What Constitutes a Summer Legal Academy?
What is a Summer Legal Academy?
While they go by many names, the concept is the same: The purpose of a summer legal academy is to offer valuable insight, and new experiences to those hoping to enter the legal field. Sometimes called pre-law summer programs, prospective law students can take the opportunity to explore the legal profession in a direct way. Students have the chance to meet and learn from professors and current law students , in addition to experiencing what it’s like to live in a university town and interact with professors and administrators. Unlike undergraduate programs, which might be a little more relaxed, being at the law school level is fast-paced and intense. Summer legal academies typically allow the students to experience what a semester in law school would be like.
Advantages of Joining a Summer Legal Academy
In the ever-competitive field of law, particularly in North Carolina, it is imperative to find ways to stand out from fellow students when applying for jobs and internships. Summer legal academies offer the opportunity to do just that. These programs provide students with invaluable experience and the ability to build a strong foundation in legal services that students can apply while working in the real world.
First, summer legal academies enable students to build on their legal skills in a professional environment. The coursework in summer academies provides a strong foundation in law as students work on real cases and interact on a professional level with teachers and other classmates. Students enrolled in a legal academy are given the ability to observe, build and work on practical skills before entering the workforce.
Second, summer academies provide the perfect opportunity to network with those in the legal profession. Sitting in a room full of like-minded individuals eager to learn law provides the ultimate networking opportunity. As students work together in a professional and competitive environment, they build lasting relationships that can open the door to future work opportunities. Workshops and guest speakers are an essential part of summer legal academies. Legal professionals from around the state come to speak to students, host events and teach students about laws, careers and networking opportunities.
Finally, summer legal academies allow students to experience a specialized area of the law that may be outside of the scope of classes offered at their respective schools. This provides students an opportunity to explore new areas of law that may spark an interest in pursuing a career in that field. Summer academies also allow students to meet with employment representatives from various businesses to discuss job openings and positions within their organization. Working in legal services can be extremely rewarding, but it is essential to test the waters in different fields of law to see what really fits.
Leading Summer Legal Academies to Explore
The University of Chicago Law School’s Young Scholars Program – Chicago, IL
This two-week law summer academy for rising high school juniors and seniors is held on the University of Chicago campus and focuses on the American justice system. The program is open to 120 applicants each year. Attendees are introduced to basic legal principles and taught about their civil rights and responsibilities. This summer’s session runs from July 17-28, 2017.
Application Process: Applications are accepted from late winter to mid-spring each year. Applications can be submitted online.
Duke Prelaw Program – Durham, NC
The Prelaw Program at Duke University is held on the Duke campus in Durham, North Carolina. Students learn about the law school admission process, and the basics of persuasive writing and oral advocacy. Program attendance exposes students to what it is like to be a law student and enables them to interact with other prelaw students. Select programs over the two-week session include court tours, a mock trial, and a community service project. Students also have guest speakers and panels to hear about what it’s like to be an attorney, judge, or a law school professor. This year’s session is comparable to a 3-credit college course and is scheduled for July 16-29, 2017.
Application Process: Applications can be completed online. The application period runs from November-February for Duke Prelaw Program.
School of Law Pre-Law Program – Washington, D.C.
This week-long summer academy is hosted by the staff of Howard University School of Law. The program is aimed at preparing college students and recent graduates for law school. Students have the option of attending a "pre-trial period" which includes time volunteering with local attorneys and spending time in a local courtroom. The "trial period" includes a look at how lawyers prepare for trials through witness preparation, legal research and evidence gathering. Participants in the program must reside in District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia.
Application Process: Applications can be completed online through the Summer Pre-Law Program. Applications are accepted from January-May.
How to Prepare for a Summer Legal Academy
Preparing for a summer legal academy requires both academic and professional foresight to ensure that you acquire the most value from this unique opportunity. Several months prior to your desired legal academy, make sure that you reach out to your law school career services office to review the approved agencies in your state for whom students are eligible to work. While there are agencies in every state, not all agencies are eligible for all states. Thus, it’s important to determine what agency you’re interested in working for and then verify that your state agency of interest is on the approved list. Your career services office will have this information and you also may be able to find it on their website.
