Will law school admissions counselors hold it against me if my personal statement and resume indicates a strong background and commitment to public interest law, but I decide not to apply to the specialized public interest programs at the law schools I'm applying to?
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They wouldn't hold it against you but it could look a bit odd. Because if you say you have a commitment to public interest law ... why not apply for our specialized program? Right? But it also depends on the nature of the program you're applying for (ie, maybe you feel strongly about it, but not so strongly that you'd be willing to take a limited seat from someone else).
And for folks reading this afterwards, you are NOT applying to specialized programs at the vast majority of schools. You really are just applying to "law school" and you're using your personal statement to let us know what your current plan is. But the nature of public interest jobs are such that some schools may have specialized programs to support them and they have a separate app for them. Why for PI programs? Because PI jobs are often lower paying but align with the mission of the law school and broader university. So applying for and being admitted to these programs may come with some financial benefits to help pay some bills.
I have the same problem as Simon! I didn't want to fully commit to a program, and I was worried that I may struggle with scholarships/loans if I chose to opt out of the program later.
Separately, for public interest lawyers at private for-profit firms, are they considered public interest lawyers as well? I wasn't quite sure how to delineate that my motive to pursue law is to advocate for historically unrepresented groups, but that I am not at the point where I can commit working in the government or at a non-profit organization. Especially since I am also interested in other programs, like joint degree ones that offer JD/MPH!
Could you clarify your question? Is that more of a "this is what I do now and am unsure of how to present it versus my ultimate goal?" or is that "my ultimate goal is to advocate for historically underrepresented groups but it would be a at firm rather than a government agency?"
Yes, sorry! So my personal statement and work/volunteering experience lend that I have an interest in PI (either in immigration or healthcare law). I am currently not planning on applying to Public Interest Scholarships or PI-specific programs. And while I would like to work at a non-profit or be a public defender, I am also a bit unsure of whether this is the right choice for me at the time of applying. Perhaps some of the confusion is coming from not having a clear vision of my ultimate goal? It feels a bit unrealistic to want to advocate for these groups and yet not work as a PI lawyer.
I'm sorry if that's still confusing! I can clarify anything else if need be! Thank you for your response 😊
Thanks for clarifying!
I think that this goes back to the "it depends on the nature of the program" that we're talking about because not every program is the right fit for everyone. It could look a little odd, but don't feel like you should apply for them just so that you can back up what you've said in your PS.
@JacobBaska Thank you for the feedback. The reason I'm asking is because, although I'm passionate about public interest law, I'm not so committed that I'm willing to foreclose the possibility to pursue private practice. Do you think clarifying that distinction on my application is important?
@Simon It's really not necessary to discuss further in your app because this is exactly what the admissions officers would assume! I probably should have said this from the jump but there are times when there may just be a logical oddity in your file and there's really nothing to do about it. This is one of those cases. Because you should write your personal statement about why you want to go to law school and you shouldn't apply for a program if you aren't sold on it. But per your top line question of will they hold it against you? Nope, they won't hold it against you. It'll just look a smidge odd.
What are these specialized public interest programs? I have not seen any schools that have a specific separate program for public interest aside from the standard law admissions entry, is this a separate program you need to seek entry?
I am trying to path towards AUSA, relying on PSLF, and seeking out schools that have good networks and connections into public service.