Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law
Application requirements
Each entering class is composed of accomplished people who bring a spectrum of experiences and perspective to the Law School community. To aid in constructing a diverse and interesting class, we require a personal statement. This statement provides you with an opportunity to demonstrate the ways in which you can contribute your talents and experiences to the Law School. In the past, successful applicants have written about significant personal, academic, and professional experiences; meaningful intellectual interests; extracurricular activities; and factors inspiring them to obtain a legal education.
Please limit your statement to two double-spaced pages, and include your printed name and Social Security number (or LSAC account number) on all attachments.
This section is optional.
In addition to your personal statement, you may include a statement discussing background or experience that you believe is important for the admissions committee to consider. Information that students have included in the past that the admissions committee has found to be helpful includes, but is not limited to, the description or documentation of a disability, hardships overcome, personal or family history of education, or socioeconomic disadvantage. If there is any information in your application you wish to clarify ( for example, particular grades, a history of standardized testing that under-predicts your academic performance, gaps in employment) you may submit as many addenda as you need.
Please attach a current résumé.
- Because of the high ethical standards governing lawyers, the failure to disclose an act or event, such as the ones described below, is often more significant and leads to more serious consequences than the act or event itself. Failure to provide full and truthful answers may result in revocation of admission or disciplinary action by the Law School, or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek admission. Note: An affirmative answer to any of these questions will not automatically preclude your admission. In addition, as state requirements vary, we advise you to obtain information about qualification for admission to the bar of the state in which you intend to practice.
*If your answer to any of the Character and Fitness questions is "Yes," you must attach an explanatory statement. If you do not attach an explanation, the processing and review of your application will be delayed. Vague statements are not acceptable.
Continuing Obligation to Report Information: Should your response to any of these questions change during the course of your application, prior to matriculation, or while enrolled at the Law School, you must immediately inform the Office of Enrollment Management.
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Have you ever been subject to any disciplinary action, placed on academic probation, or dismissed from any school, college, university, or graduate/professional school that you have attended? Is any such action pending or expected to be brought against you? Please provide details including relevant dates, description of the incident, disposition of the incident, and any other relevant details following the incident.
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Are you a defendant in a pending criminal matter, or have you, at any age, unless specifically excluded below, been charged with, indicted for, tried for, convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, any felony or misdemeanor or the violation of any law? In your response to this question, disclose any matter in which you were adjudicated a youthful offender or received an equivalent adjudication in another jurisdiction.
Do NOT report:
(a) any matter in which you were adjudicated a juvenile delinquent in Family Court or other noncriminal proceeding;
(b) any citation, ticket or arrest that did not result in criminal charges or an indictment, trial, conviction or guilty plea;
(c) vehicle and traffic matters that occurred more than 10 years before the filing of this application, EXCEPT alcohol or drug-related traffic violations, which must be reported in all cases, irrespective of when they occurred; or
(d) parking violations.
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Have you ever registered for or attended any academic course of studies at another law school?
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If you answered "Yes" to attending a previous Law School, please disclose the name of the law school here: (maximum characters 100)
This section is optional.
If you need additional space regarding any unique skills, please attach it here.