Prelaw

Coordinator: Andrea Hibbard
Coordinator: Nancy Gallman

Law school graduates pursue a variety of careers, including jobs in law, business, government, education, health care, and politics. Because of these broad career options, law schools do not require, and we do not prescribe, a single course of prelaw study. In fact, students have gone to law school after majoring in almost every field at Lewis & Clark—from art, biology, and environmental studies to sociology/anthropology and theatre. Prelaw advisors provide curricular guidance for prelaw students throughout their time at the college. No matter what your major, we recommend courses that cultivate analytical and writing skills as preparation for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and subsequent work in law school. You can find these courses in many departments, including but not limited to English, history, philosophy, and political science.

Prelaw advisors also help students choose cocurricular activities and support them through the process of applying to law school. Recent alumni have attended Stanford, Harvard, Duke, UC Berkeley, Cornell, Columbia, Georgetown, Boston College, Emory, and Tulane, as well as Lewis & Clark’s own law school, which has the top-ranked environmental law program in the nation. Students from Lewis & Clark’s undergraduate College of Arts & Sciences who have a minimum GPA of 3.500 and meet other benchmarks (including, for JD applicants, a minimum score on the LSAT) are guaranteed admission to the Lewis & Clark Law School under the Law School Guaranteed Admission Agreement.

Some students elect to go directly into the study of law after earning their BA; others wait a year or two before applying to law school. Highly motivated students also have a third option: one of two accelerated dual-degree programs offered by the College of Arts and Sciences in partnership with the Lewis & Clark Law School. The Accelerated BA/JD Dual-Degree Program, or 3-3, allows students to earn both a BA and a JD in just six years, rather than seven. The Accelerated BA/MSL Dual-Degree Environmental Legal Studies Program, or 3-1, allows students to earn a BA and an MSL in environmental, natural resources, and energy law in four years rather than five.

Both accelerated programs are rigorous and require careful planning. Students must declare their intention to participate in a dual-degree program, and choose a major, at the end of the first year. However, most will need to start planning even before arriving on campus in order to complete the major and General Education requirements for the BA in three years rather than four. Those who do complete these requirements are eligible to apply to the law school in their third year, in order to begin graduate-level study in their fourth. Three-3 and 3-1 students who have a minimum GPA of 3.500 and meet other admissions benchmarks (including, for JD applicants, a minimum score on the LSAT) are guaranteed admission to the law school. Those who do not may be better served by waiting a year and using that time to improve their grades before applying to the law school under its regular admission program.

Students who declare an intention to pursue the 3-3 or the 3-1 and then change their minds are welcome to remain at the College of Arts and Sciences for a fourth year of undergraduate study. For those who wish to continue on to Lewis & Clark Law School, the Law School Guaranteed Admission Agreement still applies, as it does for all recent graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences.

BA/JD Dual-Degree (3-3)

The Accelerated BA/JD Dual-Degree Program, commonly referred to as the 3-3 program, allows students the opportunity to complete a BA and a JD in six years rather than seven.

Students in the 3-3 program complete both General Education and major requirements in three years at Lewis & Clark’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) before entering the law school to begin three years of work toward the JD. The CAS accepts the first year of coursework from Lewis & Clark Law School as credit to be applied toward the BA.

Things to Consider

Students wishing to pursue the 3-3 will need to plan well in advance in order to be able to complete all the requirements in a timely manner.

  • Students must declare participation in the 3-3 program no later than the end of their first year, but waiting even this long to make a three-year plan may limit their choice of major. 
  • For some majors with heavy course loads (e.g., world languages as well as biochemistry and molecular biology), the 3-3 is possible only if students enter with a significant amount of Advanced Placement credit. 
  • Participating in the 3-3 program will place some limitations on a student’s experiences at Lewis & Clark. In order to complete all of the General Education and major requirements in three years, students will in most cases not have time to participate in an overseas or off-campus program, change their major mid-course, explore various majors before choosing one, or take many CAS electives. 

3-3 Program Requirements

In order to be able to enter the law school after three rather than four years, students must meet the following requirements in the time frames specified:

By the end of the first year at the CAS
  • Officially declare both a major and intent to pursue the 3-3.
During the third year at the CAS
  • Take the LSAT no later than January,
  • Successfully apply to the Lewis & Clark Law School (see requirements, below).
By the end of the third year at the CAS
  • Complete all General Education requirements.
  • Complete all major requirements.
  • Complete a minimum of 95 credits. (If students carry a standard load, they will complete 32 credits a year, or 96 over three years.)
In the final semester at the CAS
  • Complete all necessary 3-3 paperwork, including a leave of absence form and graduation application. 

Lewis & Clark Law School JD Admission Requirements

Lewis & Clark Law School guarantees admission to CAS 3-3 students who fulfill the following criteria: 

  • Successfully complete the requirements for the three-year CAS portion of the 3-3 BA/JD dual-degree program. 
  • Earn a minimum CAS GPA of 3.500. 
  • Achieve a Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score that is no lower than the median LSAT score for the prior year’s entering class at the Lewis & Clark Law School. 
  • Complete all required law school application materials, including compliance with all other law school admission requirements, by March 15 of the calendar year in which the applicant would begin law school. See JD admission requirements page for details.
  • Be in good academic and disciplinary standing at the CAS.
  • Meet the standards for the character and fitness portion of the application.  

Students in the 3-3 program who do not meet the minimum GPA or LSAT scores listed here are still eligible to apply for admission to the law school under the 3-3 program, but acceptance is not guaranteed. In such cases, students may be better off waiting a year and using that time to improve their grades or scores before applying to the law school under its regular admission program.

