STEM Students in Law Guide
Illustrated by Hanming Li
This guide serves as a one-stop shop for STEM students considering law school. With a comprehensive list of top science and law programs, a law school admissions timeline, and advice from UT CNS alumni students currently attending law school, this guide should help you determine and plan for your future STEM legal career.
Table of Contents:
Law School Admissions Timeline
Advice For STEM Students in Law (Kendall Hagman, GWU Law ‘23)
FAQ about STEM in Law (Shivani Arimilli, UVA Law ‘23)
Introduction: The Importance of Science in Law
Written by Maumita Sadhukhan from Triple Helix
In the age of DNA fingerprinting, environmental protection policies, and array sensors, science has increasingly permeated into the world of law. In order for the law to properly answer the public’s needs, lawyers and law enforcement officers are collaborating more with researchers, allowing the two fields to converge. Likewise, the presence of science in public policy has advanced scientific discovery, as legal systems are paying more attention to sound knowledge and are thus allocating more funding for research.
The Freshman Research Initiative (FRI) Supramolecular Sensors stream, led by principal investigator Eric Anslyn, received a large proportion of its funding partly due to this intersection of research and law. This lab uses technology and chemistry to construct differential array sensors, which detect a variety of small molecules by mimicking the sensitive receptors for taste and smell. Although the arrays are applicable to many fields, such as homeland security and food/clinical diagnostics, Supramolecular Sensors received millions in funding due to its work differentiating between different varieties of wine.
Through sensitive array technology, researchers can use the chemical composition of the grapes in wine to tell the difference between Pinot Noir and Cabernet. In fact, it was this testing that helped win a lawsuit against a French company that was selling low-quality wine grapes as Pinot Noir at a higher cost. This class action lawsuit is a prime example of the mutual relationship between science and law. Groundbreaking research solved this suit , and its results helped provide the necessary resources to further this work by providing the lab with yearly funding to continue its sensor research and open up research to first-year undergraduates.
Aside from lawsuits, scientific advancements have been used in criminal investigations. Genomic research has advanced significantly due to the use of DNA fingerprinting in criminal investigations. By extracting DNA, scanning the entire genome, and distinguishing between individuals, forensic scientists have allowed detectives to arrest many serial killers, such as the Golden State Killer. Once government officials and policy-makers realized how relevant science was to public safety, they began to encourage scientific funding and resources for genomic testing, research on inherited diseases, and money for more advanced technology. As a result, genomic research and other fields in science have become more sophisticated and are now applicable to non-criminal areas as well.
Science and law are involved in a mutual relationship. Encouraging STEM majors to pursue law will allow scientists to receive the representation and funding they need to further their work. For instance, by possessing policy-making power, environmentalists can finally enact effective regulations to protect against pollution and climate change, while genetic scientists can allocate funding to studying DNA and potentially cure fatal genetic diseases.
A sound understanding of science can help resolve court cases involving public safety and regulations, and novel scientific research can be applied to the general public with the assent of policy makers. The collaboration of these two fields is evident in many career paths, including consulting, patent law, urban planning, and environmental regulators. For those looking to make an impact in both research and public policy, one of these careers may be a great starting point.
Best Science + Law Programs/Organizations
Compiled and Written by Naveen Rajan and Caleb Ford
Columbia Law School:
Cornell Law School:
Georgetown University Law Center:
Harvard Law School:
Northwestern Law School:
NYU Law School:
Santa Clara Law School:
Stanford Law School:
The University of Texas at Austin School of Law:
UC Berkeley Law School:
UCLA Law School:
University of Chicago Law School:
University of Pennsylvania Law School:
University of Virginia School of Law:
Law School Admissions Timeline
Written by Antara Gupta
The admissions process can be difficult and confusing to navigate, so it is best to start early! For your convenience, we have compiled a rough timeline to guide you through the admissions process.
April: Do preliminary research on a career in law and the law school admissions process. Why are you interested in pursuing this path? Who can you ask for letters of recommendation that speak on your abilities in law and science? Start lining up good summer opportunities such as jobs, internships and research for experience.
May: Start LSAT prep! Register early for your desired test date. Try to register for a test date in July or August so that you have a lot of time if you need to potentially retake the exam. Some law schools will accept applications without an LSAT, but they will not review your application until they receive your score.
June: Submit transcripts using the Law School Admission Council (LSAC)'s Credential Assembly Service after creating your LSAC account. Make sure to request transcripts from all and any institutions you attended (including summer or study-abroad programs).
