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BU’s Pre-Law Review to publish again starting in April

Boston University’s Pre-Law Review undergraduate student journal will return to publication in late April after a semester-long hiatus due to changes within the executive board and reconstruction of the club.

Founded in 1991, the Pre-Law Review features commentary on legal issues to promote awareness within the pre-law community of resources available to students interested in applying to law school, according Merissa Pico, the president of the Pre-Law Review.

“We are re-launching the Pre-Law Review this current semester because it is such a great club and publication,” Pico, a College of Communication junior, said. “The PLR gives students the opportunity to be published and to cover a topic that they are truly passionate about. At the same time, it informs the BU community of today’s important legal issues and cases.”

Published once per semester, the Pre-Law Review will allow BU undergraduate students interested in law to both contribute to and learn more about BU’s law community, Pico said.

“All of our contributors and staff are undergraduates, the large majority of which will be applying to law school,” she said. “However, the PLR staff spans a variety of majors, schools and class years, as no specific academic or experiential requirements are necessary to work on the PLR.”

Although the PLR will return in the same style as its predecessor, PLR officials are looking to modernize the layout and vamp up student engagement within the PLR community.

“The content of the PLR will be the same,” she said. “However, this semester, we will be updating the layout design. Additionally, we are trying to make the club more cohesive than it has been in the past by having more fundraisers and events.”

Pico said the PLR would also sponsor events devoted to helping students prepare for the Law School Admission Test and apply for law school.

“The PLR contributes both to the pre-law community and the overarching BU community by providing a platform for students who want to talk about and inform others about current legal issues,” she said. “For the pre-law community specifically, the PLR holds events devoted to helping those preparing for the LSAT and applying to law school.”

Edward Stern, the faculty advisor for the PLR and assistant dean for pre-law advising, said the PLR can help students cultivate their interest in law while improving their writing skills.

“Students can get the opportunity on their own to really think about different legal issues,” he said. “Writing is important within the realm of academia and law, so the opportunity to publish in the Pre-Law Review or any journal is good. You want students to learn how to communicate as well as possible.”

The executive board’s recent effort to reorganize their community is strong evidence of the PLR’s move into the future, Stern said.

“Because it requires money to print and distribute, anything that makes us more efficient is a good thing,” he said. “ It takes pressure off the students who are writing and editing.”

Kevin Outterson, a professor of law at BU, said PLR provides students valuable information about law school and legal careers.

“[The Pre-Law Review] gives students ideas about law school and accurate information in terms of what sort of courses to take in undergrad, how to apply to law school, and what law schools are looking for – all of that is great,” he said. “It is similar to other pre-professional programs that help students get ready for a professional career in law.”

Strong communication skills are ideal to students looking to apply to law school in the future, Outterson said.

“In general, law schools are not looking for a specific type of student, like a political science major or one who has taken certain courses,” he said. “What they want to see is a strong ability to read and analyze, to communicate well through writing and orally, and to work in teams.”

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