Duke Law Visits Davidson

During Thursday’s Common Hour, Mark Hill, the Director of Admission at the Duke University School of Law, met with Davidson students to discuss law school and the process for applying. Hill emphasized Duke’s top-tier education and small classroom environment, as well as the personal and professional engagement outside of the classroom that makes Duke Law students successful. He noted that Duke strikes a balance between theory and practice as evidenced in their two-semester Legal Writing Program, which occurs during a student’s first year at law school.

After a brief introduction about what distinguishes Duke Law School, Hill left the majority of time for students to ask questions about the admission process and timeline. During this time, Hill explained that roughly one-third of Duke’s students attend law school immediately after college, but this is by no means necessary. He also asked students to keep in mind that Duke Law uses rolling admissions, and encouraged students to apply before the February 15th deadline. The Director pointed out that while college record, LSAT, and recommendations and personal statements are weighted equally, the admission staff does understand that Davidson does not have grade inflation and that might be reflected in academic performance.

Hill closed the presentation by stressing that there is no perfect mold of a law student that Duke Law is looking for applicants to fit into. Instead, the Office of Admission attempts to determine if a student has both the potential to be an active and engaged law student and the foundations for a promising professional career.

Duke Law School will return to campus on Tuesday, November 5th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., along with a number of other schools for the Greater Charlotte Law School Fair hosted by Davidson College. Over fifty law schools will be in attendance.  Students can find more information about the fair and schools attending on WildcatLink.

Interning Her Way to Success: Christi Moore ’15

By Damian White, Career Services Ambassador

Christi Moore ’15  is a sophomore at Davidson College who aspires to become a practicing attorney.  This past summer she worked as a Legislative Assistant in the Public Affairs office for the United States Parcel Service (UPS) in Washington, D.C.  As an intern, she attended hearings on Capitol Hill, practiced memo writing, and tackled pertinent social justice issues with senators and congressmen.  Throughout this six-week experience, Christi had the opportunity to not only work with attorneys, but also learn about the UPS Foundation, which engages in community endeavors that closely align with her own personal values.

During our conversation, Christi made a critical distinction between her coursework at Davidson and the hands-on experience that she received during her summer internship experience.  For Christi, the networking opportunities and resources available to her helped to shape her perspective on the legal field in a way that her classes had not done up to this point.  She indicated that the most important things she learned were that “your hard work pays off, and you must always be prepared.”

Mentorship also played a crucial part in Christi’s summer experience.  She noted that her supervisor and mentor, Ms. Nicole Clifton (UPS VP, Public Affairs), had a welcoming and commanding presence both inside and outside of the office.  As her mentee, Christi recognized and resonated with these qualities.  Christi became an integral component of the UPS Public Affairs office; in fact, she has been asked to come back and work with a partnering law firm next summer.

After Davidson, Christi plans to enroll in law school and ultimately aspires to become a Supreme Court Justice.

Road Trip to Atlanta for the LSAC Law School Recruitment Forum!

On Saturday, November 5 LSAC is holding a Law School Recruitment Forum in Atlanta from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.  Over 100 law schools will be in attendance – including many that will not be attending Davidson’s Law School Fair on November 3.  The forum will also offer the opportunity to attend a number of law school admissions workshops on:
– The Application Process
– The LSAT
– Diversity in Law School
– Financing a Legal Education
– What Lawyers Do

This is a great event for juniors and seniors who are considering law school or currently in the admissions process!

 

Law Schools With a Commitment to Public Interest

Many students applying to law schools seek programs where they can gain skills and experience to work in the public service – often the government and the nonprofit sectors.

It can be difficult to assess on your own which law schools have a strong commitment to public service.

Fortunately there are two resources you can use to research these programs:

1) Equal Justice Works Guide to Law Schools – An interactive online resource of public service opportunities, curricula and financial programs at more than 150 law schools in the United States.

2) National Jurist Pre-Law News – leading news source for pre-law students.  National Jurist recently graded law schools for their commitment to public interest.

Connect with Nathan Elton, pre-law advisor and Director of Career Services, if you would like to learn more about public interest law!

What is a Right Davidson Major for Admission to Law School?

Short Answer: Any major at Davidson.  The American Bar Association Guide on Preparing for Law School
 encourages students to, “pursue an area of study that interests and challenges you, while taking advantage of opportunities to develop your research and writing skills. Taking a broad range of difficult courses from demanding instructors is excellent preparation for legal education.”  So, for our first and second year students considering law school, choose a major that matches your academic interests and challenges you!

LSAC – Your Most Important Law School Resource

Whether you are exploring law school as a future goal or about to enter into the application, the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) will be your most important resource.  You will use LSAC to prepare for and take the LSAT, which is a standardized test that is an integral part of the law school admissions process.  The LSAC website is also the place where you can research law schools, manage your applications, learn about financial aid options and explore specific diversity resources.