September: Work on your personal statement and request your recommenders for letters. When asking for letters, provide each recommender with a list of talking points, some writing samples, and your CV/resume to help guide their letter. Make sure to also strategically choose recommenders who can speak to your different strengths so that law schools receive a holistic representation of your abilities.
October: Complete your personal statement and the rest of the application. Some schools have early decision deadlines in November, so it is important to complete your application by this time.
December: Submit any outstanding applications. If you have updates to your application (award, promotion, etc.), send the schools a brief email detailing them.
Application decisions can arrive anytime between December and April. Make sure to relax during this time. Good luck!
Advice for STEM students in Law
Written by Kendall Hagman (GWU Law ‘23)
Despite law schools' reputation as a destination for liberal arts and business students, people with STEM backgrounds often thrive in them too. This is partially because we're already comfortable thinking logically and analytically, which is hugely important for legal work. It's also because many legal fields (such as patent law and food and drug law) rely on lawyers with actual knowledge about the subject area that they regulate. For instance, someone with a chemistry or biology background is valuable to a law firm that works with biotechnology companies. Your STEM background will set you apart from your classmates in a positive way.
For STEM students, the application process can be somewhat isolating, because it's likely that you won't know anyone else going through it with you. I strongly recommend leaning on UT's pre-law advisor for guidance. If you're considering law school, make an appointment early so that you can plan your timeline appropriately. Try to leave enough time so that you can retake the LSAT if you need it!
Finally, STEM students should be aware that law schools vary widely in their resources at the intersection of science and law. Pay attention to the areas of law that a specific school specializes in when choosing where to apply. Even at schools with good health law or patent law programs, know that you may need to be a little entrepreneurial in finding opportunities that help you reach your goals. Also consider the location — most schools are not nationally recognized, which means that most of the employment opportunities they offer will be in the geographical area in which they're located. I personally chose to attend George Washington University Law in Washington, D.C. because I knew I wanted to work in the federal government after graduation.
Frequently Asked Questions About STEM in Law
Written by Shivani Arimilli (UVA Law ‘23)
My name is Shivani, and I currently attend the University of Virginia School of Law (UVA Law ‘23). I decided to pursue law school right after I graduated (UT ’20, BSA Neuroscience). This summer and after law school, I plan to specialize in intellectual property litigation.
Why is it important for STEM students to go into law?
New developments from various STEM fields! Legal regimes must be created or modified to regulate ever-evolving fields, such as robotics and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, intellectual property, and human genomics. Having a basic background in STEM is helpful in conceptualizing the current and future consequences of new developments. Additionally, STEM advancements influence the dynamics of the legal profession. For example, new developments have created tools to aid research and tools to aid court decisions. For example, risk assessment algorithms in criminal proceedings have been utilized in courts to make pre-trial detention and sentencing decisions. Those who understand the purpose, functionality, and methodology of these algorithms may be able to better detect or intuit problems and solutions (such as mitigating racist algorithms). Along the same lines, attorneys with STEM backgrounds can improve the relationship between regulators and researchers (e.g. by streamlining communication and providing a different perspective).
What advantages and challenges do pre-law STEM students face?
Advantages: Surprisingly, I have found that my writing experiences within CNS prepared me well for legal writing. The practice of legal writing focuses on communicative efficiency. I was once complimented for my simple style and structure in conveying complex arguments. I owe that to my experiences writing lab reports and explaining answers while taking exams in my undergraduate STEM classes.
Disadvantages: Get ready to read a lot! And get ready to participate a lot too.
What programs exist for students interested in the intersection of science and the law?
Polymathic Scholars! I recommend looking through law review articles if you are interested in exploring problems in the legal field. This is also a great way to identify leading scholars in your specific intersection of interest. Many of these prominent thinkers are law school professors, so this may also help you decide which school to attend. Once you get into law school, there are many opportunities to experience different intersections of science and the law. For UVA Law, some of these programs include:
Do you have any admission advice?
I took my LSAT much earlier than necessary (June 2018) after studying from February to June of my sophomore year. I used Test Prep Guy for LSAT preparation, and I would recommend this to others. In addition to LSAT preparation, they offer valuable information about admission strategies and review other application materials.
During senior fall, I gathered letters of recommendation and all relevant transcripts. Over winter break, I worked on my application materials—personal statement, résumé, and school-specific statements of interest to submit my applications by mid-January.
Conclusion
While a legal career is not often what comes to mind when one thinks of STEM professions, science understanding, literacy, and expertise is only becoming more valuable within the legal system. If you are curious to learn more about how to work at the intersection of science and the law, check out this great article on career options from The Balance and this U.S. News article on advice for STEM law school applicants. Good luck!