Volume 16, Issue 2 | November 2023

The Newsletter of the Carnegie Mellon University

Pre-Law Program

News

Penn State Schools to Reunite

Penn State Dickinson Law and Penn State Law — two separately accredited law schools — will reunite after almost 10 years as standalone schools. Learn more

Robust Job Market, But Less so for Minorities

The Class of 2022 enjoyed the strongest and most robust legal job market in 35 years. But it was not great for everyone. The National Association for Law Placement said minorities and first-generation college students lag behind.

LSAC drops logic games from LSAT; majority of test takers prefer to take LSAT remotely

The Law School Admissions Council, which administers the Law School Admissions Test, is dropping the logic games section of the test beginning with the August 2024 exam. It will replace it with a second logical reasoning section. This comes as the result of a lawsuit settlement in 2019 in which a legally blind man sued the LSAC because he was at a disability during the logic games section because he could not diagram out the questions.

5 Law Schools Settle with DOE Over Funding for LL.M. Students

Five stand-alone law schools settled claims with the U.S. Department of Education, after they were accused of disbursing federal student aid to students enrolled in unaccredited Master of Laws (LL.M.) programs. Read more

Events

Democracy Day

Tuesday, Nov. 7

Join us for CMU’s inaugural Democracy Day, an opportunity to focus on our institutional commitment to civic service and democracy on Election Day. There will be programming and resources available throughout the day for our entire community to engage on the key ideals of democracy.

Schedule of Democracy Day events

Thomas M. Kerr, Jr. Lecture: Women and the Law: The Practice and Perspectives on Success

Monday, Nov. 13, 4:30 to 6 p.m.

Posner Grand Room (Posner Hall 340)

The number of woman-identified lawyers has risen dramatically in the last few decades, as has the percentage of women in the American legal profession. And this trend is accelerating, with women consistently outnumbering men as law school graduates. The lecture features Erica Borden Baird Esq. (DC '70), along with an expert panel of female lawyers who have forged successful careers, becoming leaders in their profession.

RSVP for the Lecture

Pitt Law Student of Color Visitation Day 2023 & LSAT Scholarship Opportunity

Friday, Nov. 17, 11 a.m. to 6 p;m.

Barco Law Building, Room 149, 3900 Forbes Avenue

This event invites recently admitted and prospective students who identify as persons of color to join us for an afternoon showcasing the high-quality JD program available at Pitt Law!

Find out more and register by November 9

Opportunities

Student Affairs is Seeking Students to Serve on the Academic Review Board and University Disciplinary Commit t ee

The Division of Student Affairs is seeking additional student members to serve on the Academic Review Board (ARB) and University Disciplinary Committee (UDC). Students are integral members of these boards who help advance the educational objectives of the community standards violation process. Nominees should be students who have shown a commitment to honesty and integrity, evidence of sound judgment, critical thinking and analysis, a commitment to consistency in their work and interactions with others, listening skills, reflective decision making, and compassion.

To nominate a Carnegie Mellon community member to serve as a member of the University Disciplinary Committee (UDC) and Academic Review Board (ARB), please complete the nomination form.

Advice

Law School Applicants: 5 Tips on What You Should be Doing Now

There are many grey areas in law school admissions, with no absolute right or wrong choice. Here are some general guidelines to help applicants achieve success.

Find tips

How to Write Your Best Personal Statement

Below are some tips to make your personal statement memorable

Find tips