What a crazy conglomeration of events we’ve got scheduled next week, all catering to the legal eagles out there.  I’m out of breath just listing them all.  Here’s the rundown:

*Just added*
Vermont Law School Admissions Visit
Tuesday, 11/15, at noon
E23 Machmer

Vermont Law School boasts the most respected environmental law program in the country.  Come meet with a VLS Admissions counselor to learn more about the school.

Color of Justice panel
sponsored by the National Association of Women Judges
Wednesday, 11/16, 3:00 – 5:30 pm
Western New England University School of Law (Springfield, Mass.)

A truly unparalleled opportunity to meet and hear from over a dozen female judges and attorneys about their career paths and experiences.  Click through the title for the list of jurists at all levels of our state judiciary — from the Supreme Judicial Court on down to several local trial courts. (I’m so excited about this one, I’ll be heading down to Western New England myself!)

* Just added *
CMASS Law Night
Thursday, 11/17, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Wilder Hall 201

Hear the success stories of ALANA students  from UConn Law and Western New England Law, and get your questions answered by the admissions directors from both schools (as well as your faithful pre-law advisor). Brought to you in part by the Center for Multicultural Advancement and Student Success (CMASS).

Lawyer-Alum career talk: Carrie Pollak, Esq.
Friday, 11/18 at noon
W13 Machmer

You’ll definitely want to hear UMass alum Carrie Pollak (Legal Studies and English ’04, Cornell Law ’08) talk about her experiences in both a very large law firm in Boston, and her current mid-size firm in Ithaca, New York.  Attorney Pollak, a former Army National Guard soldier, practices in the areas of environmental law and land use regulation.

UMass Mock Trial: Second Annual Thanksgiving Classic Invitational Tournament
Friday 11/18 – Sunday 11/20
Isenberg School of Management

Come see a dazzling display of legal skills from over two dozen teams, as they battle it out in a criminal trial.  Come for one round, or come for all four.  Rounds start Friday at 6:30 pm, Saturday at 9 am and 2 pm, and Sunday at 9 am.  This is for anybody who has ever thought about trying out for Mock Trial, or who just wants to watch some excellent trial skills in action.

From the Department of Sociology:

Interested in a Criminal Justice Internship for Spring 2012 or beyond?

Start planning NOW- Sheriff Garvey, director of CJ internships is meeting with interested students on Tuesdays from 3-5pm in Thompson Hall room 732.

Recent placements have been in:

- The Hampshire County Jail and House of Correction: security and treatment placements
- Probation: District, Superior, and Juvenile Courts
- Local District Attorney’s office
- Police Departments
- Department of Youth Services

And many more! Many internships are locally placed but Sheriff Garvey has also placed students around the country- especially in Boston and Washington D.C.

Don’t wait! See Sheriff Garvey on Tuesdays.

(if you can’t make a Tuesday meeting, send an e-mail to advising@soc.umass.edu and we will help you get in touch.)

So you just arrived on campus (welcome!) and you’re trying to figure out this pre-law thing. Law school seems like a distinct possibility for your future, or you’re kind of thinking about a legal career, or you just always thought you’d be a lawyer. What’s next? What should you be doing to get on, or keep on track? What is the track, anyway?

The answers all depend in large part on whether you just arrived as a freshman or as a transfer student. Let’s start with the first years.

Freshmen, the most important thing you should be doing right now to further your lawyering aspirations is . . . focus on college. This is a big transition you’re making, and too many students underestimate just how tough it can be. One of the most common conversations I have with law school applicants is the one that starts off with, “So, my GPA really suffered my first year of college….” I’d like to not have that conversation with any of you.  Remember: there is little you can do this first year of college to either help or hurt your law school admission chances. For a few more tips, review my Welcome Class of 2015 post from earlier this summer.

Transfers, your main order of business is to get to know your professors (and let them get to know you).  Participate in class.  Visit office hours and engage with your instructors about their topics.  In as little as a year from now, you may need letters of recommendation for law school, and those professors will be the ones to write them.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re in big classes or small ones — seek out your profs, especially those in your major(s).

