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Exploring a Career in Law
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Admission to law school or a paralegal program does not require any
particular major. Most pre-law students major in social sciences (politics,
history, sociology, economics, psychology) or humanities (English, religion,
foreign languages), but it is possible to major in almost any field and
pursue further legal education if a student takes care to develop the
necessary skills. In choosing her major, a student should select a program
based primarily on her interests and skills. If she knows the type of law
she is interested in pursuing, that may also be relevant to her choice of
major. A student interested in criminal law would want to consider the
criminal justice concentration, for example. Like most colleges, Meredith
does not offer a specific pre-law major, although it is possible to major in
Political Studies with a pre-law track (see Political Studies Major --
Pre-Law Track for more information). The approach at Meredith is to have a
pre-law adviser available to assist students in various major fields who are
interested in law. Dr. Clyde Frazier (112 Joyner, 760-8540, frazierc@meredith.edu)
is the pre-law adviser. He can help students with career decision-making,
program planning, information on law schools, paralegal programs, and the
LSAT. Sample tests are available so students can assess their chances of
admission to law school and work to improve their test scores. Pre-law
students should consult their adviser by the end of the sophomore year. Far
more important than a particular major or specific course work is that the
student demonstrates her ability to succeed in a rigorous and demanding
program of study and develops the right skills as the foundation for further
legal study and a legal career. The American Association of Law School Deans
has identified the following skills:
Special Courses for Pre-Law Students
All pre-law students should give serious consideration to taking the
following two courses: (1) Politics 301: Constitution and Rights of
Americans -- an introduction to legal reasoning that should be taken in a
student's junior or senior year and (2) LEG 401: Legal Research -- an
introduction to legal bibliography, research, and writing that should be
taken in a student's junior or senior year.
Comprehension and expression in words
A student can develop these skills by taking courses in any field that
emphasizes critical reading and writing as well as speaking skills. Two such
courses at Meredith are English 358: Advanced Writing and Speech 225:
Fundamentals of Speech.
Critical understanding of the human institutions and values with which the
law deals
Potentially relevant are a range of courses in politics, history, sociology,
ethics and religion. Politics 300: Law and Society is especially
recommended.
Creative power in thinking
Courses in which students analyze and solve problems rather than simply
learning information help to develop this skill. One course that is
particularly recommended is Philosophy 210: Critical Thinking.
Criminal Justice Concentration
The criminal justice concentration is a twenty-one (21) hour program
designed to introduce students to the field of criminal justice. The program
includes an internship and is jointly administered by the Department of
Sociology and the Political Studies Program.
Business Law
The Department of Business and Economics offers two courses designed to
acquaint students with the substance of the law as it affects the conduct of
business. They are Business 454: Business Law and Business 457: Advanced
Business Law.
Legal Jobs and Internships
Meredith's location in the state capital gives students access to a wide
variety of legal jobs and internships (see Internships for more
information). Many law firms hire students on a part-time basis as
messengers or office assistants. Information on these jobs can be obtained
from the pre-law adviser. Students can also get exposure to legal careers
through volunteer internships. In the past students have gotten experience
at the North Carolina Supreme Court and other government agencies as well as
in private law firms. Students seeking legal internships should see the
pre-law adviser
Next: Being A Lawyer |
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