The Hillsdale to Law Connection

Written by Victoria Kelly

The education at Hillsdale does not focus on vocational preparation. In the tradition of the liberal arts, we believe that there is more to the educational endeavor—that it’s about learning for its own sake; becoming well-educated in general, not just in specific areas; and shaping your own character. At the same time, Hillsdale prepares its students especially well for a number of vocations that many students here choose. One is the study and practice of law.

The Class of 2024 is about to graduate, and in the fall, a number of its members will start school again, this time as 1Ls (the familiar term for first-year students) in law school. Hillsdale students place well into law school: multiple Hillsdale students will be at the University of Chicago (ranked #3 by the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings), Harvard University (tied for #4) and the University of Michigan (#9) in the fall. Hillsdale students also frequently go on to study at the University of Notre Dame’s law school and receive full-ride scholarship offers to schools lower in the rankings but exceptional in specialized areas.

What is it that makes Hillsdale such an outstanding place to prepare to study law and to find a path to good law schools?

Although Hillsdale does not have a pre-law major, it does have a pre-law program under the advising of philosophy professor Dr. Nathan Schlueter. The looseness of the program reflects the idea seen in our education in general: that everything we do here is relevant. Still, specialized advising and preparation are available for students who want to make use of it.

Even apart from that advising, Hillsdale’s general program helps students prepare for law school applications. I found the Logic and Rhetoric core course, which is required of all Hillsdale students, quite helpful in conquering the Logical Reasoning section of the LSAT. Some students also take more advanced classes such as Introduction to Logic for the same reason. The general rigor of classes here accustoms students early to the demands that will be placed on them in law school, and the strong writing skills we gain from our required Great Books classes, as well as from many others, play a key role in conquering application essays. Additionally, because law is such a common destination for Hillsdale students, the Career Services Office is always ready with focused advice whether for test prep or resume organization.

Students have nearly countless opportunities for campus involvement that will make their resumes stand out in applying to law school. Some of these opportunities are interesting and valuable for their own sake to those of us passionate about the law. Perhaps most notable is our Federalist Society chapter. For those unfamiliar, the Federalist Society is a nationwide program for students of the law, generally those of more originalist or conservative persuasions. Most law schools have a chapter, but it’s rare for an undergraduate institution to have one. Hillsdale’s chapter thrives as one of the largest organizations on campus. Their events draw large crowds, and deservedly so for the experts that they bring to campus. I was able to attend two this semester: one with Ohio Attorney General David Yost and Solicitor General Elliot Gaiser (a 2012 Hillsdale graduate who recently clerked for Justice Alito on the Supreme Court) and another with administrative law faculty from the law schools at the University of Michigan and Notre Dame. At events such as these, Hillsdale students engage with developing cases in law and delve into the theory behind court precedent and potential decisions. They also receive encouragement in their endeavors: Attorney General Yost spoke to us about the necessity of humility and holding to the good, true, and beautiful as we work at “shining light into darkened places.”

Faculty and specific classes also serve as amazing resources. Dr. Schlueter teaches a one-credit class every year called Law and Society that introduces students to the legal profession, and past Michigan Supreme Court Justice Stephen Markman teaches a class on Constitutional Law every two years. Politics professor Dr. Joseph Postell teaches a class on administrative law, which I was able to take as a junior. His explanations help his students understand how precedent and legal tests develop, and his exams, patterned after law school hypothetical-based (fact pattern) exams, help students practice for law school. Many aspiring law students also talk to Dr. Postell about the process of applying to and selecting a law school because of his knowledge of the field and kind attention to helping us pick out a program that will be a good fit.

Because Hillsdale has done well with preparing students for and placing them into law school, a steady tradition has developed. Some of the best help I received in starting the application process came from a fellow student in the class year ahead of me. He (who has since started at the University of Michigan Law School) provided suggestions for resources that helped me navigate the LSAT. Since then, I’ve shared that advice and what I’ve learned with current juniors interested in law school. I know that I can lean on other Hillsdale graduates for advice as I navigate my law school experience and career, and I’ve already decided that I will continue to be there for my peers and the next students who start down this same path.

In a few months, I’ll be a 1L at the University of Virginia School of Law (tied for #4 in the nation). Though I am excited and a little scared—just as I was to be a freshman at Hillsdale—I also know that I have grown during my time at Hillsdale and have prepared myself for this next step. I, for one, can’t wait to build on what I’ve learned here and see the other future lawyers develop from my graduating class and from Hillsdale classes yet to come.

Victoria Kelly, ’24, is a proud country girl from upstate New York. On the rare occasion she is not studying or hanging out with all her favorite Hillsdale people, you can find her debating politics, practicing Tae Kwon Do, or swing dancing, preferably outside under the stars.

Published in May 2024