Dr. Marissa Grayson, Assistant Professor of Political Science, is the university-wide prelaw advisor. For first-year students who have not declared a major, Dr. Grayson serves as the student’s primary advisor, helping freshmen to discern the major that best meets their interests and prepares them for a legal education. Once students have selected a major, Dr. Grayson serves as a mentor, arranging professional development opportunities and guiding pre-law students through their curricular and extracurricular choices. A key component of the mentoring experience is a special prelaw section of FOUN 210 (Vocation Exploration: Law) taught by Dr. Grayson every spring. This one-credit course is targeted for students applying to law school the following fall semester. In addition to covering important material regarding application procedures and preparing for the LSAT, the course helps students to write a personal statement, perfect a résumé, request letters of recommendation, and explore financial aid for law school. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Grayson, please contact her at mgrayson@samford.edu

Samford follows the recommendation of the American Bar Association and encourages students to choose a rigorous undergraduate major supplemented by courses that develop the core skills and values needed to prepare for a sound legal education. To that end, the university does not recommend any particular major for its prelaw students; instead, we focus on skill development, practical experience, and vocational discernment.

Regardless of major, students should strive to develop the following ABA recommended core skills and values:

• Analytic/Problem-Solving Skills
• Critical Reading
• Writing Skills
• Oral Communication/Listening Abilities
• General Research Skills
• Task Organization/Management Skills
• Public Service and Promotion of Justice

In addition to these fundamental skills and values, all prelaw students should take courses that develop the following subject competencies recommended by the ABA:

• A broad understanding of history, including the various factors (social, political, economic, and cultural) that have influenced the development of our society.
• A fundamental understanding of political thought and of the contemporary American political system.
• Some basic mathematical and financial skills, such as an understanding of basic pre-calculus mathematics and an ability to analyze financial data.
• A basic understanding of human behavior and social interaction.
• An understanding of diverse cultures within and beyond the United States, of international institutions and issues, of world events, and of the increasing interdependence of the nations and communities within our world.

You are encouraged to read more about “Preparing for Law School” on the American Bar Association’s website

Samford University and its Cumberland School of Law have created an accelerated law degree program that will enable a Samford student to earn a bachelor of arts or sciences degree and a law degree (JD) in six years rather than the usual seven.

When

A Samford student who has completed three-fourths of the work for a bachelor's degree may be admitted to Cumberland. After successful completion of the first year of law classes, the student would be awarded a bachelor's degree in his or her undergraduate major.

How

A student seeking admission to the law school under the accelerated law degree would use the normal law school application process. The student generally should have a Law School Admission test (LSAT) score equal or better than the median LSAT of the law school class that entered in the fall prior to their application, and should have a cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.0 or better.

What if I change my mind?

Students will complete the standard law curriculum of 30 credit hours during the first year of law school, with some work counting toward their undergraduate major and other work as upper level electives. If a student chooses to drop out of Cumberland prior to completion of the first year, any successfully completed law courses would apply toward a bachelor's degree.

Cost

Students will be charged law tuition rates for their fourth year at Samford. Samford students who hold four-year tuition scholarships would be able to apply their scholarship toward their fourth year of tuition. Additionally, because students in the law program are classified as graduate students, they would be eligible for greater federal aid and higher loan limits.

Interested in learning more about the 3+3 Accelerated Law Degree Program? Please meet with your major advisor to make sure you can successfully complete the requirements to be eligible for the 3+3 program. You are also encouraged to meet with Dr. Marissa Grayson and contact the Office of Law Admission at Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law by phone at 800-888-7213 or by email at lawadm@samford.edu.

Law, Politics and Society, an interdisciplinary major offered in cooperation with schools and departments from across the university, combines knowledge from the worlds of law, politics, and a wide variety of other areas. It focuses on the role of law in local, national, and international society, and is intended for students who are interested in studying the law and pursuing a career in law-related fields.

In addition to the general history major, a concentration in legal studies is available. In partnership with the Cumberland School of Law, this concentration will help students develop the important skills and values that will provide a sound foundation for a legal education and for subsequent careers. A history major with a concentration in legal studies will also focus on the knowledge that would maximize a student’s ability to benefit from a legal education. These areas of humanities-based study, as recommended by the American Bar Association (ABA), include: A broad understanding of history, a fundamental understanding of politics, a basic understanding of human behavior and social interaction, and an understanding of diverse cultures within and beyond the United States, of international institutions and issues, of world events, and of the increasing interdependence of the nations and communities within our world. Students will work with an advisor in the Department of History to select general education, major courses, and electives which will prepare them to benefit fully from a challenging legal education. Students are required to complete a Legal Studies Internship (HIST 471) and to participate in the Department of History’s Legal Mentoring Program. In particular, history students preparing to participate in the 3+3 program with Cumberland School of Law are strongly encouraged to concentrate in legal studies.

As a member of the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA), the Samford Mock Trial Team competes in national and regional trial simulations against teams from other universities. Mock trial gives students the opportunity to develop critical thinking and public speaking skills, as well as knowledge of legal practices and procedures. Competitors also cultivate valuable advocacy skills, such as constructing opening and closing arguments, employing rules of evidence, and preparing witnesses for direct and cross examinations. The Cumberland School of Law is home to one of the nation’s premiere Trial Advocacy programs, and the pre-law Mock Trial Team, which is coached by two mock trial veterans who are practicing attorneys, seeks to uphold this tradition of excellence.

As a mock trial competitor, I learned how to bring together details from different sources to create a cohesive story and to think critically about the importance of different facts, a skill invaluable in legal and political work. The development of my public speaking skills has made me more confident in the classroom and in interviews.
--Amanda Gargus, Georgetown Law School, Samford Graduate 2013

Interested in joining Samford’s Mock Trial Team? Contact Pre-Law Advisor and Mock Trial Faculty Advisor, Dr. Marissa Grayson

Samford University does not offer LSAT prep courses but Dr. Grayson can help advise students about opportunities to prepare for the LSAT. Below are a list of resources students may find helpful:

• Blueprint LSAT Prep - Blueprint provides online and LSAT prep courses.
• Kaplan Test Prep - The Kaplan Home Page provides aid for taking the LSAT and other graduate school options.
• Law School Admission Council - Register here to get information about the LSAT, prep tools, free practice tests, and other relevant information for prospective students.
• Maynard Cooper & Gale Minority Scholars LSAT Prep Course - The law firm offers a comprehensive LSAT prep course for highly-motivated undergraduate minority students. Application is typically available in the winter and due in early spring. [link broken as of 11/30/2020]
• Princeton - This site includes Princeton Review material designed to aid in studying for the LSAT.
• TestMasters LSAT Prep - TestMasters provides online and live LSAT prep courses.

The objective of the Samford Pre-law Society is to create a community of students and faculty interested in the legal profession by promoting an awareness of the law and the legal process. The Society will strive to help students prepare for entrance into a formal legal education by providing opportunities for academic advancement while fostering social growth. In order to assist the development of exceptional attorneys, the Samford Pre-law Society will encourage fellowship among students, faculty, and local members of the legal profession.