College Program

So You Are Thinking of Becoming A Lawyer: Everything You Want to Know But Didn’t Know Who to Ask

On November 4, 2006, PDLG sponsored a conference for Philadelphia area college students who are considering going to law school and who have overcome substantial obstacles in pursuing their academic careers, who come from disadvantaged backgrounds or who come from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the legal profession. Over 110 students signed up to participate.

The conference included three panels and an opportunity for students to talk one on one with panelists and area law school admissions officers. The panelists were (1) current law students and new law school graduates, (2) lawyers who have been out of school for a few years and (3) more senior members of the bar.

The first panel focused on questions the panelists had and things they thought about in deciding to go to law school, questions they wished they had thought about when deciding to go to law school, and a discussion of what it is like to be a law student. There was also a separate discussion of the importance of the Law School Admission Test (“LSAT”).

The second panel discussed many of the same questions as the first panel and the answers to those questions they found as they have practiced law and also discussed life as a young lawyer in Philadelphia.

The third panel included a corporate counsel, a government lawyer and law firm partners. These presenters looked back at what they thought they were getting into when they went to law school and began practice, the reality they found and what they wish they had thought about when they were decided to go to law school and began practice.

After the panels, students also had the opportunity to talk directly to admissions officers from area law schools. Those from Widener University School of Law, Villanova University School of Law, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Temple University Beasley School of Law, Rutgers School of Law – Camden, Penn State Dickinson School of Law and Drexel University School of Law participated.

This exciting and informative event gave the students a chance to get their law school planning off to a great start.