Change in Plans

If a student chooses this program and changes their mind before enrolling in the law school, they are still welcome to complete their BA (128 credits) at the CAS. 

  • Students must notify the Office of the Registrar if they decide not to enter the law school.
  • If students enroll at the law school under the 3-3 program but do not complete the first year of coursework there (1L), they may transfer any credits they have completed at the law school and return to the CAS to complete any remaining credits toward the 128 required for the BA. 
  • If students enroll at the law school under the 3-3 program and satisfactorily complete the 1L year (at least 32 credits) but not the JD, they will be eligible to transfer those credits back to the CAS to complete their BA, but they will not earn the JD. 

Under the 3-3 program, students have two years to complete the 1L year (32 credits) and receive the BA. If they wish to request more time, there is a petition process. 

BA/MSL Dual-Degree (3-1)

Lewis & Clark is nationally recognized for its environmental studies programs on both the undergraduate and the graduate/professional level. With the Accelerated BA/MSL Dual-Degree Environmental Legal Studies Program—commonly referred to as the 3-1 program—students can complete a BA and a master’s of studies in law (MSL) in environmental, natural resources, and energy law in four years rather than five.

Students in the 3-1 program complete both General Education and major requirements in three years at Lewis & Clark’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) before entering the law school for a year of work toward the MSL. The CAS accepts the year of coursework from Lewis & Clark Law School as credit to be applied toward the BA, which is then awarded along with the MSL at the end of the fourth year of the 3-1 program.

What is an MSL in environmental, natural resources, and energy law?

The MSL is a graduate degree for those interested in learning about environmental law, regulations, and policies but who do not wish to practice law or obtain a law degree. The degree is useful to people in a variety of careers, including teachers, journalists, elected officials, lobbyists, federal agency and nonprofit employees, and entrepreneurs.

Things to Consider

Students wishing to pursue the 3-1 program need to plan well in advance in order to be able to complete all the requirements in a timely manner.

  • Students must declare participation in the 3-1 program no later than the end of their first year, but waiting even this long to make a three-year plan may limit their choice of major.
  • For some majors with heavy course loads (e.g., world languages, biochemistry and molecular biology), the 3-1 is possible only if students enter with a significant amount of Advanced Placement credit.
  • Students in the 3-1 program must complete 100 credits before leaving the CAS and entering the MSL program for another 28 credits. (The BA requires 128 credits total.) The standard course load at the CAS is 16 credits/semester or just 96 credits in three years. Students in the 3-1 program can reach the necessary 100 credits by:
    • Applying Advanced Placement or dual-enrollment credit earned during high school;
    • Carrying a heavier load during one or more semesters; and/or
    • Earning credits during the summer, either at the CAS or at another accredited institution.
  • Participating in the 3-1 will place some limitations on a student’s experiences at Lewis & Clark. In order to complete all of the General Education and major requirements in three years, students will in most cases not have time to participate in an overseas or off-campus program, change their major mid-course, explore various majors before choosing one, or take many CAS electives.

3-1 Program Requirements

In order to be able to enter the MSL program after three rather than four years at Lewis & Clark College, students must meet the following requirements in the time frames specified:

By the end of the first year at the CAS
  • Officially declare both a major and intent to pursue the 3-1.
During the third year at the CAS
  • Successfully apply to the Lewis & Clark Law School MSL program (see requirements, below).
By the end of the third year at the CAS
  • Complete all General Education requirements.
  • Complete all major requirements.
  • Complete a minimum of 100 credits.
In the final semester at the CAS
  • Complete all necessary 3-1 paperwork, including a leave of absence form and graduation application.

Lewis & Clark Law School MSL Admission Requirements

Lewis & Clark Law School guarantees admission to CAS 3-1 students who fulfill the following criteria:

  • Successfully complete the requirements for the three-year CAS portion of the 3-1 BA/MSL dual-degree program.
  • Earn a minimum CAS GPA of 3.500.
  • Complete all application materials for the MSL by March 15 of the calendar year in which the applicant would begin law school.
  • Be in good academic and disciplinary standing at the CAS.

Students who do not meet the minimum GPA listed here are still eligible to apply for admission to the MSL under the 3-1 program, but acceptance is not guaranteed. In such cases, students may be better off waiting a year and using that time to improve their grades before applying to the MSL under its regular admission program.

Change in Plans

If a student chooses this program and changes their mind before enrolling in the law school, they are still welcome to complete their BA (128 credits) at the CAS.

  • Students must notify the Office of the Registrar if they decide not to enter the law school.
  • If students enroll at the law school under the 3-1 program but do not complete the MSL, they may transfer any credits they have completed at the law school back to the CAS and return to complete any remaining credits toward the 128 required for the BA.

Under the 3-1 program, students have two years to complete the MSL and receive the BA. If they wish to request more time, there is a petition process.

Lewis & Clark College provides assistance to students interested in pursuing future law careers, and with planning for the 3-3 or 3-1 programs. Contact the College Advising Center at cac@lclark.edu or the faculty advisor(s) listed below.

Nancy O. Gallman. Assistant professor of history, pre-law advisor. 16th-19th Century North America, Spanish Borderlands, Legal Pluralism, Early Native and African American History, Comparative History of Empire. PhD 2017, MA 2012 University of California at Davis. JD 1994 New York University School of Law. BA 1989 Yale College.

Andrea Hibbard. Assistant professor with term of English. Victorian Literature and Culture, Law and Literature, Gender Studies. PhD 2000 University of Virginia. MA 1991 Georgetown University. BA 1986 Pomona College.