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Tomorrow's Attorneys Pipeline Project
High School|College|Law School|Professionals  A college student who wants to be attorney should focus on good grades, skills, and practical experiences. For information about careers in the law, including average salaries, see the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook for Lawyers. Ask For Guidance Utilize your academic advisor at you college or university or seek assistance from Pre-Law programs, such as the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO). CLEO is committed to diversifying the legal profession by expanding legal education opportunities to minority, low-income and disadvantaged groups. Over the past 37 years, more than 7,500 students have participated in CLEO's pre-law and law school academic support programs, successfully matriculated through law school, passed the bar exam and joined the legal profession. CLEO provides placement assistance, academic support and counseling, financial assistance, bar prep orientation, online tutoring programs and weekend seminars and workshops. The seminars and workshops generally address the continuing need for legal services to under-served and low-income communities, and stress the importance of the students' commitment to serve those communities upon graduation. In addition, as a means of extending the legal education pipeline, CLEO also provides training and workshops to college students who are interested in attending law school and pursuing a career in the legal profession. CLEO offers a year-by-year guide to help college students prepare for law school. Another invaluable website is the Law School Admission Council. Check the websites of local law schools for year-by-year checklists and other prelaw programs. Your Major There is no recommended “prelaw” undergraduate major, so if you want to be an attorney, you should develop your skills in writing and speaking, reading, researching, analyzing, and thinking logically—skills needed to succeed both in law school and in the law. Regardless of major, a multidisciplinary background is recommended. Courses in English, foreign languages, public speaking, government, philosophy, history, economics, mathematics, and computer science, among others, are useful. Students interested in a particular aspect of law may find related courses helpful. For example, prospective patent lawyers need a strong background in engineering or science, and future tax lawyers must have extensive knowledge of accounting. Practical Experiences While in college, it will be helpful for you to gain practical skills. Join organizations that relate to your interests and your major and work your way into leadership positions. Make use of your summers to volunteer with organizations related to your major or legal-related programs. Some of the actors that law schools will consider when evaluating your extra-curricular and work experiences include: the level of responsibility achieved, evidence of follow-through ability, and any law-related experience or knowledge. You should work to develop demonstrated leadership and specific accomplishments. When choosing your extracurricular activities and work, remember that you should develop your own genuine interests, special skills and talents. For example, if you should consider debate, music, drama, writing, artistic accomplishments, and sports. Other factors that law schools consider include: overcoming difficult situations; significant personal accomplishments of any kind; overcoming substantial discrimination; helping other overcome discrimination; and serving under-served communities or disadvantaged people. Getting Into Law School For more information, see The PreLaw Handbook. College PreLaw Programs
For more information, see The PreLaw Handbook.
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