Supercharge Your Law School Application by Building Legal Research Skills
The legal field is wide and varied, with jobs suited for a range of personalities, values, and lifestyles. Just imagine the differences between a public defender and a corporate compliance officer for a multinational bank.
But no matter what kind of law you practice, you will draw upon legal research skills. Research and writing are at the core of being a lawyer, and experience with legal research can help you to decide whether pursuing law is truly the right path.
Reaching out to legal advocacy groups, local law professors, or legal practices about a possible part-time research assistant position can build your legal research skills. Classes that engage with real court cases on topics like legal ethics, constitutional law or criminal justice reform can provide a strong foundation in legal research as well.
Volunteer in a Legal Office
Working in a legal office is the surest way to practice legal research. While it can be difficult to find entry-level paid positions or internships, you can find volunteer work in underserved and affordable areas where you can gain real-world legal experience on topics like Native American rights, civil rights, immigration rights, state politics, land right and energy law.
When I was an undergraduate, for example, I found it hard to secure an internship for a national advocacy organization in a city like New York or Washington, DC. I reached out to a small rural nonprofit on a whim and received a welcoming response that allowed me to work on fascinating issues in an unforgettable setting.
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Work in the Sciences or Humanities
If you can’t find legal research opportunities, you can build research skills in related fields like social science and humanities. You can prepare for the challenges of legal research and writing through any experience that requires composing clear and nuanced arguments based on careful reading of texts, consideration of counter evidence and comparative analysis. It doesn’t matter whether those texts are letters of Civil War soldiers, oral histories of indigenous communities, or contemporary tweets.
What If I’m a Working Professional?
More than two-fifths of full-time undergraduates are employed, as are four-fifths of part-time undergraduates. Your work history is vital. Even entry-level jobs show qualities law schools appreciate, such as providing a professional level of service, fulfilling obligations, and managing multiple responsibilities.
If you are applying to law school without many extracurricular activities on your high school or college transcripts, but have worked a job the entire time, you need not worry. Law schools are much more concerned with actual work experience than college or high school extracurricular activities. In fact, you should leave high school off your law school resume, except for prominent honors, athletic achievements, and awards.
If your current job does not involve research and writing, seek out relevant volunteer opportunities like assisting academic centers or nonprofits. Many online publications welcome well-researched articles on a range of subjects.
If your work does not leave much time to take on extra responsibilities, consider asking your supervisors if you can work on more projects and tasks that involve research. For example, perhaps you could analyze a new market, revamp a company policy, or survey customers about their needs.
Wherever you are in your path to law school, finding opportunities to build legal research skills can be a concrete step to make your application more attractive to admissions officers. You might even land up securing a recommendation letter or a new topic of personal statement. And who knows, maybe your research will lead to conclusions that impact others’ lives–or your own!
[Next Read: Reading and Writing Skills That Will Help You Succeed in Law School]
