Advising

PRE-LAW ADVISING

A strong liberal arts education is an ideal way to prepare for the professional study of law. You should acquire the skills that enable critical thinking, logical reasoning and effective writing by pursuing a balanced and challenging undergraduate program. Successful study of the law requires the ability to speak clearly and correctly. Plan to continue sharpening these skills throughout your undergraduate education. Participate in extracurricular activities, student organizations, and enroll in courses stressing group interaction and leadership responsibilities. It is important to challenge yourself to think independently, attaining exactness of thought, and making valid analytical comparisons and differentiations. Spend time investigating courses which demand precise thinking and close reading.

Your Pre-Law Advisors

Pre-Law Peer Advisors

What to Study

4-Year Plan
A suggested four year plan for pre-law

What to Study

The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts has no official prescribed Pre-Law concentration or program. This position is consistent with repeated advice from law school deans and faculty, from the Law School Admission Council, and from the American Bar Association. "The American Bar Association does not recommend any particular group of undergraduate majors, or courses, that should be taken by those wishing to prepare for legal education; developing such a list is neither possible nor desirable. The law is too multifaceted, and the human mind too adaptable, to permit such a linear approach to preparing for law school or the practice of law. Nonetheless, there are important skills and values, and significant bodies of knowledge, that can be acquired prior to law school and that will provide a sound foundation for a sophisticated legal education."  (Original Pre-Law Committee of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar)

Links:  

Pre-Law Advisor Release

When you register for the LSAT online, PLEASE consider authorizing the release of your LSAT score to your UM prelaw advisor.

Four Year Plan for Pre-Law (PDF)

A suggested four year plan for pre-law

Law School Application Checklist (PDF)