Other – Pre-Law Advising Services Blog

Fall 2024 – Exploring Gap Year Opportunities

Pursuing opportunities before law school can contribute significantly to an applicant’s success and offer tremendous benefits personally, academically, and professionally. Whether you ultimately decide to pursue an opportunity before law school or go “straight through”, future applicants should consider how a timeline that includes a “gap year(s)” might enhance their application and contribute to their ultimate success as a law student!

Below is a collection of resources to assist in your decision-making!

Pre-Law Wellness Week

Welcome to the inaugural Illinois Pre-Law Wellness Week!

Wellness is an important aspect of success in the legal profession. The American Bar Association has worked to place increasing focus on wellness for attorneys, judges, and law students through various initiatives and resources. The Well-Being Week in Law, hosted annually by the Institute for Well-Being in Law, occurs during the first week of May and is one of these initiatives. Wellness in the legal profession is a very important, therefore making wellness a priority as an undergraduate student is an important part of the pre-law journey. As we enter the heart of the application cycle and approach the busy final weeks of the fall semester, we invite you to join us for a special Wellness Week celebration with a focus on pre-law students!

The idea that wellness is an element of professionalism has received much-needed attention over the last several years. Today, there is a strong focus at many levels on ensuring that those pursuing a legal career have the tools, resources, and support they need to excel in the profession. And, you don’t have to wait until you get to law school to build a strong foundation. Learning how to take care of yourself now will pay dividends in the future. We have created this blog post and Instagram series to highlight some things you can start implementing today to help you achieve your personal wellness goals.

Follow PLAS on Instagram and join us for a week focused on well-being tips and resources for pre-law students!

Law in Elections

As the 2024 election day officially arrives, we wanted to focus on how elections and law interrelate in the field of election law. Election law is a branch of public law that governs the democratic process, dealing with everything from the election of representatives and office holders to referendums, and most importantly, safeguarding your voting rights. Election law is a vast area dating back to the earliest points of our democratic history and continuing today. Within these broad areas, there are numerous sub-topics that attorneys in the field handle.

Law School Insider: The First Weeks of Law School – 1L Insights

Law school is an experience that is very difficult to fully explain or to comprehend until you actually experience it. One of the best ways to get better understanding is to hear directly from those who have experienced law school. As we have now reached the mid-part of the fall semester, we recently reached out to Illinois alumni that have just started their first semester to see how their experience at law school has been going during their first few weeks. As new 1Ls, they provided excellent insight as to some of the critical differences between college and law school, when it comes to a new type of workload, classes, and responsibilities. Keep reading to hear from four of our accomplished Illini alums on their experiences over the first couple of weeks of law school!

Spring 2025 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.. Pre-Law Advising has made a helpful chart with suggested classes 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. The recommended course list includes classes from many disciplines that might serve one or more of these goals. Look at the chart to find courses that interest you and will help build the necessary skills for law school.

Alumni Attorney Talks | Benjamin Boris

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.

Beyond the JD – Alternative Routes to Legal Education

While most students think of a Juris Doctor or Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) as the only way to pursue further studies in law, there are alternative post-graduate degrees available for those who are interested in the law but do not wish to pursue a J.D. Many law schools now offer masters-level law degrees. These degrees are designed for individuals who want to pursue a legal education but are not interested in becoming a licensed attorney. These degrees are known by many names, including a Master of Studies in Law (MSL), a Master of Legal Studies (MLS), and a Juris Masters (JM).

LLM degrees are unique to other master-level programs. LLM degrees are for individuals who have already earned a J.D. degree in the United States or a first law degree in another country.

Masters-level law programs can vary extensively in focus and specialty depending upon the respective program; however, they all tend to share these common traits:

More relaxed admission requirements (no LSAT).
Shorter curriculums (2-3 semesters/30 credits) compared to JD programs (6 semesters).
An ability to select coursework which reflects unique interests (though the extent of specialization can vary).
More cost effective than a traditional JD.
More specifically tailored for current professionals who may utilize legal document, work with regulation/policy, or frequently assist legal professionals, but do not wish to become an attorney.

Some programs are designed for specific professions that frequently interact with legal professionals, such as paralegals or expert witnesses. Other programs emphasize niche areas of the law for those who may work in an area heavily subsumed with that type of law such as human resources or business. Finally, some programs are more focused on breadth, introducing students to a variety of common legal topics such as criminal law and contracts. If considering a master-level program it is important to consider the career paths and opportunities this unique degree will offer.

Keep reading for additional insights and examples of these unique educational programs!

Tips for Attending a Law School Fair

Law Fairs provide a unique opportunity for applicants, and those with future law school goals, to learn more about some of their top choice programs, connect with admissions officers, and discover new schools you may not have considered! Attending law fairs can be an extremely beneficial part of your strategy for successful admission to your dream school. Read on to learn more about upcoming opportunities and tips to maximize these experiences!

2024-2025 Pre-Law Student Orgs

Are you looking to get involved? Do you want to connect with other pre-law students? Check out the details and highlights for the University of Illinois pre-law student organizations!

Welcome Pre-Law Illini!

Whether you are a returning student or are new to our campus, on behalf of the entire Pre-Law Advising Team – welcome to the 2024-2025 school year!

Being pre-law at Illinois means being part of a talented, driven, and supportive community. Our pre-law Illini past and present represent some of our most accomplished Illinois students from all different communities, backgrounds, and majors. While pre-law Illini share a common interest and goal in law school, the path to legal education will be different for each student and alumni and will be enhanced by pursuits in a vast array of curricular, extra-curricular, and professional experiences.

Being a successful future law applicant, law student, and attorney begins with being a successful undergraduate student. We hope that you will explore all that Illinois has to offer and encourage you to invest in your academic and professional experiences while pursuing your individual passions and interests. If done well, your time at Illinois will allow you to not only earn your degree and prepare you for your professional goals, but will also afford you the opportunity to invest in your own personal growth and development. Whatever unique steps lay ahead for your journey, we look forward to supporting you.