Pre-law fellowship programs can be a game-changer if you’re considering law school but you’re not sure if it’s the right fit (or you don’t have lawyers in your network to ask). From my own journey to a career in law, I know how powerful it is to find supportive communities to nurture your aspirations. If you’re wondering why these programs matter (and how one helped me decide to apply to law school), read my blog post : Considering Law School?: The Value of Pre-Law Fellowship Programs.

Whether you’re a first-generation college student or someone looking to explore the legal profession before committing to law school, pre-law fellowships can help you gain clarity, build familiarity with law school admissions or the legal profession at large, and expand your network. This guide is here to help you explore pre-law fellowship opportunities that align with your goals and give you a strong foundation for your law school journey.

Overview of Pre-Law Fellowships

Generally, pre-law fellowships are programs designed to provide aspiring law students with exposure to the legal field, mentorship, and resources to help you navigate the law school application process or provide you with insights into law practice. These fellowships can sometimes focus on supporting students from historically underrepresented backgrounds in law, including first-generation college students, students of color, and individuals committed to public interest law.

Depending on the program, fellowships may offer opportunities such as:

Mentorship from law students, attorneys, or professors
Workshops on the law school application process (including LSAT preparation, personal statement writing, and resume building)
Networking opportunities with legal professionals
Internships or hands-on legal experience
Financial support or stipends to alleviate costs associated with exploring legal careers

Types of Pre-Law Fellowships

Pre-law fellowships can vary widely in their structure, duration, and focus. Common types include:

Summer Pre-Law Fellowships: Intensive, short-term programs that offer coursework, mentorship, or LSAT preparation.
Academic-Year Fellowships: Programs that provide ongoing support and mentorship throughout the academic school year.
Internship-Based Fellowships: Opportunities that place participants in legal internships or externships for hands-on experience.
Law School Pipeline Programs: Offered by staff at law schools, these programs are designed to help students navigate the admissions process and succeed in law school.

Benefits of Participating in Pre-Law Fellowships and Programs

Participating in a pre-law fellowship or program can provide numerous benefits, including:

Clarity about your career goals: Exploring different areas of law can help you determine whether a legal career aligns with your passions and interests
Mentorship and guidance: Having mentors who have walked the path before you can be invaluable as you navigate the challenges of pursuing a legal career
Networking opportunities: Building relationships with legal professionals can open doors to internships, mentorship, and job opportunities
Skill development: Some fellowships offer workshops to help you build important skills like legal research, writing, and critical thinking
Application support: Many programs provide resources and feedback to help you strengthen your law school application.

Pre-Law Fellowships and Programs

Below is a curated list of pre-law fellowship and pipeline programs. To support first-generation college students or grads and folks from low-income backgrounds, this resource focuses mostly on free or low-cost pre-law programs. Program details, eligibility requirements, and deadlines may change each year. Please visit each organization’s website for the most up-to-date information.

Good luck in your search!

California-based Pre-Law Fellowships and Programs

For People of Color, Inc.: According to its website, “Since its founding in 2000, For People of Color, Inc. (“FPOC”) has provided free, high-quality law school admissions consulting services to thousands of prospective law school applicants. FPOC is widely recognized as a leader in its efforts to diversify the profession. Its workshops and publications are credited with assisting students gain admission to the country’s most selective law schools.” FPOC hosts law school admissions conferences at various law schools across the country. Subscribe to their email list and follow them on social media to learn more.

FPOC’s 26th Annual In-Person Law School Admissions Conference at UCLA will take place on
Saturday, March 7, 2026 – 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Legal Education Access Pipeline (LEAP): According to its website, “Each fellowship cohort runs for nine months and involves a series of workshops coupled with mentoring from a law student and from a lawyer, visits to courtrooms and law offices, and moot court competitions. The program aims to prepare students for law school, not just through application readiness, but also through building soft skills that help fellows excel in law school and in their careers, by giving fellows a network of helpful connections, and by preparing them to be change agents in their communities.” (BTW, I’ve mentored in this program for 4 years and served as a panelist for about 5 years so feel free to ask me about it!)

Loyola Law School’s Coelho Center Law Fellowship Program: According to its website, the program’s “ultimate goal is to increase disability representation the legal profession. . . . [The Fellowship Program] targets college students and recent graduates with disabilities to provide encouragement, support and mentorship that is crucial to success. Currently, there is no program like The Coelho Center Law Fellowship Program with a specific mission to train and mentor college students with disabilities to think about a path toward law school.

Stanford Law Scholars Institute: According to its website, the institution “is designed to provide support and training to undergraduate students seeking to explore the opportunities and benefits of a legal career for themselves, their families, and their communities.”

UC Davis School of Lawe – KHOP Special Session Outreach Program:
The King Hall Outreach Program (KHOP) Special Session at UC Davis School of Law is a no-cost, Zoom-based pre-law pipeline program for aspiring law school applicants who graduated more than one year ago (March 2025 or earlier) and are planning to apply to law school (e.g., fall 2026 for a fall 2027 start). This special session expands access to the award-winning KHOP outreach programming — historically designed to help first-generation college students and individuals from economically underserved backgrounds navigate the law school admissions process. Participants attend structured online sessions outside regular business hours and are enrolled in an LSAT prep course with LSAT Lab as part of the program. Lectures, activities, and workshops give prospective applicants practical support, community, and exposure to legal skills and professional development as they prepare for law school. The application deadline is Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.

UC Irvine Law School’s Pre-Law Outreach Program: According to its website, “[t]he UC Irvine School of Law Pre-Law Outreach Program (“POP”) is sponsored by the Orange County Bar Association Charitable Fund and Blueprint LSAT, Inc. POP helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds understand the demands of law school, prepare for the law school application and admissions process, and be inspired to one day use their legal skills to give back to the community.”

