High School Law Day is a program that introduces legal education to area high school students. Eleventh and Twelfth grade students attend as a part of their world history or government class. First, the students are welcomed by one of our deans. Next, a panel made up of the admissions department, financial aid department and academic support speak to the students and answer any questions they might have about what to expect during the application process and law school itself.
After that, a professor teaches a mock class based on a case that was distributed to the students earlier in the week. The students get a feel for the Socratic Method and are introduced to a law school classroom environment. The students are then treated to lunch and attend a student panel. They are given the opportunity to ask current students how they got into law school, why they chose law school and how they are successful in law school. A tour of the law school’s facilities completes the students’ day.
This year, we had two high school law days that four area high schools attended. We received great feedback from the schools’ counselors and teachers. The students received valuable information that they might not have received otherwise, and were presented with another career choice. High School Law Day is an important part of the P.L.A.Y. program because it gives students the opportunity to realize that they can attend law school and gives them the information needed to start the process of beginning a legal career.