Jump-Start Your Legal Career

Thinking about law school? The Honors Program in Legal Studies can help you get there!

Our program prepares students from low-income backgrounds and underrepresented groups for successful legal careers that will enrich and diversify the legal profession.

Our two-year program accepts rising juniors (students who have completed approximately 50 to 70 credits), and offers merit scholarships, mentoring opportunities,  special legal studies seminars, and LSAT preparation. Students are selected through a competitive application process. Students begin the program with a Summer Institute, then enroll in our fall semester seminar. The application deadline is March 15.

Our one year program accepts students with less than 3 semester left in college. Applications are due October 31 and students begin the program with our LSAT prep class in the spring semester. 

For Application information click here. 

HISTORY

In the spring of 2008, CCNY and the law firm Skadden, Arps, Meagher, Slate and Flom launched the Skadden, Arps Honors Program in Legal Studies to prepare talented students from diverse backgrounds for admission to, and success in, competitive law schools. An effort to address the legal profession’s lack of diversity, the program provided scholarships, specialized seminars, LSAT preparation, mentoring and intensive advising to prepare students for legal careers. Skadden solely supported the program for its first 12 years, during which more than 130 students attended law schools throughout the country. These alumni now practice law across the U.S. in all practice areas, including intellectual property, criminal defense and prosecution, civil legal services, corporate law, family law, bankruptcy, tax law and in government agencies.

Beginning with its fall 2021 cohort of students, the program partnered with an expanded group of corporate law firms and individual donors and changed its name to the Honors Program in Legal Studies at the Colin Powell School. Skadden continues to sponsor students, and Fried Frank, Milbank, Paul Weiss and Reed Smith have also joined our efforts. The mission of the program remains the same: preparing students from underrepresented backgrounds for law school and legal careers. 

  WHO ARE CCNY HONORS PROGRAM IN LEGAL STUDIES SCHOLARS ?

Intellectually Curious: Our students meet and learn from legal scholars; engage in extensive legal research and writing projects and publish their academic work in scholarly journals.

Civically Engaged: Our students volunteer with advocacy groups on and off campus.

Active: Our students intern in a variety of legal organizations, private law firms and government offices.


* MEET OUR HONORS PROGRAM IN LEGAL STUDIES SCHOLARS *

WHO IS ELIGIBLE ?

City College or transfer students interested in pursuing a law degree who have a strong academic record as assessed by GPA, personal statement and letters of recommendation. Students should have roughly 40 to 65 credits at the time they apply.

WHEN SHOULD I APPLY ?

Students apply to the traditional Honors Program in Legal Studies by March 15 of their sophomore year, and if accepted, participate in the program during their junior and senior years. The program requires a commitment of two years, including the Summer Institute.

Our one-year program begins in late January with our LSAT prep course. Students apply to this program by Oct. 31 of their junior year. 

HOW WILL YOU BENEFIT ?

> Merit scholarships - scholarships and additional financial support for law school applications.

> Receive free and extensive LSAT Preparation

> Strengthen Critical Thinking Skills essential to law school through our Summer Institute and intellectually engaging seminars

> Improve your Writing Skills through weekly meetings with an instructor

> Broaden your Understanding of the legal profession by meeting lawyers from a wide variety of practice areas.

> Receive Pre-Law Advising & Assistance with your law school application.

> Membership in a rapidly expanding network of successful law students and lawyers who started out where you are.

TWO YEAR PROGRAM FOR RISING JUNIORS

This program includes scholarships, free LSAT prep, advising, special law-focused seminars, law school application support and more. 

We are looking for students who:

• Have at least 3 semesters left at CCNY when applying to the program,
• Have a minimum GPA of  3.3 and strong writing and critical thinking skills,
• Demonstrate a strong desire to go to law school
• Exhibit maturity and self-discipline.

The application deadline is March 15. Early applications (received by January 5) will receive admissions decisions in early February.  

To request an application, email Jennifer Light at  jlight@ccny.cuny.edu

ONE YEAR PROGRAM FOR CURRENT JUNIORS

If you are a high-achieving junior contemplating law school, consider our "one-year" program. This program includes free LSAT prep, advising, law school application support and more. 

We are looking for students who:

• have at least 2 semesters left at CCNY
• have at least a 3.3. cumulative GPA
• Demonstrate a strong desire to go to law school
• Exhibit maturity and self-discipline.

The application deadline is October 31. 

To request an application, email Jennifer Light at  jlight@ccny.cuny.edu