UCLA Law Fellows Programs: According to its website, “[t]his program is designed to encourage and prepare high-potential undergraduate and graduate students for a career in law, increase the diversity of the law school pool, and demystify the law school experience.” (BTW, I was a UCLA Law Fellow in 2011 and it helped me to solidify my decision to apply to law school.)

Nationwide Pre-Law Programs or Program Based Outside California

AfroScholars: According to its website, “Afro Scholars is a premier leadership development program that provides exceptional first-year law students with career-coaching, professional development tools, law-firm mentor matching and summer associate recruiting opportunities.”

CLEO Inc.: Visit CLEO’s website to learn about their Pre-Law Summer Institute and read their “You Can Be A Lawyer Toolkit.”

Duke PreLaw Fellowship Program: According to its website, “The Duke Prelaw Fellowship Program is a four-week (June 2, 2024 – June 28, 2024) residential program that aims to introduce talented rising college sophomores and juniors to the study of law and to the legal profession.”

Harvard’s Future Leaders in Law Program: According to its website, “The Future Leaders in Law Program will bring together individuals with a range of lived experiences, primarily individuals from first-generation and less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, for a weeklong residential fellowship at Harvard Law School (HLS) to help prepare them to apply for admission to law schools around the nation. While on campus, Future Leaders in Law Fellows (Fellows) will engage with HLS faculty, staff, students, and alumni. During this weeklong residency and over the course of the yearlong program, participants will benefit from test and application preparation services, mentorship and networking opportunities, field trips, as well as academic and professional skill-building elements.”

LatinoJustice’s Law Bound Program: According to its website, “The LatinoJustice PRLDEF LAWBound® program demystifies law school and the admissions process while introducing program participants to experts in the field.” The program is offered twice a year, in winter and summer. The summer program will be held Monday, July 27, 2026 through Friday, July 31, 2026.
Applications for Summer LAWbound® open Monday, April 6, 2026

SEO Law’s Pre-Law Pipeline Program: The SEO Law Catalyst is a free, virtual pre-law pipeline program designed to support individuals from underserved populations throughout the law school application process. It offers resources such as customized LSAT preparation, application workshops, individualized reviews, discussions with admissions officers, community-building opportunities, and mentorship from practicing attorneys.

Sidley Prelaw Scholars Program: According to its website, “The Sidley Scholars Summer Seminar is a multi-day introduction to the structure of the American legal system, substantive instruction on the traditional first-year law school courses, and advice on how to succeed in law school. It also provides an opportunity to meet Sidley lawyers and other leaders in the legal community. The Sidley Scholars Summer Seminar is for Scholars who are starting law school immediately following the Summer Seminar.”

Sonia & Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program: According to their website, “The Sonia & Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program (The Sotomayor Program) seeks to cultivate and develop future leaders from underserved communities through judicial internships, educational experiences, and the resources necessary to achieve their professional goals.” The Sotoymayor Program offers programs for high school students, college students, and law students.

TRIALS: This is a partnership between the Advantage Testing Foundation, Harvard Law School, and NYU School of Law. According to its website, Trials is a “residential scholarship program that helps talented and motivated college students of modest means gain admission to the nation’s leading law schools.”

Yale Law School Launchpad Scholars Program: According to its website, “[t]his innovative program aims to ensure that excellent applicants from all backgrounds can maximize their potential as law students and legal professionals, empowering them to become leaders in their future careers. Participants will receive tools and resources — including one-on-one mentorship, LSAT preparation, and step-by-step guidance — so they can successfully apply to the law schools of their choosing. The goal of the program is to further diversify the legal profession and ensure that excellent applicants from all backgrounds are able to maximize their potential as law students, legal professionals, and future leaders.”

Pre-Law Resources

Law School Admission Council’s “Pathways to a Legal Career”: Provides information and tools to help students explore legal careers and prepare for the law school admissions process.

Ms. JD offers a free, online, module-based guide to help you decide if law school is for you and navigate the admissions (and post-admissions) processes. Check it out on their website at https://msjdorg.lpages.co/pre-law-foundations/. They also offer a pre-law magazine, a great spot to learn more about women who practice law. Check it out at https://msjdorg.lpages.co/. Finally, Ms. JD also offers a two-day virtual program to help you gear up for law school admissions. It’s offered twice a year. Visit their website to learn more at https://msjdorg.lpages.co/application-accelerator/.

UC Davis offers pre-law advising for its students and some of the information is available to the public on their website: https://tutoring.ucdavis.edu/pathways/pre-grad-law/law

Pre-Law Programs for High School Students

It’s never too early to start thinking about pursuing a career in law! There are several non profit organizations and government agencies that provide programs for high school students to learn about careers in law. Here are a few and if you know of one that isn’t listed, drop me a note!

Hispanic National Bar Foundation’s Future Latino Leaders Law Camp: The Summer Law Camp is an 8-day experience for high school students interested in learning about legal careers. The program is open to all students. Applications are due February 28, 2026.

Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles – Summer Judicial Internship: The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles Summer Judicial Internship Program offers participants the chance to observe live court proceedings, learn from judges and court professionals, and explore real career pathways in the justice system.

🗓 June 8 – July 31, 2026
📍 Countywide placements + hybrid/remote options
📝 Now Accepting Applications
⏰ Apply by May 3rd!

Unfortunately, the internship is unpaid, according to the bulletin.

For full program details, please see the bulletin here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lasc/jobs/5231864/judicial-internship-summer-2026?pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs.

If you know of a pre-law fellowship or pipeline program that should be included in this guide, feel free to share it with me so I can continue expanding this resource for future lawyers.