Introduction to Prelaw Advising at Empire State University
What is prelaw advising?
Prelaw advising involves fielding questions from students considering applying to law school and interested in entering the legal profession. The prelaw advisor attempts to address procedural questions, provide statistical data, serve as a sounding board for students' concerns (with regard to their potential decision to embark on a law-related career), and offer guidance and direction when a student seeks it.
At Empire State University, our students are distinctive in that they have their own set of concerns as individuals and as a group. As a group, SUNY Empire students tend to be slightly older than students from other undergraduate institutions. In general, this should be considered as a positive factor given the broad and diversified level of experience which they bring to the table in contrast to other applicants to law school. Individually Empire State University students come from various professions and backgrounds.
Pre-Law Resources and Preparation for Law School
Association of the Bar of The City of New York (New York City Bar) Three Day LSAT awareness annual program held in early January
The Association of the Bar of The City of New York, commonly known as The New York City Bar, sponsors an annual low-cost, three-day LSAT awareness program every January.
Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) established in 1968
For nearly 50 years, the Council on Legal Education Opportunity has worked to make the law a more diverse profession by expanding opportunities for underrepresented persons to pursue a legal career.
CUNY School of Law - Pipeline to Justice Program
Pipeline to Justice prepares underrepresented students to enter CUNY School of Law and supports them throughout their law school career.
Fordham University School of Law - Pre-Law Institute
The Summer Pre-Law Institute at Fordham Law exposes undergraduates and graduate students to law school and the law school admissions process.
LatinoJustice/PRLDEF (formerly the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund) - Legal Education Programs
For many decades, LatinoJustice PRLDEF has sponsored a number of well-regarded legal education programs that provide general information about the law school application process, low cost LSAT preparation, and summer pipeline programs for students about to enter law school.
New York Legal Education Opportunity Program (NY LEO) sponsored by the New York State Unified Court System
The New York Legal Education Opportunity Program (NY LEO) is designed to ensure a diverse legal community by promoting academic success in law school for individuals historically under-represented in the legal profession. Through an intense six-week program held the summer before a student enters law school, the NY LEO Program assists students of color, low-income and economically or educationally disadvantaged college graduates in acquiring the fundamental and practical skills necessary to succeed in law school. The program is available to candidates who will attend law school in New York.
Discoverlaw.org: Commitment to Diversity in the Legal Profession, an initiative of the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC)
- Discoverlaw.org
- Real Sample LSAT questions
- DiscoverLaw.org Prelaw Undergraduate Scholars (PLUS) Program
Florida State University College of Law,
Donald J. Weidner Summer Program for Undergraduates
This program brings to campus undergraduate students from throughout the country for a month-long immersion into legal study.
TRIALS - (Training and Recruitment Initiative for Admission to Leading Law Schools), a partnership of NYU School of Law, Harvard Law School, and the Advantage Testing Foundation.
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.
Diverse Bar Associations throughout New York State
| Bar Association | Contact Information |
| Amistad Long Island Black Bar Association |
J. Stewart Moore, Esq. - President |
| Arab American Bar Association |
Yasmin Dwedar, Esq.- President Arab American Bar Association |
| Asian American Bar Association of New York |
Dwight Yoo - President Yang Chen, Executive Director |
| Association of Black Women Attorneys |
Kaylin L. Whittingham, President |
| Black Bar Association of Bronx County |
Naita Semaj, President Black Bar Association of Bronx County |
| Capital District Black and Hispanic Bar Association |
Patricia L. R. Rodriguez , Esq. |
| Dominican Bar Association |
President-Elect Miguelina Camilo The Dominican Bar Association |
| Hispanic National Bar Association - New York, Region II |
Alba Cruz-Hacker, COO & Executive Director Hispanic National Bar Association |
| Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York |
Bridgette Y. Ahn, KALAGNY President KALAGNY |
| Latino Lawyers Association of Queens County |
Catalina Cruz, Esq., President |
| LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York |
Matthew Skinner has been the executive director of LeGaL - The LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York The LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York |
| Long Island Hispanic Bar Association |
Frank Torres, President |
| Metropolitan Black Bar Association |
Paula Edgar, President Metropolitan Black Bar Association |
| Minority Bar Association of Western New York |
Minority Bar Association of Western New York Stephane Saunders |
| Minority Corporate Counsel Association |
Jean Lee, President & CEO Minority Corporate Counsel Association |
| Muslim Bar Association of New York |
Saira Hussain, President Muslim Bar Association of New York |
| National Bar Association, Region II |
NBA Region II - Connecticut, New York & Vermont Keith Andrew Perry, National Executive Director National Bar Association |
| National Black Prosecutors, Region 7 |
William Jorden, President The National Black Prosecutors Association |
| Nigerian Lawyers Association, Inc. |
Nexus U. Sea, President Nigerian Lawyers Association |
| The Puerto Rican Bar Association |
Carmen A. Pacheco, Esq., President Puerto Rican Bar Association |
| Rochester Black Bar Association |
Duwaine Bascoe, President Rochester Black Bar Association |
| South Asian Bar Association of New York |
Mahesh Parlikad, President |
| Westchester Black Bar Association |
Sophia Trott, Esq., President Westchester Black Bar Association, Inc |
Justin A. Giordano, Esq.
Mentor Justin Giordano has been a full-time member of the Empire State University faculty since September 1992. He holds an M.B.A. in finance and a Juris Doctor degree. He is licensed to practice law in the states of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and is admitted to the United States Supreme Court and other federal courts.
As a member of the Empire State University faculty, Giordano teaches/mentors in the area of business, management and economics. In addition to teaching a full spectrum of business-related studies, he also specializes in business law and the legal environment, entertainment law, international legal transactions, constitutional law, and a number of other law related studies. He has also taught entertainment law and international law at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, CA.
Justin Giordano's office is located in New York City at 4 Park Avenue, NY, NY 10016. He can be reached via telephone at 212-647-7800, by email at Justin.Giordano@sunyempire.edu, or by visiting him at his office in Manhattan (appointments preferred).