For all of you new to campus, visit the pre-law website for answers to all of your questions. “Like” the Facebook page (that’s where you’ll find all the news about law school, law-related events on campus, the legal profession, etc.). Check out the regularly updated Events page of this blog. And stop by my office to introduce yourself.  During the fall semester, I prioritize appointments with current applicants, but I’m always happy to welcome new students.  And whenever you have a question, don’t hesitate to email me.

And keep your eyes open for completely revised and redesigned Pre-Law Advising website, coming in just a few weeks!

Interested in joining the successful and competitive UMass Mock Trial Team?  The first meeting will be held

Wednesday, September 7th at 7:00pm
Room 125, SOM
Food will be served!

All interested students are welcome to attend.

New Student Orientation for the class of 2015 begins today.  There will be pre-law info sessions every Monday and Thursday of orientation, at 10:15 and 11:00, in Machmer W21.  If you can’t make one of the sessions, here are a few basic tips and points of information for entering freshmen:

• Pre-Law is not a major! There are no magic classes to take or fields to major in to help you get into or succeed in law school.  Study what you love — you’ll get more out of it (and get better grades).
• Pre-Law is an advising office. Whenever you have questions about legal careers, law school or law-related activities, don’t hesitate to contact me. (And check out the website!)
• Don’t worry about law school, worry about college. This is a big transition you’re facing, and it deserves your full attention.  There is little you can do freshman year to either help or hinder your eventual law school admission chances.
• Explore law-related academics and activities. Not because they’ll help you get into law school (they won’t), but because you’re interested in law.  For a listing of some of the law-related opportunities available to you first year, click here (PDF).
• Get to know your professors. Don’t be intimidated by them — go to office hours, ask smart questions about their area(s) of expertise, let them get to know you.  It’s never too soon to start giving them something to write about in your eventual letters of recommendation.

Welcome to UMass Amherst!

Sign up for the new hands-on course, Trial Advocacy in the United States, SocBehav 391M, while there’s still space left!

If you are a freshman entering UMass in Fall 2011, you might want to consider the Careers in Law RAP.  Participants will take American Politics (PolSci 101) as well as a one-credit seminar led by your faithful Pre-Law Advisor.  For more information, click on the link above.  The seminar will focus on exploring legal careers and dispelling myths about legal education in particular and law world in general.  Expect field trips, guest speakers and more.

Beginning this Fall, the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences will be offering a new course that should be of interest to future lawyers — Trial Advocacy in the United States, SocBehav 391M.  Taught by Student Legal Services attorney and Mock Trial coach Corey Carvalho (UMass ’03, WNEC Law ’07), the class will be highly interactive, giving students the opportunity to engage in mini-trials.  The course description is as follows:

This course will provide students interested in improving their public speaking, critical thinking and logical reasoning skills with the opportunity to gain knowledge about the American legal system and trial court procedures through hands on experience.  Students will examine and apply fundamental legal concepts and rules of evidence, culminating in a criminal trial simulation at the end of the semester. Please note that you do not have to be connected to the Mock Trial Team to be enrolled in this course.

Click here for the draft course syllabus (subject to change). The course is on SPIRE as SocBehav 391M, #38979. Look for it in the “Social and Behavioral Science” course subject.

UPDATE 4/26: Legal Studies majors may count this course toward their major requirements as a law-related elective.

UPDATE 4/27: The erroneous instructor-consent course restriction on SPIRE has been removed — you may now register for the course just as you do for any other course.

Check out the new advising blog for majors in Political Science and Legal Studies.  Check in often to keep up to date on happenings in the Department and majors.  The blog will also be chock full of info of interest to people who care about politics, policy and law.  Look for the related Facebook page soon!

The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences has some $60,000 burning a hole in its collective pocket.  The fine people in the Dean’s Office are looking to give this money away to eligible students in SBS.

For more info, visit the SBS Undergraduate Scholarship page or attend the Scholarship Workshop on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 5:30 p.m., at John Adams, Room 508.

Go get the money — it’s just waiting for you to apply!