pthin2@illinois.edu – Pre-Law Advising Services Blog

Alumni Attorney Talk | Jennifer Kuo

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.

Alumni Attorney Talk | Jeff Gaster

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.

Legal Traditions: Part II

As we discussed in Legal Traditions: Part I, many legal traditions can be mysteries to those outside of the legal profession. The American legal system is rooted in common law, which thrives on tradition, utilizing concepts created hundreds of years ago that continue to serve as foundations for the modern system today. While many of these legal traditions are long-standing, they are also often unfamiliar, and there is only so much that courtroom dramas can teach about the actual law! In two parts, we have chosen four legal “traditions” to highlight because of their frequent use in courtrooms and common reference in our news and media. Continue reading below to learn more about the final two in this series: habeas corpus and stare decisis.

Alumni Attorney Talk | Kurt Reitz

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.

Legal Traditions: Part I

Introduction

The legal field can be confusing for many people, and understandably so, it is full of unfamiliar terminology, rules, and traditions. Future lawyers attend law school to study the law, learning about how the legal system operates, developing skills necessary to be successful advocates for their clients, and developing the ability to “think like a lawyer”. The American legal system is rooted in common law, which thrives on tradition, utilizing concepts created hundreds of years ago that continue to serve as foundations for the modern system today. Through our two-part series, we have chosen to briefly explore four legal “traditions” commonly referenced in the news, literature, media, undergraduate classroom, and beyond.

Continue reading below to learn more about the first two in this series: jury trials and due process. We encourage you to start here and explore more about these important tenets of U.S. law!

Senior Pre-Law Student Perspectives

Senior pre-law students have experienced so much in their time at the University of Illinois and love to share their perspectives with students in their first semesters of study. There is so much to learn from those who are currently where you see yourself in a few years. Senior students can provide guidance, wisdom, and also caution to avoid the mistakes that they made in the past. Continue reading to gain knowledge from student members of the Pre-Law Advisory Council who graciously shared their experiences as pre-law students.

Alumni Attorney Talk | Angela Comstock

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.

Spring 2026 Course Recommendations

It’s time to get excited about Spring courses! Each semester, we receive many questions from pre-law students regarding courses helpful in preparation for law school. Each semester Pre-Law Advising creates resources with suggested classes that pre-law students might find useful and interesting when planning and exploring a legal education.

In general, students interested in going to law school should take classes that focus on analytical and critical thinking, communication, research and writing, and, when possible, legal topics of interest. Additionally, pre-law students should consider courses in topics that will help foster knowledge in topics helpful to learning law, such as business, history, technology, and more! Finally, students should also focus on developing skill sets in areas that will support future success in law school and the legal profession, including personal development.

Recommended courses have been arranged into two resources:

General Pre-Law Course Recommendations (relevant for all majors and minors)
- Major/Minor Specific Pre-Law Course Recommendations (most relevant for specific majors and minors)

The general recommended course lists include classes from many disciplines that might serve one or more of the goals articulated above. The major/minor specific course list includes additional courses for those in specific majors and minors and may not be as generally applicable to all. We encourage you to explore both charts, particularly through departments that offer courses in areas you would like to further explore!

Alumni Attorney Talk | Hugh Drake

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.