Pre-Law
The liberal arts at Hamilton is a launchpad for a law career. Students build the analytical reasoning, persuasive communication, and ethical leadership skills that define successful legal careers – all hallmarks of a Hamilton education.
Open Curriculum
Unlike medical school, law school has no required coursework. Hamilton’s open curriculum gives students the chance to explore diverse subjects that interest them while honing key law school skills and shaping their career path.
Emphasis on Communication
Hamilton’s commitment to developing master communicators ensures students graduate with the ability to express themselves clearly, structure their ideas effectively, and craft persuasive arguments.
Jurisprudence, Law & Justice Studies Minor
This minor provides students with the analytical and empirical foundation to understand how the theory, practice, and meaning of law stimulates civic engagement.
Hamilton’s Cooperative Law Program with Columbia
Students may apply to the highly selective program in Accelerated Interdisciplinary Legal Education (AILE), which permits them to earn both a bachelor's degree from Hamilton and a juris doctor degree from Columbia after three years of study at each institution. Interested students should consult with the chair of the Pre-Law Committee, Associate Professor Keelah Williams.
“Hamilton’s open curriculum reinforced the importance of following your interests and the benefits that flow from being curious. Without the rich opportunity for exploration at Hamilton, I would have had little to inform my career path.”
Real-World Experience & Hands-On Learning
Pre-law students at Hamilton gain practical experience that strengthens their applications and builds professional skills.
- Internship and research opportunities provide hands-on experience in policy, advocacy, and legal analysis, and further develop writing and communication skills
- Guest speaking opportunities bring alumni, attorneys, judges, and legal professionals to campus each semester
- Pre-Law Club connects students with legal professionals and organizes trips to explore careers in law
- Hamilton’s Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center offers students the chance to engage in public affairs through research, field studies, community-engaged classes, lectures, discussions, and practice
Where Are They Now?
Alumni go on to careers in corporate law, public interest law, government, and more, with a strong foundation in research, advocacy, and argumentation. Recent Hamilton graduates pursued law degrees at top institutions, including:
- Boston College Law School
- Columbia Law School
- Georgetown Law School
- Harvard Law School
- NYU School of Law
- UCLA Law School
- University of Chicago Law School
- University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
A Strong Network of Support
Hamilton’s pre-law resources and advising help students plan early, build a strong foundation, and navigate the law school application process with confidence. Students receive individualized guidance from experts both on and off campus.
- Pre-Law Committee: Faculty mentors provide advising on coursework, law school applications, and Hamilton’s cooperative law programs
- Career Center: The pre-law advisor offers one-on-one guidance, LSAC registration support, and law school application resources
- Alumni Mentors: Peggy Garte ’01, a former law school admissions officer at Brooklyn Law School and St. John’s University Law School and the current Director of Public Service Career Planning at Hofstra School of Law, conducts essay workshops and application reviews, as well as visits campus regularly to meet with students
- Government/Law Alumni Coach: Each year, an alumni volunteer is available to answer students’ questions about their areas of expertise (either government or law, rotating each year) and meet virtually with groups of students.
Connect With Us
Keelah Williams
Chair, Pre-Law Committee; Associate Professor of Psychology; Director of Jurisprudence, Law and Justice Studies
Frank Anechiarico
Pre-Law Committee; Maynard-Knox Professor of Government and Law; Director of the Levitt Center
Peggy Garte ’01
Pre-Law Alumni Mentor
“When students ask me how to prepare for law school, I tell them to hone their writing and communication skills. That’s something they can do in any class at Hamilton.”
