Pre-Law Studies (PLW)

PLW 101. Exploring Careers in Law I. (1)

Explores the various areas of legal practice through guest legal practitioners and helps students considering a career in the legal profession develop an appreciation for the diversity of the legal field, the various career options available upon graduation from law school, what is required to prepare for admission to law school, and the core competencies required for law school success.

PLW 201. Exploring Careers in Law II. (1)

This one hour per week course will expose students to the skills and experiences used by lawyers in practice. Exploration of these skills will embrace a variety of disciplines and use a combination of case studies and guest speakers to both discuss and engage with these skills. Topics include: issue spotting, persuasion, advocacy, strategy, human behavior, mediation/ADR, negotiation and ethics.

PLW 230. Mock Trial. (2; maximum 6)

Practical experience in intercollegiate mock trial competition; requires travel to intercollegiate mock trial tournaments.
Prerequisite: only members of mock trial team may enroll.

PLW 301. Professionalism and Ethics in Legal Practice. (3)

Exposes pre-professional students to current legal ethics and professionalism issues that impact law and policy careers. This course will use a combination of case studies, personal reflections, and class discussions to allow students to understand current and future legal career issues and formulate a personal ethical framework to navigate them. Topics include: Professionalism, Client/Constituency Representation, Best Practices, and Individual/Collective Policy.

PLW 401. Preparing for a Career in Law. (1)

Prepares students to navigate the law school admissions process. Students reflect on their motivation for becoming a lawyer through preparing resumes and personal statements for their applications, and learn how to research law schools, prepare a law school list, and complete on-line applications.