A Word About Law School Curricula

Graduate School Law School
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<p>Reading some of the inquiries on this board, I suspect that many are from high school students and freshmen in college who think that you "major" in something in law school the way you do in college. I think there are a few law schools that do offer "concentrations," but law school really isn't like college that way. Moreover, there's usually NO requirement that you take any courses in a specific field if you want to practice in it. Yes, that's right. There are immigration lawyers who never took a course in immigration law and securities attorneys who never took a course in securities law. </p>

<p>Why? Well, sometimes they applied for jobs and ended up with one with the INS or SEC..that's one reason. Other times, they went to work for BIGLAW, got assigned to an immigration or securities case ---or some other kind--and discovered they liked it. In other cases, it's because the specialization didn't exist when they were in law school. Back in the prehistoric era, when I had a pet dinosaur and went to law school, there was one copyright course offered at my law school. Half the people in my class who are now top IP (intellectual property) attorneys didn't take it. They drifted into IP later, based on their experience in practice and the fact that this suddenly became an IMPORTANT and EXCITING area of practice. It wasn't when we were in law school. Bankruptcy Law changed overnight a few years after I finished law school. The people who'd actually bothered to take a course in it learned that...almost nothing they learned was still true. </p>

<p>While it varies from school to school, there are certain "core" classes that everyone takes. These might include contracts, civil procedure, torts, constitutional law, evidence, criminal law, corporations, estates and trusts, and property. But not all of these classes will be required at most law schools. Indeed, I sincerely doubt that there's any law school that would require all of these courses. School A might require that everyone take a criminal law course. School B might not, but require a property course. Beyond the requirements, you take what you want, but as far as I know, only a few law schools have "concentrations." (Full disclosure: my knowledge of law schools is skewed to those at the top of the rankings heap.) </p>

<p>NONE of these courses have pre-law school requirements. By that I mean you can register for tax law even if you haven't taken a math course since high school and for antitrust classes even if you haven't taken a single course in economics. Will tax law be easier if you know how to use a calculator? Yes. Will antitrust be easier if you know at the outset that "monopoly" has a meaning other than a Parker Brothers board game? yes. Will you automatically fail it if you learn that for the first time AFTER you enroll in the course? No. </p>

<p>ONE of the factors that people take into account is what they need to know to pass the bar exam in the state in which they intend to practice. While almost everyone takes a bar review course, some subjects, like the Uniform Commercial Code, are hard to cram into your head in 5-6 weeks. I freely acknowledge, lots of years later, that the ONLY reason I took a course on the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) was because I knew I'd have an easier time passing the bar if I did. </p>

<p>Almost everyone at Fordham, Pace, St. John's, Albany, CUNY, etc., takes a course in New York State Practice. I went to law school in a different state at a school at which no such course was offered. Knowing that I'd have to learn New York State practice and evidence during the bar review course, I opted to take a course on the UCC while in law school. Nobody made me do that. </p>

<p>Seriously, do NOT try to figure out when you are 16 or 17 what KIND of law you will specialize in. The odds that you will figure that out right now are a little bit worse than those that you will win the Powerball lottery. </p>

<p>If this message sounds trite, please forgive a dinosaur. But the truth is that at least half of you who are SURE you want to go to law school won't. Of those who do, the MAJORITY will end up in a field of law which has no relationship whatsoever to their undergraduate major. So please don't ask whether I'll be better off taking Communications 101 or 102 if I want to be an education attorney...because honestly NOBODY knows :)!</p>

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<p>Forgive the wooly mammoth as well... but I agree.</p>

<p>Many second-tier schools offer "concentrations" or certificate programmes - mostly to draw people in a specialized area and try to boost their reputations. Beware! Someone at Brooklyn said that his girlfriend went to Cardozo based on their #5 ranking in IP law - and now wants to be a DA, but is having a rough go of it. Would have been better off at BLS. </p>

<p>In some ways, just going through college and reflecting on the experience, you can see that you can't predict what type of law you'll end up practicing. I went into college as a die-hard science type; I still love science, but would rather perform hari-kari than spend my life as a researcher. I'm sure that many of you will do the same thing - switch majors, change career goals, fall in love with feminist perspectives on anthropology, or whatever. Law school can be the same way. </p>

<p>That all said, I do think that you can help your legal career by having a related background... but take that with a heap of salt. Jonri is right - a specific course won't help. Yes, econ will help you with tax law... but if you hate econ, take history instead and get some work experience to help out your resume. DON'T start that now - wait until you are winding down with college. I always advocate taking time off before law school, and gaining some work experience can be a great way to do that - in addition to realizing what things you don't like!</p>

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<p>While I do agree with both of you (as I myself find rendundance in students asking what majors law schools "like"), I think it is also important to point out that there may be other reasons why people are asking about undergrad majors. There are those who are asking in regards to perceived law school requirements (as mentioned above), "passport to admissions" majors, or what can help with a particular specialization; however, there are also those who are more concerned about majors that can help them get through the LSATs and law school itself -- for example, posts suggesting law school-bound students to major in something that focuses on writing, critical thinking, logic, etc., like English or Philosophy, to help them succeed in their law courses. </p>

<p>Just a thought, because I myself am more of the latter =).</p>

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<p>Ariesathena (LOL) you need to be more careful about your terminology. What you want to avoid is hara-kiri, which is the Japanese procedure of ritual suicide, not hari-kari, or Harry Kari, which was the name used by comic Harry Stewart to record versions of American pop songs in a terrible fake Japanese accent in the late 40s (not to be confused with Harry Caray, the venerable retired announcer for the Chicago Cubs).</p>

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<p>Eeek!! Forgive a 1L who is already swimming in work. hara kiri... got it. Thanks. </p>

<p>By the way - I doubt that there are any majors which are a "passport to admissions." With many law schools getting 20 or 30 applications for every seat, you can bet that they have all of the diversity they need without you.</p>

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<p>When I said "passport to admissions," I meant people asking about majors that would guarantee or give them a better chance of getting accepted, thinking that there IS one, when in fact there isn't.</p>

<p>Thanks for pointing it out though :)</p>