Pre-Law

Dr. Barry Sharpe, Principal University Pre-Law Advisor
Director for the Center for Academic Excellence
230 Old Main / (304) 696-2475
sharper@marshall.edu

Pre-Law at Marshall

There is no pre-law major at Marshall. The American Bar Association does not recommend a particular major, and there is no specific major that law schools prefer. You should major in something that will help you develop skills which will be valuable to you as a law student and legal practitioner. Any major that will enable you to develop skills in analytical thinking and communication, especially writing, is a good pre-law major. Thus, many different majors in the College of Liberal Arts would be good choices. However, because of its emphasis on critical thinking and writing skills, Political Science is an especially good major for those who would like to attend law school after graduation.

Regardless of the area of concentration, you should choose electives that will facilitate critical understanding of economic, political, and social institutions. Since a lawyer must be able to communicate effectively, you should also emphasize communication skills. In addition, a working knowledge of elementary accounting is desirable and highly recommended.

Prospective law school applicants should:

• consult as soon as possible, preferably during the first semester, with Dr. Sharpe for further information and advice;
• register for the October (preferably) or the December administration of the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and apply for law school admission during the fall of the senior year in college. Most law schools also require that students register with the Law School Data Assembly service (LSDAS). Check with individual schools to verify application requirements and timelines.

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Phi Alpha Delta

Phi Alpha Delta is a national, pre-law, co-ed fraternity, with the purpose of forming a strong bond uniting students and teachers of the law with members of the Bench and Bar in a fraternal fellowship designed to advance the ideals of liberty and equal justice under law; to stimulate excellence in scholarship; to inspire the virtues of compassion and courage; to foster integrity and professional competence; to promote the welfare of its members; and to encourage their moral, intellectual, and cultural advancement, so that each member may enjoy a lifetime of honorable professional and public service. Phi Alpha Delta's motto is "Service to the student, the school, the profession, and the community."

Phi Alpha Delta is open to all students interested in learning more about law school and the legal profession. Members have the opportunity to hear guest speakers, take practice LSATs, visit with law school admissions officials, participate in mock trials, and much more. Dr. Sharpe is also the faculty advisor for Phi Alpha Delta.

If you are interested in finding out more about Phi Alpha Delta at Marshall, come to a meeting on Tuesday evenings at 7 in MSC 2W16, or contact President Karen Bohne.

Important Links

Law School

• Law School Admissions Council - http://www.lsac.org/
• National Association of Law Placement  (legal careers) http://www.nalp.org/
• University of Notre Dame Pre-law Advising - http://www.nd.edu/~prelaw/
• Northeast Association of Pre-Law Advisors http://www.napla.org/
• Pre-law Hieros Gamos (law school list) - http://www.hg.org/schools.html

Rankings

• LSAC statement on rankings - http://www.lsac.org/Choosing/deans-speak-out-rankings.asp
• Rankings game - http://www.law.indiana.edu/monoborg/lawrank/
• Index to Law School Rankings (ILRG) - http://www.ilrg.com/rankings.html
• Educational Quality Ranking (Brian Leiter) - http://www.utexas.edu/law/faculty/bleiter/rankings/

Legal Resources

• Legal Information Institute (Cornell University) http://www.law.cornell.edu/index.html
• Findlaw - http://www.findlaw.com
• U.S. Federal Courts - http://www.uscourts.gov/
• State Courts Web Sites - http://www.ncsconline.org/D_KIS/info_court_web_sites.html
• Jurist - http://jurist.law.pitt.edu
• Internet Legal Resource Guide - http://www.ilrg.com
• Tarlton Law Library (University of Texas) - http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/
• American Bar Association - http://www.abanet.org
• University of Texas School of Law - http://www.utexas.edu/law/
• West Virginia University College of Law - http://law.wvu.edu/

LSAT Preparation Materials/Courses

• Peterson’s LSAT Guide - http://www.west.net/~stewart/lsat/
• Kaplan - http://www.kaptest.com/lsat
• Prepmaster - http://www.prepmaster.com/
• Princeton Review - http://www.princetonreview.com/law/default.asp