Students from all different majors with an interest in law gathered at the BYU–Hawaii Pre-Law Society’s Forum. Marie Kulbeth, admissions director at BYU Law School, lectured, gave insights and professional opinions into preparing for and applying to law school.
Senior political science major Cameron Segura described the Pre-Law Society as “working together to build a support community for future lawyers and anyone who is interested in the law.”
In the society, they study for the Law School Admission Test weekly, and help one another be aware of important deadlines, ultimately preparing to enter law school. Segura has been a member since 2014 and is preparing to take the LSAT this month.
The BYUH Pre-Law Society has created a tie between BYUH and the Ruben J. Clark Law School.
Kulbeth remarked on the unique nature of the relationship. She said, “BYUH has a significant relationship with BYU Law school, one that no other school has.”
This relationship enables visits from Kulberth and the Dean of the BYU Law school. Kulbeth's presentation focused on what will make a student applying to law school shine. She highlighted individual personal statements as a vital part of the application.
Kulbeth said, “The biggest thing that you can do in terms of changing the conversation outside of your numbers is by telling us something about you that really helps you stand out.”
She said a personal statement is where students can do that and went through the specifics of writing and submitting one. Getting insights directly from the law school you are applying to is a huge advantage, described Jennifer Kajiyama, who set up the Forum. Kajiyama teaches at BYUH as an instructor in the political science and history departments and oversees the Pre-Law Society.
According to Kajiyama, although the program is relatively new, the students are already gaining an advantage through this preparatory program. One student, said Kajiyama, was a member of the Pre-Law Society and was admitted to J. Reuben Clark Law.
“He is very intelligent, and is doing really well.” On the first day of class, Kajiyama explained, his professor asked how many of them had ever briefed a case and only three hands went up. His professor then asked how many had ever written a memo, and he was the only one to raise his hand.
“Those are all things that we teach in our legal studies certificate. He felt like he had such an added edge. He had confidence after that. If you’re interested in law, just come and join us!”
More than 50 students are currently involved in the process of applying to law school, “and that little number is only growing,” said Kajiyama.Segura said he has always been interested in law and said his time in the Pre- Law Society has greatly helped him to prepare.
He said, “You can see it as a conduit to the field of justice, but also a way to find the truth that’s behind every story. Often the truth can be obscured by biases.”
Segura said he wants to be “an advocate for those people... because the law has affected [his] life on a very personal level.”