Pre-Law Resources

Experiential learning opportunities are key when investigating careers, whether through internships, job shadowing, or informational interviews. Below is a list of locations where LMU students have completed experiential learning activities.

Criminal / Defense Law

• Contra Costa District Attorney's Office
• Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office
• Loyola Law School: Juvenile Innocence and Fair Sentencing Clinic
• Loyola Law Immigrant Justice Clinic
• City Attorney of Redondo Beach
• City Attorney of Los Angeles, Mike Feuer
• Cook County Public Defenders Office
• Santa Clara County Public Defenders Office
• California 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
• Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Fraud Department
• Northern California Innocence Project, Santa Clara Law
• Santa Clara Superior Court
• Orange County Office of the District Attorney

Legislature

• Center for Law and Social Policy
• Junior League of Bell County
• House of Representatives
• United States Senate Committee for Environment and Public Works
• The Office of Congresswoman Grace Napolitano
• Office of Senator Robert Hertzberg
• California State Senate
• House of Commons
• United States Mission to the United Nations
• L.A. Superior Court
• Attorney General for the State of California

Private

• Law Office of Victor George
• Baker, Burton & Lundy
• Law Offices of Fulvio Picerno
• Acuna Regli, LLP
• Cannata, O'Toole, Fickes & Almazan LLP
• Small World Immigration
• Morrison Foerster
• Apple
• Twentieth Century Fox
• Entertainment One
• Law Office of George L. Mallory and Associates
• Sony Pictures
• Starz Entertainment
• NBC Universal
• Whitaker, Chalk, Swindle & Schwartz CLLP
• Law Offices of Waulkeen Q. McCoy
• Law Office of Joel. Katz
• Applied Materials
• Avasant
• Children's Law Center of California
• Cox Castle & Nicholson, LLP
• Martinian and Associates Inc.
• O'Melevany & Marvin, LLP
• Princess Cruise Line

• LSAT - Law School Admission Test
• LSAC - Law School Admission Council
• LSDAS - Law School Data Assembly Service

• California Western School of Law
• Chapman University Fowler School of Law 
• University of California; Irvine School of Law 
• University of California; Los Angeles Law School 
• Loyola Law School 
• Pepperdine Law School 
• University of La Verne, College of Law 
• University of San Diego, School of Law 
• Southwestern Law School 
• University of Southern California, Gould School of Law 
• Thomas Jefferson School of Law 
• Western State University College of Law 
• Whittier Law School 

The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) is your resource for applying to law school. The LSAC is where you will schedule your LSAT test-taking date and where you will apply to law schools. The first step in applying to law school is creating an account with the LSAC. From there you can begin your search, create your deadline schedule, and begin your applications for law schools.

The Law School Admission Council Website

The LSAT is an integral part of the law school admission process in the United States, Canada, and a growing number of other countries. It provides a standard measure of acquired reading and verbal reasoning skills that law schools can use as one of several factors in assessing applicants.

The LSAT is administered four times a year. Many law schools require that the LSAT be taken by December for admission the following fall. However, taking the test earlier is often advised.

NOTE: Candidates should expect the test day to cover up to seven hours.

LSAT Dates

Visit www.lsac.org for the complete list of LSAT dates, deadlines, and test centers, as well as information for Saturday Sabbath Observers. Note: Walk-ins are not allowed.

Fees

Visit www.lsac.org for a complete list of basic and auxiliary fees (including Late Registration, Test Date Change, and Handscoring)

Test Format

The test consists of five 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions. Four of the five sections contribute to the test taker’s score. These sections include one Reading Comprehension section, one Analytical Reasoning section, and two Logical Reasoning sections. The unscored section, commonly referred to as the variable section, typically is used to pretest new test questions or to pre-equate new test forms. The placement of this section will vary. Identification of the unscored section is not available until you receive your score report.

A 35-minute, unscored writing sample is administered at the end of the test. Copies of your writing sample are sent to all law schools to which you apply.

What the Test Measures

The LSAT is designed to measure skills that are considered essential for success in law school: the reading and comprehension of complex texts with accuracy and insight; the organization and management of information and the ability to draw reasonable inferences from it; the ability to think critically; and the analysis and evaluation of the reasoning and arguments of others.

There are three multiple-choice question types in the LSAT:

• Reading comprehension questions measure the ability to read, with understanding and insight, examples of lengthy and complex materials similar to those commonly encountered in law school.
• Analytical reasoning questions measure the ability to understand a structure of relationships and to draw logical conclusions about that structure.
• Logical reasoning questions assess the ability to analyze, critically evaluate, and complete arguments as they occur in ordinary language.

