The MSL hosted a ‘So You Think You Want to get a JD’ panel for current MSL students who are thinking about additional law study in the future. The session featured Northwestern Pritzker School of Law Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Michael Burns, and three MSL alumni who are currently pursuing JD degrees after having earned their Master of Science in Law degree over the last year or two.
Our featured alumni panelists were:
- Kingston Pung (MSL ’20), Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, 1L
- Karyssa Clark (MSL ’21), Chicago Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology, 1L
- Ian Welsch (MSL ’21), The Ohio State University, Mortiz School of Law, 1L
The panel focused on two main areas: why students might want to study in a JD program (and whether that’s a good idea!) and also the mechanics of applying for a JD. A few points emerged from the discussion:
- Students should think about and be able to articulate their reasons for wanting to study in a JD program. Considering that a JD takes three years and costs a lot, the decision to study law further should be deliberate and not just a default.
- Some students think studying law is fun! The MSL gives its students a very good sense of what it is like to study law, and there will be many similarities between studying in the MSL and studying in a JD program. That gives MSL students a leg up on JD study; past MSL students who have gone on to JD programs have done very well, both academically and in the job market.
- There are a lot of law schools out there and each has its own identity. Students interested in applying to JD programs should do their research and learn about the schools that are in synch with their interests and values. This isn’t just about going to the best school you can get into – it is very important for each student to find a fit between their interests and the law school they want to attend.
Director Burns discussed the advantages of applying to the JD having already earned an MSL degree; he suggested a number of ways to leverage the MSL experience in students’ JD applications. For example, he encouraged MSL students to discuss how the MSL degree had solidified their interest in law and made them surer that they wanted to pursue a JD. He also mentioned that getting a letter of recommendation from a Northwestern Law Professor could be very helpful in a JD application.
Panel moderator and Director of the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law’s MSL program, Leslie Oster, shared, “We are not trying to turn you all into JD students. Quite the contrary. But for those of you who have discovered through the MSL that your passion is law, we will do everything we can to help and encourage you on your path.”
Many thanks to our alumni panelists and to Director Michael Burns for supporting our current MSL students as they consider their many pathways and post-MSL goals.
