15-Minute One-on-One Pre-Law Advisement
Aspiring law students receive 15 focused minutes with an attorney, law student, admissions professional, educator, or other knowledgeable advisor. Participants may use this service, the Remote Law School Application Materials Review, or both, subject to availability.
Clinic I — Friday, September 25, 9:45–10:45 a.m. held prior to the Opening Ceremony.
Clinic II — Saturday, September 26, 1:30–2:30 p.m. held during the lunch break.
Students are not necessarily pre-assigned to a specific advisor. We ask students to sign up in advance only so we can estimate how many plan to participate, then match them on site as advisors become available. Expect a rolling queue rather than a fixed roster of names.
Advisors must sign up in advance for the clinic block(s) they can cover. This allows us to confirm we have enough advisors available for each day's session and to assign tables accordingly.
All volunteers receive public recognition on Saturday, September 26. We will announce the exact time in advance so you can be present for group photos.
The 15-minute clinic is designed for advice and pressing questions, not a full document review. Participants may bring materials for a quick look, but there may not be time to review them in depth.
If a student wants thoughtful feedback without the time pressure, encourage them to sign up for the Remote Law School Application Materials Review. A Google Form will be provided where they can submit their materials and upload documents to be shared with their assigned reviewer.
During the 15-minute block, focus on asking the advisee how you can best support them. If you cannot finish a materials review, offer to schedule another time to continue. If no other students are waiting, you may spend additional time with the same student.
Advisement and Materials Review are different services: advisement is open-ended (any question is welcome), while materials review is dedicated to reviewing admission documents.
- Deciding whether law school is the right choice
- Choosing a major or undergraduate courses
- Preparing for the LSAT or another accepted admissions test
- Understanding GPA and transcript concerns
- Selecting law schools
- Building a balanced application list
- Strengthening extracurricular, leadership, or professional experiences
- Requesting letters of recommendation
- Planning an application timeline
- Writing personal statements and addenda
- Understanding character-and-fitness questions
- Comparing admission and scholarship offers
- Financing law school and limiting debt
- Preparing for the transition to law school
- Choosing a legal career or practice area
- Succeeding academically and professionally in law school
- Identify their most important question.
- Prepare no more than two or three questions.
- Bring a notebook or device for taking notes.
- Have relevant information available, such as GPA, test history, graduation date, application timeline, school list, or career interests.
- Arrive at least five minutes before the assigned appointment.
- Avoid expecting the advisor to read an entire essay or résumé during the appointment.
Participants may bring materials for context, but the appointment is primarily for conversation and strategic guidance. Full document review should be requested through the Remote Law School Application Materials Review service.
- Begin with the most important question.
- Provide only the background needed to understand the issue.
- Be open to constructive and candid feedback.
- Take notes instead of relying on memory.
- Ask for clarification when advice is unclear.
- Respect the appointment's 15-minute limit.
- Understand that an advisor may not be able to answer every question.
- Request referrals or resources when specialized assistance is needed.
"My name is ________. I am a [college year, graduate, or working professional]. I plan to apply to law school in ________. My primary question today is ________."
Recommended 15-minute structure
Minutes 1–2 · Introduction and primary goal
The participant briefly explains their background, application stage, and most important question.
Minutes 3–11 · Focused advisement
The advisor responds, asks clarifying questions, and offers practical recommendations.
Minutes 12–14 · Action plan
The advisor helps the participant identify the next two or three steps.
Minute 15 · Closing
The participant confirms the main takeaway and any recommended resources.
- Listen before giving advice.
- Focus on the participant's stated priorities.
- Provide school-neutral, individualized guidance.
- Recognize that there is no single correct path to law school.
- Be candid without being discouraging.
- Distinguish personal opinion from established information.
- Avoid making admission, scholarship, employment, or bar-passage guarantees.
- Avoid ranking or disparaging law schools solely on reputation.
- Refer the participant to admissions offices, LSAC, bar authorities, financial-aid professionals, mental-health professionals, or attorneys when appropriate.
- Protect the participant's privacy.
- End with concrete next steps.
- A complete review of an essay or résumé
- Legal representation or legal advice
- A prediction of admission or scholarship results
- A binding assessment of character-and-fitness eligibility
- An individualized financial plan
- Ongoing mentoring unless the advisor independently agrees
- Permission to contact the advisor after the clinic
Participants should not request personal contact information unless the advisor voluntarily offers it.
Before the appointment ends, help the participant identify:
- My primary takeaway:
- My next three steps:
- Resources or additional assistance needed: