Non-DegreePre-Law Program

In coordination with Bellarmine’s Pre-Law Program, the Political Science Program at Bellarmine sponsors a non-paid legal internship program for students interested in going to law school and practicing law. The program attempts to match students with a firm or other legal entity in their area of interest. Students receive 3 hours of class credit for at least 90 hours of internship work performed in a semester. As a condition to joining the program, firms agree that students will be much more than mere “gofers” (e.g., making copies, delivering documents, etc.). Instead, students will be offered opportunities such as performing very basic legal research, drafting basic legal documents, accompanying attorneys to courthouse hearings, and sitting in on client consultations. Since the legal internship program’s inception in the fall of 2012, students have had the opportunity to intern with the Jefferson County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, a Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge, an immigration law firm, criminal defense firms, and general practice firms. The opportunities these internships provide are phenomenal, allowing students to gain valuable insights into the “inner workings” of the legal field. Any student or legal entity interested in learning more about the program, please contact Dr. David Scott.

Bellarmine University has established a Pre-Law advisory panel consisting of faculty from various academic disciplines who assist prospective law students with their program of study, making certain that they develop those skills necessary to be successful for law school. Pre-Law students are advised to take challenging coursework, including logic and writing-intensive classes that help prepare for the LSAT. Pre-Law students also have opportunities to hear speakers on legal topics, to meet alumni who have been through law school, and to visit law schools prior to their application. Practice testing and other preparations for the LSAT are highly recommended. To get early experience in the field, many Bellarmine students participate in for-credit internships relevant to a legal career. Pre-Law students are strongly encouraged to join Bellarmine’s Pre-Law Society.

To practice law, you must complete three years of law school and then pass the bar exam. Though Kentucky does not identify areas of legal specialization, lawyers generally focus on a legal sub-discipline such as insurance law, real estate law or environmental law. Many law school graduates apply their professional training to related fields such as business, law enforcement, arbitration or politics.

The Pre-Law Society at Bellarmine is a student organization for those interested in learning more about the law. The club sponsors law career speakers, law school visits, LSAT study groups and other activities of interest to prospective law students. As an added benefit, joining the Pre-Law Society provides students with a large, supportive network of peers who are at various stages of the law school preparation process.

Mock Trial is a national competition for undergraduate students emphasizing skill development in courtroom arguments and procedures. Bellarmine’s expertly coached Mock Trial team is highly respected among the nation’s top teams, with several national awards to its credit.

Law schools consider your college GPA, the degree of challenge in your college course work, extracurriculars, work, service activities, letters of recommendation and your personal statement. An undergraduate GPA of 3.5 would be typical of successful Pre-Law students. Most law schools place even greater importance on your performance on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), which is a half-day standardized exam, typically taken after completing the junior year of undergraduate studies.