pre-law Illini this academic year! Per tradition, we have compiled highlights from the year to celebrate all that has been achieved. We hope you’ll take a few minutes to enjoy and celebrate with us as the academic year draws to a close!

Check out this year’s highlights in the video below!

Read below for some highlights from this year!

Advising Appointment & Student Engagement

In addition to open office hours, workshops, programming, and over 10 unique student engagement events across campus, PLAS held over 1,000 individual advising appointments (and counting) this year!

Individual advising appointments are a great way for students and alumni to explore their unique goals and plans, including determining if a legal education and career are the right choice! During advising sessions, Illini receive expert guidance on the pre-law undergraduate experience, ways to prepare for law school, internship & post-graduation opportunities, and the law admissions process. We welcome the opportunity to support you in a successful journey to law school from freshman year and beyond.

Whether you have met with us in the past or are new to prelaw, we look forward to seeing you soon!

Workshops & Events

This academic year, PLAS hosted over 60 student workshops, programs, and events, including Pre-Law 101, Pre-Law for Parents, Drafting Your Application, Application Roadmap, Spring Application Strategies, and more!

Workshops & events are a perfect way to gain invaluable expert insights and specialized topics in a very efficient way. Live workshops are available throughout the year (in-person and virtual) and also include an impressive catalogue of on-demand webinars to access at any time! Upcoming live workshops and programs are posted to the PLAS Calendar each year – be sure to check back often for upcoming events!

Note – PLAS programming is open to all current Illinois undergraduate students and alumni!

Unique Prelaw Programs & Opportunities

Four programs, the Pre-Law Advisory Council, APPtitude Certificate Program, LSAT Jumpstart workshop series, and the I Am Ready: Law Admission Readiness Program co-hosted with the University of Illinois College of Law, saw great success in their fourth year!

PLAS hosted two unique programs for prelaw students for the third year: Illinois Pre-Law Day and the Pre-Law Leadership Summit.

Additionally, PLAS welcomed special on-campus visits and webinars from Yale Law School, Harvard Law School, the University of Chicago Law School, and a very special visit with Dean Jason Czarnezki and Assistant Dean Melissa Hansen of Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Last, but certainly not least, we welcomed five members of the Illinois Latino Judges Association for an impactful afternoon of networking and mingling. A very special muchas gracias (thank you) to the Hon. Louis Aranda, Hon. Brenda Claudio, Hon. Carlo Colisimo, Hon. David Garcia, and Hon. Sandra Page for taking time out of their schedules to meet with our students!

Yale Law School Visit – Oct. 6, 2025 | Harvard Law School Virtual Q&A – Oct. 20, 2025 | University of Chicago Law School Virtual Q&A, Nov. 5, 2025 | Chicago-Kent Visit – Mar. 11, 2026

Illinois Latino Judges Association Meet and Mingle | Nov. 11, 2025

2026 Pre-Law Leadership Summit | February 20, 2026

Illinois Pre-Law Day with students from UIUC, UIC, and UIS | April 9, 2026

Law School Fair & Law Dean Panel

This past fall, admissions representatives from nearly 100 law schools from across the country, TestMasters, and AccessLex visited our campus to engage with nearly 400 attendees from the University of Illinois and throughout central Illinois. The 2025 Law School Fair was hosted as part of the annual Midwest Association of Pre-Law Advisors (MAPLA) Caravan.

We also hosted our annual panel of law admissions experts directly following the Law School Fair, featuring:

2025 Panelists:

Dave Farnum – Director of Student Recruitment, The University of Texas School of Law 

Janet Hein – Director of Admissions, Indiana University Maurer School of Law

Rebecca Ray – Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, University of Illinois College of Law

Alison Smith – Assistant Dean of Admissions, Washington University Law School

A huge thank you to all the law school representatives, students, and volunteers who made the day a success!

Save the Date for the 2026 Law School Fair
on September 23!

Blog Posts

We uploaded over 35 articles to our blog this year, covering insights from attorneys, helpful tips & resources on the pre-law path, monthly events, and more!

This year, we welcomed several guest bloggers and contributors. A special thank you to:

We will continue to create blog content this summer, so be sure to stay tuned and check back for updates!

Legal Expert Volunteers

A huge thank you to the judges, attorneys, law professors, and other law experts who volunteered their time to engage with students through programming as guest speakers and 1:1 meetings this year. A very special thank you to the 12+ alumni featured on the Alumni Attorney Talks blog series this year – joining dozens of past volunteers!

Congratulations and Thank You to all our pre-law students, alumni, and law expert volunteers for making it a great year!

Stay in touch this summer…

Our office remains open during the summer for virtual advising and resources. Be sure to stay in touch! Find more details online at prelaw.illinois.edu.

Check-out the Summer Spotlight Series!

Be sure to help us celebrate our Illini applicants and graduates this summer through the annual Spotlight Series celebrating Illini on their law school selections and post-graduation plans!