Moot Court/Pre-Law
Moot Court is a two-quarter introduction to legal materials, writing, and methods of research taught by a distinguished member of the legal community. The first quarter concentrates on legal research and writing and in the second quarter, students are assigned by teams to prepare and present arguments in response to a hypothetical legal problem. Enrollment in Moot Court is limited to 15 students.
Students interested in pursuing a legal career should consider enrolling in the Moot Court program. Additional resources for students considering a legal career can be found here. For additional information, please contact Naja Braddock or Cherrie Veriato, Undergraduate Student Affairs Officers.
Preparing for Law School
Most law schools require a baccalaureate degree, but do not require a uniform pre-law course of study or a specific college major. In general, law schools recommend that the pre-law student attempt to reach several goals during the undergraduate years: an understanding of the development of social, political, and economic institutions; an ability to communicate well, both orally and in writing; the capacity to think clearly, carefully, and independently; and a habit of disciplined study. Therefore, there is no specific formal pre-law curriculum that a student must take. For additional information on preparing for law school, choice of major and inter-disciplinary programs, please see UCR's Law and Society web page.
The five criteria admissions committees base their acceptance decisions upon are: Grade Point Average (adjusted by the Law School Data Assembly Service), Law School Admission Test scores, Letters of Recommendation, Personal Statement, and Activities. Of these, GP A and LSA T performance are by far the most important. Pick up a detailed handout available in the Political Science Undergraduate office, Watkins 2116. Click here for the details of how to prepare for law school.
Be On The Lookout For These Law-Related Events!!!
Law School Preparation Workshop
In the Fall Quarter, the Political Science Department offers a workshop for those planning to go to law school. The workshop features speakers from ABA-accredited law schools and the discussion covers such topics as filling out the law school application, writing your personal statement, and financial aid. Flyers are sent out prior to the workshop and posted in the department office.
Careers In Law
In the Fall Quarter, the Political Science Department co-sponsors with Career Services a "Careers in Law" seminar. The department invites several practicing attorneys to share their law school and professional experiences with the students. Be on the lookout for flyers announcing this event.
Moot Court
In the Winter and Spring Quarters, the Political Science Department invites eligible students for the Honors Seminar - Moot Court: Legal Research, Writing, and Advocacy. This is a two-quarter commitment: you must complete both Political Science 196A and 196B (2 units each quarter).
Students will be introduced to materials on legal research and legal writing and then to the preparation of legal memoranda. A major portion of the work will be the preparation of a legal appellate brief and an introduction to oral advocacy. The seminar will conclude with a presentation of the appellate brief in arguments before a panel of local judges.
Professor John Cioffi, Pre-law Adviser
The Political Science Department has a pre-law advisor available to answer questions regarding law school. Professor Cioffi can be reached at 951-827-7269 to schedule an appointment or by e-mail at john.cioffi@ucr.edu or visit him at his office in Watkins 2216.
