Law Day set to break world record, help students

More than 100 law schools will send admissions recruiters, alumni and current students to IU on Friday for one of the largest law school-sponsored fairs in the world.

The 2010 Law Day will give students considering law school an opportunity to talk with representatives and learn about the admissions process and requirements.

The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Alumni Hall in the Indiana
Memorial Union.

To see a list of law schools that have registered for the fair visit www.hpplc.indiana.edu/law/LawDay2007.shtml.

“This fair will really expand people’s horizons,” said Mac Francis, director of the IU Health Professions and Prelaw Center. “With so many schools out there, it will allow students to be able to encounter schools they never would have even thought of but will be the perfect fit for them.”

In 2009, the IU law school fair included 110 schools, but this year’s will break that
record.

“It’s pretty usual here because we have 120 law schools coming out of a total of 200. That’s by far the largest university-sponsored law school in the country,” Francis said. “Many other schools that hold law fairs get maybe 40 or 50 schools to come.”

Francis said law schools come to IU because they often get a great student turnout.
“Our students have a reputation of being very well-prepared,” Francis said.

Dani Weatherford, Maurer School of Law director of recruitment, said because administrators don’t get to spend a lot of time with each student, those interested should come prepared to stand out.

“Bringing a list of long, thought-out questions or being able to tell that they’ve
researched the school really shows an administrator that a student is interested,” Weatherford said.

Schools will send their deans and associate deans of admission so students will be able to make personal contact with important staff involved in the admission decisions.
“These are the people that will either say thumbs up or thumbs down,” Francis said. “It’s really important for students to have a conversation with them. It shows the representative that a student is interested in their school.”

— Katie Dawson