Call for Legal Scholar Applications

The call for applications will go out every year during the fall semester. Students in their 3rd or 4th years are invited to apply to become Legal Scholars as long as they plan to enroll in law school 2 years after beginning the Legal Scholars Program.

A call for Academic Year 2026-2027 Legal Scholars Applicants appears below. 

The William & Mary Legal Scholars Program invites applications for the 2026-2027 cohort of undergraduate legal scholars. WMLSP provides comprehensive support to a small group of students preparing to apply to law school during the 2027-2028 academic year (for entry in fall 2028). Legal Scholars will take an LSAT prep course during the spring 2027 semester and will take the LSAT during the summer 2027 (preferably in June, but no later than August 2027). Legal Scholars must be available to participate in an in-person law school application boot camp tentatively scheduled on campus from May 24-28, 2027. Students will leave that boot camp with a draft of their personal statement and other optional essays, having arranged for letters of recommendation, and having decided on a tentative list of law schools to which they will apply. There is no cost to participating students. The deadline to submit applications is October 16, 2026.

WMLSP is open to anyone who will complete their bachelor’s degree by August 2028 and who plans to apply to law school for entry in the fall of 2028. WMLSP seeks to enhance successful pathways in the legal profession for students who are limited-income, first-generation, or lack substantial mentoring networks in the legal community.*

To apply, please submit (1) a current resume, (2) an unofficial copy of your W&M transcript, and (3) an essay that responds to the question below (500 word maximum) through the Qualtrics survey to which a link will be posted by September 1, 2026.† Make sure to submit your materials by the end of the day on October 16, 2026. 

Why are you interested in attending law school and why are you an especially good candidate to participate in the W&M Legal Scholars Program? In your response, please explain any challenges or financial limitations that have affected your ability to access a substantial mentor network in the legal community.

As you consider applying to the program, please keep in mind that students admitted to the WMLSP will be required to take an LSAT prep course on Friday afternoons during the spring semester and complete homework associated with that class (including studying for the LSAT exam). LSP application decisions will be made during the fall 2026 semester so that incoming legal scholars can plan accordingly for spring classes. Please keep the program requirement in mind as you are finalizing your spring semester class schedule.

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*The W&M Legal Scholars defines first-generation students as those with neither parent nor legal guardian having completed a bachelor’s degree, in line with the university’s Office of First Generation Student Engagement. The university's Pell Grant Guarantee serves as the basis for limited income eligibility. All students interested in the program are invited to attend its events and presentations. If you have any questions, please reach out to Professor Christine Nemacheck (clnema@wm.edu).
†Or copy and paste the following address into your browser (the survey will be available as of Sept. 1, 2026).