Stanford Law Scholars Institute

The SLSI program has been discontinued due to university budget cuts. We are exploring partnership opportunities to institute a new program with greater reach, scale and impact.

Students in past cohorts will continue to be supported. For help, please contact:

Jonathan Berry-Smith
Associate, Special Projects
Dean’s Office, Stanford Law School
jbsmith@law.stanford.edu

What Is Stanford Law School’s Law Scholars Institute?

Stanford Law School launched the Stanford Law Scholars Institute (SLSI) in 2022. The program was designed to provide support and training to undergraduate students seeking to explore the opportunities and benefits of a legal career for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Curriculum Highlights

  • Overview of the American Legal System: key institutions, including courts and legislatures, the processes involved in litigation and policy-making.
  • An Introduction to Legal Education: law school culture, legal analysis, legal research and writing, oral advocacy.
  • Legal Careers: readings and speakers will provide exposure to the vast array of options a law degree can create.
  • Law School Application Process: how to approach drafting the law school application component parts and planning to take LSAT.
  • Financing Law School: effective strategies to make law school more affordable.
  • Organizational and Leadership Skills: time management, planning, emotional intelligence, active listening, confronting stereotype threat, imposter syndrome and implicit bias, managing teams and groups.
Image by Scott McDonald

Program Highlights

  • Speakers and instructors for the program will include Stanford Law faculty and staff as well as leading practitioners and judges.
  • Platforms for continuing mentoring and advising: online, in person, or by phone, Scholars will have access to mentors and advisors as they move forward in the process to apply to law school.
  • Law School Admissions Test planning: Stanford’s SLSI Program is not focused on preparing Law Scholars to take the LSAT. The Program will subsidize a test preparation course when Scholars have decided to take the exam and will provide helpful hints about how to approach studying for and taking the test.
  • A community of support from those who share your experiences, concerns, and who have faced and overcome similar obstacles.
Image by Scott McDonald

Past SLSI Cohorts