Pre-Law

An undergraduate degree from Lewis & Clark is excellent preparation for those looking ahead to law school. The skills we teach all our students—critical and creative thinking, analytical reasoning, and persuasive communication—are the skills you’ll need to succeed during law school and throughout your career.

Recent graduates of Lewis & Clark College have pursued legal education at Lewis & Clark’s own nationally recognized law school as well as at institutions such as Duke, the University of California at Berkeley, Boston College, Emory, Cornell, Georgetown, Harvard, and Tulane. 

Students interested in law school participate in a wide variety of cocurricular programs at Lewis & Clark, including

Law school graduates pursue a variety of careers, including jobs in law, business, government, and politics. Because of this, law schools do not require, and we do not prescribe, a single course of pre-law study. In fact, students have gone to law school after majoring in almost every field at Lewis & Clark—from art, biology, and environmental studies to sociology and anthropology and theatre. No matter what your major, we recommend courses that cultivate analytical and writing skills as preparation for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and subsequent work in law school. You can find these courses in many departments, including but not limited to English, history, philosophy, and political science.

For information about how to tailor your L&C education to your interest in the law, contact Pre-law Advisor Andrea Hibbard.


If Lewis & Clark is right for you as an undergraduate student, then our law school may be a logical next choice, especially if you are interested in law and the environment. Lewis & Clark Law School offers top specialty programs in several areas with the JD degree as well as graduate and joint-degree programs through both part-time and full-time course loads. 

L&C undergraduates who go on to pursue a degree at Lewis & Clark Law School enjoy significant advantages:

  • L&C Law offers guaranteed admission to College of Arts and Sciences students who meet certain requirements, including minimum GPA and LSAT scores.
  • The standard length of study from the first year of a BA through a JD is seven years. Highly motivated students can earn both a BA from L&C’s College of Arts and Sciences and a JD from L&C Law School in just six years through our accelerated 3-3 program. Students interested in this program need to plan their coursework carefully, and should consult with their advisor the summer before they arrive on campus.
  • Students who want graduate-level education in law but do not want to become lawyers can enroll in our BA/MSL Dual-Degree Environmental Legal Studies Program—commonly referred to as the 3-1 Program. Graduates earn a BA and a Masters of Studies in Law (MSL) in Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Law in four years rather than five. Like the 3-3, the 3-1 requires careful planning.

Curious about what our graduates do after law school? Learn more about our law school alumni!