Pre-Law

Prospective law students are free to choose among the wide variety of majors offered at Wagner College. This approach by the College is in keeping with the position of the Association of American Law Schools that welcomes any major. Students may select a major from the humanities, social sciences, sciences, arts, or other disciplines.

Pre-Law Program

Because entrance requirements may vary among law schools, students should consult the particular catalog of the schools to which they plan to apply. Law schools evaluate applicants based on their college record, activities, and recommendations as well as on their scores on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Law schools require applicants to take the LSAT before applying for admission. We also encourage you to utilize the information and resources of the non-profit Law School Admission Council, at lsac.org.

Prospective students may contact the Center for Academic and Career Engagement (CACE) to obtain information about the Pre-Law Program and about the faculty advisors in the Program. The faculty advisors teach in the disciplines of business administration, philosophy, political science, sociology, and other areas, and several of these advisors are members of the legal profession.

Courses

Although the College does not endorse a particular major, it recognizes the importance of a comprehensive liberal arts education as fundamental for a professional career in law.

The College’s Learning Communities and General Education Curriculum provide students with an intellectual and interdisciplinary foundation for advanced study in their chosen major. In addition to satisfying the specific requirements of the major, students are encouraged to select a few law-related courses from the following:

  • Business 201 Business Law I
  • Business 202 Business Law II
  • Government & Politics 215 Law & Justice in America
  • Government & Politics 316 Constitutional Law
  • Philosophy 101 Practical Reasoning
  • Philosophy 109 Political Philosophy
  • Sociology 207 Criminal Justice
  • Sociology 270 Criminal Procedure
  • Sociology 300 Law & Society
  • Sociology 305 Criminology
  • Sociology 308 Introduction to Criminal Law
  • Sociology 327 American Legal History
  • Speech 252 Mock Trial
  • Integrated Learning Community (ILC) Law & Society

These courses not only require extensive reading, research, and writing but also foster analytic skills with respect to judgment, interpretation, problem solving, and value conflicts. Students are also encouraged to participate in the Writing Intensive Tutor Program.

Pre-Law Minor

Housed in the Government and Politics Department, the Pre-Law minor is an interdisciplinary course of study that engages students in courses in law, philosophy, politics, critical thinking, and writing, in order to prepare them for a career in law, public service, and related fields. Undertaking this minor will provide several benefits to students. Students will acquire tangible skills in terms of preparing for the Law School Admission Test, as well as become familiarized with the way law school classes are taught, including learning practical techniques related to reading case law and becoming familiar with constitutional law and mock trial.

To learn about the Pre-Law minor and its requirements, click here.

To declare the Pre-Law minor, click here to find the Declaration of Minor form, under the heading "Academic Forms."

Academic Timeline

Unlike other pre-professional programs, there is no single path to law school. Since there are no required courses, students wonder what is the best path. There are important skills, values, knowledge and activities that you can acquire during your Wagner education that will provide a sound foundation for law school.

Use this academic timeline as a planning guide that is offered to assist you in making choices that will help you develop into a thoughtful student, and a desirable law school candidate. The Wagner College Pre-Law Advisors are available to help you through all of the steps outlined here.

Internship Opportunities

One of the best ways to determine if a legal career is right for you is to obtain an internship during your junior year or senior year. A Wagner education, through The Wagner Plan, places a special emphasis on students’ acquisition of practical experience. We encourage students to complete multiple internships prior to graduation, and we strive to provide students with the best resources through which to find internships and make the most of their interning experiences. Pre-law Wagner students have interned at numerous organizations, including: The Richmond County District Attorney Office, Brooklyn Veterans Treatment Court, The Legal Aid Society, The United Nations, The Richmond County Supreme Court, Richmond County Family Court, Richmond County Housing Court, CLARO, ACLU, and many different private law firms, partnerships, and sole practitioners.

Here is some information on the Richmond Civil Court summer internship program for 2022. (Deadline to apply is May 13.)

The Law School 3+3 Program

The 3+3 program allows a pre-law student the opportunity to attend three years at Wagner and complete his/her fourth year at one of our partner law schools, earning a bachelor’s degree and a juris doctorate degree in a six-years rather than the traditional seven. After successful completion of the first year of law classes, the student would be awarded a bachelor's degree as an interdisciplinary studies major.

Our partner law schools are:

  1. Vermont Law School
  2. Cleveland-Marshall College of Law

To take advantage of this opportunity a student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 after three years at Wagner, complete (27 units) of study; including all general education requirements, and all requirements of the Wagner Plan. Further, the student must complete the requirements of acceptance into the partner law school. A student should apply for this program in the sophomore year.

For more information, interested students should contact Dr. Margarita Sanchez, the Director of Integrated Learning, msanchez@wagner.edu, with questions or to learn more about the 3+3 program. Or click here https://wagner.edu/academics/files/2021/04/Law-School-33-Program.pdf.

Law Schools Attended

In recent years, our Wagner students have enrolled into some of the finest law schools in the nation. Here is a quick look at a few of the law schools attended, and please click here for a more complete list.

  • George Washington University
  • Vanderbilt University
  • Duke University
  • Boston University
  • Texas A&M University
  • Villanova University
  • Georgetown University
  • University of Miami
  • Cornell University
  • University of California, Berkeley
  • Rutgers University
  • St. John's University

Pre-Law Ambassadors

The Wagner College Pre-Law Ambassadors program provides an opportunity for pre-law students to be mentored by a law student. The Ambassadors are Wagner graduates who are currently studying at an accredited law school. They provide Wagner’s pre-law students with advice and guidance on how to successfully apply to law school, as well as offer an insider’s view of the challenges of law school. The groups get together via conference calls, panel discussions, law school tours, and one-on-one advising sessions.

Pre-Law Society

The College’s Pre-Law Program conducts open forums and panels for students, sponsors talks by guest speakers in the legal profession on law-related topics, invites guest speakers to address issues dealing with admission to law school, and arranges field trips to law firms and law schools. The College’s Pre-Law Society, whose members consist of pre-law students, is also engaged in sponsoring and debating law-related issues.

Law School Admission Council

February Digital Law School Forum - JD-focused
Info Here!

 

CLARO Program

Pre-Law Society has partnered with a local program to become more involved in the community and gain experience. This spring, we are looking to begin working with the CLARO program.
CLARO provides low-income New Yorkers with legal advice on how to defend themselves. This is a wonderful opportunity to gain first hand experience with lawyers! Student responsibilities will vary and will be discussed more during the information session.

Events

Mock Trial, but With a Sitting Judge

The mock-trial portion of the “Law & Order ILC” course, taught by professors David Martin (front row, left) and Michael Pinto (front, right), took place in the Richmond County Civil Courthouse. The trial was presided over by Robert Helbock (rear, center), supervising judge of the Richmond County Civil Court. Helbock praised the professionalism and talents of the student attorneys, who were joined by members of Wagner's Pre-Law Society as witnesses. “In the eight years I have taught this class, this was the first opportunity our students received to perform the final trial in an actual courthouse before a sitting judge,” said Pinto, who serves as principal court attorney to Judge Helbock. Congrats to all!

 

 

LSAT

Registration for LSAT test administrations through June 2023 is OPEN! You are able to register for any of the following test administrations:
 April 2023.    June 2023

Register Now!

 

To obtain additional information, please contact any of the following Pre-Law Advisors: