Pre-Law Program

Location: Building 51, Room 2117
Phone: (904) 620-1070
Email: prelaw@unf.edu
Web Address: http://www.unf.edu/coas/prelaw/
Canvas:https://canvas.unf.edu/enroll/CPJPYY

Adrienne Lerner, Director Pre-Law Program

The UNF Pre-Law Program assists current students and alumni interested in attending law school. The program includes events, pre-law advising, curriculum analysis and course selection assistance, law school application and readiness workshops, webinars, experiential learning opportunities, job placement, on-campus interviews with law school admissions representatives, and customized study plans for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).

The Pre-Law Program works with academic advisors to ensure students take general education requirements and in-major and elective coursework to develop the critical thinking, critical reading, analytic reasoning, and writing skills necessary to thrive in law school and legal practice.

A broad-based university education best prepares students for the rigors of law school. Law schools seek talented applicants from all backgrounds and academic majors. Courses in history, philosophy, politics, international studies, business, anthropology, psychology, criminal justice, sociology, economics, and the sciences provide context for advanced inquiry into the U.S. legal system. Courses in mathematics, science, computer science, and engineering sharpen logic and are required for students pursuing careers in Patent Law.

UNF Pre-Law strongly recommends that all students preparing for law school take the following courses as part of their General Education requirements:

*Logic: PHI 2101 Introduction to Logic (GM) and/or PHI 2100 Critical Thinking: The Art of Critical Reasoning (GW)

*Writing: CRW 2000 Introduction to Creative Writing (GW), and/or LIT3213 Critical Reading/Writing I

*Civic Literacy: AMH 2020 United States History since 1877 and/or POS 2041 Introduction to American Government

Students interested in law and policy courses as a part of their major and minor studies should consider the Public Law concentration of the Political Science major, beginning with POS 3606 The U.S. Supreme Court or POS 3961 American Legal System, and the Law and Philosophy minor in Philosophy.

Pre-Law events engage students in the law school admissions process, the legal community, and timely legal issues. Workshops help students prepare law school applications and make informed admissions decisions. Representatives from regional law schools conduct on-campus or remote individual student interviews and group workshops. Students interact with local attorneys and judges through internships, research and service-learning projects. Common internships include Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, State Attorney, Public Defender, and the Florida 4th Judicial Circuit Remote Jury Selection Project. Through the Pre-Law Speaker Series and other events, UNF Pre-Law welcomes speakers on legal issues.

The Pre-Law Program supports law-related student organizations, including the Phi Alpha Delta undergraduate law honorary society and UNF Mock Trial. Each year, Pre-Law students host Constitution Week events on campus to educate and engage fellow students on relevant issues. 

Each year, UNF Pre-Law offers several scholarships to qualified participants.

Pre-Law welcomes visits and Zoom conferences with prospective students or alumni throughout the year. Visit our website for more information. Alumni interested in receiving updates about Pre-Law events and workshops should contact prelaw@unf.edu. Online evening office hours accommodate working students and alumni.  

Students should join the UNF Pre-Law Canvas page (https://canvas.unf.edu/enroll/CPJPYY) for information LSAT preparation, applying to law school, and appointments with Pre-Law advising. All Pre-Law events and opportunities, including job postings, are announced through Canvas.