Pre-Law

MORE INFORMATION
Jolly A. Emrey, Pre-Law Advisor
Political Science
Salisbury 202
(262) 472-1124
emreyj@uww.edu
Web site

Admissions Office
UW-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI 53190
(262) 472-1440
Fax:
(262) 472-1515
uwwadmit@uww.edu
Web site

Pre-law is an emphasis that prepares students for law school and the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Working with the pre-law advisor and the academic-major advisor, pre-law students complete an appropriate academic major in the liberal arts. Liberal arts majors include Political Science, English, Women’s Studies, History, Psychology, Sociology or Economics. An appropriate major in business could also be chosen, such as accounting, management or finance and business law. Besides minors in the above, liberal arts or business students can also select an appropriate minor such as legal studies, criminal justice or philosophy in preparation for law school.

Students are also advised to take a variety of courses that help prepare for a career in law. This includes courses to enhance writing skills, logical analysis and problem-solving skills, as well as some substantive law courses such as constitutional law, business law, the judicial process, criminal justice and the constitution, civil liberties and the constitution, or sociology of law.

A minor in legal studies is also offered. The minor includes a variety of courses in the Political Science and Finance and Business Law Departments. This minor supports pre-law students in a wide variety of academic majors. Included in this program is course work in law, legal research and writing, and a legal internship.

A Paralegal Certificate is also offered. Both degree and non-degree students are eligible to participate in the Paralegal Certificate Program. This program is designed for students seeking employment before attending law school and students who do not plan to attend law school, but nevertheless would like a career in law or a law-related field. The paralegal program contains course work in law, legal research and writing, and a legal internship.

Career opportunities include attending law school, legal research activities in a law firm or working in a law-related field such as criminal justice or social work. Since it is quite common for many students to work a few years between obtaining their undergraduate degree and attending law school, the legal studies minor and the paralegal certificate provide employment entry into law firms for a variety of legal responsibilities such as legal research, legal writing, document and other preparation for court cases, and assisting the resolution of legal problems.

All tenure and tenure-track faculty hold doctoral or juris doctorate degrees, as do most academic staff members. No teaching assistants are used in the program.

Students in all three areas supplement their course work with an internship experience. Internship opportunities can occur at the national level through the Washington Center and locally at area law firms, district attorneys’ offices, and with county judges.

The law society, which is nearly 25 years old, and the Blackstone Society, provide students in pre-law, legal studies and paralegal certificate the opportunity to explore a wide variety of professional and social activities. Guest speakers include practicing lawyers, former students who have gone on to law school, and recruitment officers from law schools. Among their regular activities are field trips to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, area courts, and the law caravan.

The UW-Whitewater proficiency and general education curriculum provide students with a set of courses that all students who graduate must complete. Because these courses form the basis of an all-university curriculum, they are good alternatives for the exploring student. A sample freshman year program might include:

Legal studies minor (includes paralegal certificate 21 credits)

Required Core Resources for legal research
Internship
Legal writing project
The Judicial Process
Business and Commercial Law
Public Law Courses (any two of following) Constitutional Law Constitution and Civil Liberties Criminal Justice and the Constitution
Business Law Courses (any two of following)
Advanced Business and Commercial Law
Real Estate
Estates and Trusts
Administrative Law and Government
Paralegal certificate

19 credits Required Core Resources for legal research Internship Legal writing project Public Law Courses (any two of following)
Constitution and Civil Liberties
Constitutional Law
Criminal Justice and the Constitution
The Judicial Process
Business Law Courses (any two of following)
Business and Commercial Law
Advanced Business and Commercial Law
Real Estate
Estates and Trusts
Administrative Law and Government