Participants in the Summer Pre-Law Program attend courses at NYLS for two consecutive summers. The program is open to rising college juniors who study in the New York City metropolitan area, or elsewhere in New York State. NYLS works directly with undergraduate partner institutions to identify candidates.

The program runs for four weeks the summer before students’ junior year and four weeks the summer before students’ senior year. As part of the program, NYLS checks in with participating students throughout their junior and senior years and provides them with law school-related resources.

The curriculum, which includes four hours of class per day, four days a week, was developed and taught by NYLS’s faculty. It includes these topics:

• Is Studying Law for You?
• Developing Characteristics of the Successful Law Student
• Developing Law School Thinking Skills: Thinking about meaning, reading for comprehension, putting your thoughts into words with precision, reasoning by syllogism, and reasoning by analogy
• Introduction to Legal Method
• Written Legal Communication
• Professional Development
• Project-Based Capstone
• Preparing for the LSAT

The Project-Based Capstone represents the culmination of students’ work during each summer session and will engage students in simulated arguments on behalf of a “client.”

Note: The summer 2023 program will be hybrid virtual and in person. NYLS uses a high-caliber remote learning platform to ensure excellence in the delivery of all online courses and programs.

Please contact Ella Mae Estrada, Associate Dean for Enrollment Management, Financial Aid, and Diversity Initiatives, at 212.431.2888 with any questions.