Although there are no majors in law school, there are plenty of ways to cater your academic experience to certain areas of law. One of the easiest ways to do that is by picking electives, or courses not tested on the bar exam. There are a wide range of electives, and most law students have two different approaches to selecting them. Most students either take electives that interest them, either because they already know they want to pursue that field of law or because they are not sure what law is the best fit for them. For students who are particularly interested in a certain type of law and want a more catered experience, LMU Loyola Law School has a variety of concentrations to choose from. My passion for family law and interest in litigation led me to choose the Civil Litigation and Advocacy Concentration. Before making my decision, I had the opportunity to sit down and discuss my career goals with Associate Dean for Faculty Gary Craig, a mentor of mine who I had the opportunity to meet through the Summer Institute Program. As a former litigator and former professor for the Civil Litigation Practicum, he helped me realize the concentration was a good fit for my career goals. This year, I am working on my concentration through the Civil Litigation Practicum year-long course. Throughout the course, the professor guides us through all the parts of civil litigation through a simulated civil matter. We propound discovery, write motions, and even participate in mock depositions and motion hearings! Choosing to concentrate in Civil Litigation and Advocacy has been an amazing experience so far and I encourage all students, especially 1Ls to browse through and explore the various concentrations offered. Even if they are not mandatory, they are an amazing experience!