Once your target agency has been confirmed, your next step is to apply and collect the relevant documentation that will ultimately be required for your application. For example, in Florida, students must submit an Application and Authorization for Certification form, a Drug Screening Authorization and Disclosure form, and an Affidavit of Eligibility to Practice Law Under Rule 11-1, among other documents related to practice and procedure requirements. The certification process typically takes between four to six weeks , and so it’s important to start this process as early as possible to avoid any delays or missed deadlines.
In addition to preparing the required documentation, it’s also a good idea to consider how to make the best of your experience during your legal academy. This opportunity is not just a chance to augment your academics, but also is a chance to network with agency supervisors and staff professionals. Make sure that you introduce yourself in a professional manner and ask questions related to potential future positions that may be available. Supervisors often have their ears to the ground in terms of who’s hiring and the most effective way to find out about internships and post-bar opportunities is to ask, and to ask early.
Just as it’s important to network, it’s also imperative that you act as a professional, both in the way you dress and your work ethic. Legal academies will vary in formality; however, it’s always a good rule of thumb to dress like you’re already practicing attorney. When in doubt, err on the side of caution. Lastly, this may be one of the few opportunities that you have to work solely with your academic peers and like-minded future attorneys, so take advantage of this situation. Go to lunch, network and foster relationships that will last long after law school is over.
Success Narratives: Alumni Experiences of Summer Legal Academies
Many have wondered who would sign up for such a program as learning about the legal system in the summer. Well, undoubtedly they do because several attorneys, some of whom are leaders in the Arkansas bar, have come through the program. Attorneys and judges such as the Hon. Barry Sims, Pat James, Chad Smith, Kelly Grass, Kevin Hickey, Tyler Mullen, and the late Eric Miller have all been straight ‘A’ students at or show great success in the Alyce M. Perry Academy of Leadership and Legal Studies. Their achievements demonstrate that this program has impact. One very striking thing about the selected students is that they come from a diverse background and range in ages. Some attendees are recent law school graduates while others may be divorced parents with one or more children. What does Anne Baxter have to say about the success stories from this program? "There are endless stories from the Academy. You really see people blossom in many ways over the course of 10 months. The most rewarding thing is that for students who I have known over the years, it is common to hear them say, ‘that is the best thing I ever did.’" If you are from the Little Rock area and one of the Night Court alums was talking about going to a summer legal academy on a hot day, you know the conversation would sound like this: You would probably say, "What are you talking about? You are crazy to go to a to law school in the summer." Then they would probably pull out some material from their folder about the school and explain its purpose. You might then say, "That’s all well and good, but what did it do for you?" From there, two things could happen: 1) the person explains several examples that provide a great deal of supporting evidence for the success of the program or 2) you give them a funny look and change the subject to the weather. Most likely people who went to night court camps and had a huge take away from the program would go for the option 1 after a few minutes of talking about the weather. The truth is that these summer legal programs have a huge impact in terms of providing insight into the legal profession for citizens in the community.
Emerging Trends in Summer Legal Academies
New trends are emerging in the world of summer legal academies. With the recent Supreme Court decision in King v. Burwell, live class learning is becoming less important, since online classes are now acceptable and available for CLE credits. Younger practitioners have come to expect more dynamic, high-tech and innovative methods of education than have previously existed. Pre-recorded lectures, short courses, interactive exercises and collaborative forums are maximum benefits that academies are being asked to provide. The online experience is fast and flexible so newer lawyers prefer it over in-class learning in many instances . Interactive programs with 3D motion capture technology are beginning to burgeon and could be the wave of the future for the way we learn about the law.
Academies are increasingly focusing on educating and supporting a broader field of candidates such as paralegals and law students, in addition to attorneys and judges. Online programs are often open to non-practicing individuals who want to learn about the law for professional or personal development. Seminars, networking events and receptions geared toward attorneys have been combined with legal boot camps, mediation clinics and attorney supervised hands-on learning programs for non-attorneys with the greater purpose of strengthening the legal system and creating a better understanding of current laws and issues.