So you want to be a lawyer?

Congratulations! You are in good company. But competition for admission to law schools remains keen. Law schools, especially the more prestigious ones, expect the applicant they accept to have both a high grade point average as well as a high Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) score. They expect their students to think critically, to be able to analyze cause and effect relationships and to express themselves clearly and effectively.

Why is a history major an excellent preparation for law school and the legal profession?

While law schools really don’t care what your undergraduate major is as long as you are good at it, a History major can be an excellent preparation for law school. Many law school courses presuppose not only a knowledge of the historic method for researching cases, but also presume a knowledge of the past, especially that of the Anglo-Saxon system of jurisprudence, law in the Western tradition and the history of American law. Furthermore, history illuminates the human condition. It offers a basis for understanding one’s culture, one’s community, one’s relationship with the world and one’s self. Historical study trains the mind to think on many levels, to deal with partial evidence and ambiguity. It enhances one’s ability to see comparisons and connections and to draw valid conclusions. Hence a history background is an excellent preparation for the legal profession which is so concerned with evidence in the interpretation of cause and effect relationships, and assuring the complete evaluation of the facts.

Why should you major in history at The University of Scranton as a preparation for law school and the legal profession?

The faculty of the History Department at The University of Scranton are not only respected scholars but are also outstanding and dedicated teachers who are genuinely concerned with the welfare and future careers of all their students. With ten full-time faculty (all with doctoral degrees) and a number of specialized part-time faculty, the History Department offers a wide and varied selection of elective courses every semester. Law in the Western Tradition, English Constitutional and Legal History, and The Craft of the Historian are just three of many history courses which would be of special interest to pre-law students. Also, the open cognate allows History majors interested in law to take courses in other departments that enhance their preparation, e.g. Logical and Rhetorical Analysis, Writing for the Law, and others in the humanities and social sciences.

What do our history graduates say about their preparation for law school and the legal profession?

In the past 25 years alone, nearly 200 history graduates from The University of Scranton have completed law school. A sampling of some of their comments on how the study of history prepared them for the study of law and the legal profession follows:

“Whatever the situation, a lawyer must be able to analyze the relevant facts and objectives of the client; to organize, in a logical way, facts, arguments and solutions to problems; and to present, either orally or in writing, arguments or proposals in a coherent manner. As a history major at The University of Scranton I first learned those skills and developed those abilities that served me so well in law school and the legal profession.” --Peter P. Ackourey, Harvard Law School, Partner with Drinker, Biddle & Reath, Philadelphia.

“The program in History at The University of Scranton provided me with a very solid foundation upon which to build my juris doctorate. After all, the entire legal system is based upon principles from case law precedent; and what is case law other than snapshots of historical events and the thought processes of the times.”  --Melissa Berlot McCafferty, Temple University Law School, Allan M. Horwitz & Associates, Philadelphia.

“The history program at the University with its strong curriculum, diverse course offerings and excellent teachers enabled me to develop the necessary writing, speaking, research and analytical skills to excel in law school and to succeed in the legal profession.” --Frank Castellano, St. Louis University Law School, Assistant District Attorney, Lackawanna County, PA.

“Although it is true that you can major in virtually any undergraduate subject area and still succeed in law school, I believe my experience as a History major prepared me for the rigors of law school better than any major I could have chosen. My exposure to demanding history professors who emphasized writing skills helped make for a smooth transition from History major to law student to practicing attorney.” --James P. Clark, St. John’s University Law School, Rains and Pogrebin, Long Island, NY.

“The study of history at The University of Scranton provided me with a strong foundation for the study of law. Without a knowledge of history it would be very difficult to understand the evolution of our system of jurisprudence in America as we know it today.” --Jennifer Ann Heil Degenfelder, Catholic University Law School, Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Criminal Rules Committee.

“As lawyers we play an important role in creating the legal and social environment of our country. There is no discipline better than history that trains one for the study and practice of law, especially by shaping our current actions to avoid the mistakes of the past.” --Patrick J. Gibbons, Penn State Dickinson Law School, Partner with Ryan, McDonnell, Berger and Gibbons, Philadelphia.

“The study of history helped me immensely in law school and in my legal career by giving me a better understanding of our common law system and thus enhancing my practice defending clients in the areas of civil rights and employment discrimination.”
--John P. Gonzales, Temple University Law School, Marshall, Denehey, Warner, Coleman and Goggin, Philadelphia.

“The education I received as a history major at The University of Scranton provided me with the foundation and skills needed to gain entrance to the law school of my choice and to succeed as a law student. I found the research and writing skills I developed in the program particularly invaluable in my law school studies and ensuing legal career.” --Andrew J. Kelly, Boston College Law School, Kelly & Brennan PC, Spring Lake, NJ.

“The study of law demands, as a prerequisite, an understanding of the events, conditions and circumstances that led to the evolution of the set rules that govern society. The study of history provides that needed background and understanding.”  --Paul M. Lavelle, Albany Law School, Partner with Landry and Lavelle, New Orleans.

“The University’s history program prepared me well for law school and continues to serve me well as an attorney. Its emphasis on critical reading and analytical writing provided me with an advantage over many students in my law school who received degrees in other disciplines. Furthermore, all law is based on historical experiences, and an understanding of history enables a lawyer to make effective policy arguments in legal briefs.”  --Jason J. Legg, Albany Law School, District Attorney for Susquehanna County, PA.

“Studying history at The University of Scranton instilled in me a greater appreciation of American heritage, especially our system of law and jurisprudence. The opportunity to participate in the program greatly enhanced my research and writing skills—integral elements to a successful law school career.” --William Lehman, Notre Dame Law School, Atty., Cable Huston, Portland, OR.

“Majoring in history demands the development of an analytical mind and writing competence skills that are invaluable to succeed in law school. My background provided me with an historical context for law and thus a better understanding of the law.” --Lucy C. Murfitt, Loyola University College of Law, Legislative Counsel, U.S. Senator John Kyl, Washington, DC.

“The analytical writing and research skills that I developed through the study of history at The University of Scranton were incredible assets during my legal education, particularly during my first year in law school. These skills put me steps ahead of my classmates during that critical first year of law school.” --John M. Mulcahey, Duquesne University Law School, Lenahan and Dempsey, Scranton, PA.

“As a history student at The University of Scranton I developed reading comprehension, analytical and research skills that set me ahead of my law classmates in organization and retention of material. As a lawyer, I continually use these skills to understand and serve my clients no matter what type of legal issues may arise.”  --JayneAnn Skrzysowski, University of Miami School of Law, Judge Advocate General Corps, U.S. Army, Ft. Bragg, NC.

“Anyone can memorize. Those who make a difference in the world are those who take the time to truly understand. History provides that global perspective, particularly with respect to our laws. One cannot understand the 4th Amendment prohibition against unreasonable search and seizure, for example, without studying Colonial American history. The law, in short, is historic.”  --Capt. Dawn Kopycienski Zoldi, Villanova Law School, U.S. Air Force Circuit Trial Council, Randolph Air Force Base, TX.