PREPARATION: EDUCATION

Important Skills to Develop

Prelaw students should develop a foundation of basic skills and values through educational and life experiences that will prepare them to become competent law students and legal professionals.

Writing and Oral Communication Skills Those seeking to prepare for legal education should develop a high degree of skill at written communication before entering law school. Language is the most important tool of a lawyer and lawyers must learn to express themselves clearly and concisely. Prelaw students should seek coursework and experiences that require rigorous and analytical writing, including preparing original work of substantial length and revising written work in response to constructive criticism. Excellent listening skills and the ability to speak clearly and persuasively are also essential. Before law school, students should develop basic speaking and listening skills by engaging in such things as debate, taking a public speaking course, making formal presentations in classes, speaking before groups in the community or workplace. Some suggestions for coursework: English literature, composition and writing, philosophy, communication, writing emphasis/intensive courses, Honors and LEAP programs.

Critical Reading Abilities Substantial experience at close reading and critical analysis of complex textual material is essential for legal study. Much of what law students and attorneys do involves careful reading and sophisticated comprehension of judicial opinions, statutes, documents and other written materials of substantial length. Law students are required to assimilate large amounts in short periods of time. Critical reading abilities may be developed while studying a variety of subjects, including complex material in literature, political or economic theory, philosophy, or history.

Analytical and Problem Solving Skills Lawyers are called upon to exercise critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a variety of situations in which there are no absolute answers, but rather better and worse alternatives whose identification requires careful analysis of various options and outcomes. The ability to "think like a lawyer" requires skills in research, use of facts, logical reasoning, critical analysis, and structuring and evaluating arguments. Courses in philosophy, logic, ethics, mathematics, computer science, statistics, physical and life sciences can help you to develop basic skills before entering law school.

General Research Skills As a foundation for law school, students should select courses or projects that require significant library research and analysis of large amounts of information obtained from that research. Research projects for classes, independent research projects with professors, or an Honors degree thesis are excellent ways of developing these skills. A basic ability to use a personal computer is imperative for law students, both for word processing and for computerized legal research.

Task Organization and Management Skills The study and practice of law requires the ability to organize large amounts of information, identify objectives, and create a structure for applying that information in an efficient way to achieve desired results. Many law school classes are graded primarily on the basis of one examination at the end of the course. Independent research projects require the compilation of large amounts of information from a wide variety of sources. Experience can be obtained through undertaking school projects that require substantial research and writing or through preparation of major reports for an employer or civic organization.