LSAT Score

• If you choose to receive your LSAT score by e-mail, you will receive it approximately three weeks after you take the test. This is the quickest way to receive your score with no additional charge.
• If you choose to receive your LSAT score by mail, it will take approximately four weeks after you take the test.
• You are also able to cancel your LSAT scores by sending a written cancelation request to LSAC within 6 calendar days of taking you test.
• More info on understanding your score

Career and Professional Development highly recommends preparing for the LSAT by taking an LSAT preparation course. These courses can provide you with the skills and practice you will need to perform well on the law school entrance exam. Disclaimer: While we encourage LSAT preparation courses, we do not endorse any specific program. Below are a few of the programs offered regularly:

• LSAT Prep Materials
• LSAC "Preparing for the LSAT" Information
• KAPLAN LSAT Test Prep
• Princeton Review LSAT Test Prep
• TestMasters LSAT Preparation
• Manhattan LSAT Course
• Velocity LSAT
• Blueprint LSAT Prep

Furthermore, Loyola Marymount University's Philosophy Department provides a class that has been viewed by students as good, supplementary LSAT preparation:

• Philosophy 2010: Symbolic Logic

Additional Test Prep Resources

• Sample questions with explanations
• Official LSAC LSAT Test Prep Books
• Official LSAC LSAT Test Prep eBooks

Visit the Career and Professional Development Resource Center for additional test prep books available to use in our office.

Who to ask:

Try to take multiple classes from a few Professors so that the Professors have an opportunity to get to know you better and they can comment on your performance in a more meaningful way.

How to ask:

Do not just ask Professors for letters of recommendation over phone or email and send them a link to submit one.

Do have a conversation with your Professors in person about the schools you are applying to and remind them of all of the ways you have been involved.

The best letters of recommendation will:

• Explain how that Professor knows you and in what context (What classes you took with them, when, your performance in those classes, etc.)
• Explain how that Professor came to know you (Visits during office hours, working as a research assistant, advising your senior thesis, etc.)
• Describe how you presented yourself and your ideas in front of the class, and how you did when your ideas were challenged

Ideally, give your Professors 4-6 weeks to write your letters of recommendation.

Once someone agrees to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf, you need to register their information and email address on the LSAC.org website. LSAC.org will contact your recommender directly by email and their letter will be uploaded to the LSAC.org website.

Just like your college search, one of the most important parts about choosing a law school is finding the one that is right for you. This means meeting with recruiters and visiting law schools to find the one that is the best fit. Linked below are two resources provided by the Law School Admission Council to help you begin your law school search.

• Meet Law School Reps: Forums and Events
• Los Angeles Law School Recruitment Forums

See also: Top Law Schools in the United States (U.S. News and World Report)

First-Year and Sophomore Years

• Focus on doing well in course and achieving a high GPA
• Develop relationships with Professors so that they can write letters of recommendation that really speak to who you are

Junior Year

• Get experience through an internship
• Study abroad
• Take on leadership positions in organizations
• Decide when you are taking the LSAT (*best time to take LSAT is in the summer before your Senior Year) and begin studying
• Look into which schools you want to apply to and visit Law School campuses
• Second semester, you should think about who you would like to ask to write you a letter of recommendation

Senior Year

• Take LSAT if you have not already done so
• Begin applying to Law Schools in the fall
• Once you decide which schools you are applying to, approach Professors for letters of recommendation

LMU Mock Trial

Collegiate mock trail functions in yearly cycles. Each year, a case packet is distributed to all participating schools in late summer. The case packet is a series of documents including the charges, penal code, stipulations, and case law as well as all exhibits and affidavits relevant to the case.

Competitors are restricted to only the materials provided in the case packet. Teams consisting of 6-10 members thoroughly read and analyze the case packets. Each team prepares both sides of the case: prosecution and defense in a criminal trial, plaintiff and defense in a civil action.

Teams compete in regional tournaments and invitations, and qualifying teams go on to compete at the national level.

If you would like more information, please contact MockTrialLMU@gmail.com.

LMU Phi Delta Phi

The Loyola Marymount University Phi Delta Phi Pre-Law Society - in proud affiliation with Phi Delta Phi International Legal Honor Society, the oldest legal organization in continuous existence in the United States - serves to promote the ideals of excellence and professionalism, foster moral and intellectual advancement, and instill the principles of uncompromising integrity and honor in professional and public service. In tradition and dedication to the legal profession, Phi Delta Phi Pre-Law Society is a pillar upholding the justice, service, and virtue of the law, and an arm serving the needs and honing the passion of students, professors, and distinguished members of the law.

If you are interested in becoming a member or would like more information, please contact us at lmuphideltaphi@gmail.com or Facebook.com/LmuPhiDeltaPhi

Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity

Phi Alpha Delta is a professional law fraternity whose purpose is to promote interest in legal education and practice.  Phi Alpha Delta has members who are university students, law school students, lawyers, judges, senators, Congress representatives, Supreme Court Justices, and former U.S. Presidents. Over 300,000 members have been initiated since its establishment in 1902 into 340 pre-law chapters, 207 law chapters and 100 alumni chapters. Phi Alpha Delta is a professional law fraternity. 

If you are interested in becoming a member or would like further information, please contact us at lmu.pad.org@gmail.com