The U of I-Urbana campus provides pre-law students with experienced professors and a well-rounded education, necessities on the road to law school. Located about two hours from Chicago, the school is an ideal location for students to attend both their lectures and informal legal professional get-togethers. The pre-law program includes classes in public speaking, debate, Latin and writing, areas that develop the skills necessary to become an effective and successful attorney. Pre-law students complete degree-specific courses in addition to the university's general education requirements. Participating students must also complete an internship before graduation and can choose the Study Abroad Program, which provides formal exchange agreements in countries such as Japan, Belgium and Germany.
University of Illinois-Urbana
504 East Pennsylvania Ave.
Champaign, Illinois 61820
217-333-0931
law.illinois.edu
The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute specializes in intellectual property law and environmental law. The school offers both an undergraduate and graduate program, as well as an accelerated track to complete a seven year-program in six years. You can focus on a specialty; for example, a potential environmental lawyer can major in Science, Technology and Society. Whatever the focus, students must complete a series of classes that include speech, writing and debate, all of which prepare them for law school. The school's campus in New York offers a unique opportunity to see big government at work. Several times a year, students experience the legislative process, visit large law firms and different state agencies. The school provides the basic pre-law experience and also includes a more in-depth look at technology, a growing field in the legal world since Internet, computer and intellectual property are all areas that are growing with the advancement of computer technology.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
110 Eighth St.
Troy, NY 12180
518-276-6000
sts.rpi.edu/pl/pre-law-accelerated-law-program
UC-Santa Barbara's pre-law program specializes in law and society, an area which focuses on the place of law in social, political and cultural life. The degree embraces the liberal arts education and provides a foundation for graduate studies. Courses within the program include: social theories, the impact of specific legal acts, the function of juries and the law's relationship to language. Though not a direct pre-law course of study, the courses taught still follow those recommended by the American Bar Association and include Latin, writing, debate and legal rules and litigation.
University of California-Santa Barbara
4428 SSMS Bldg.
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
805-893-2318
http://www.lawso.ucsb.edu