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Resources

This page showcases resources for students interested in learning more about the fields of law and politics, law school admissions, how to ask for letters of recommendation, and other matters. 

Have a resource you would like to share with students?

Please contact Zain Sharifi, Undergraduate Student Affairs Advisor for the Department of Political Science.

Professional Mentors

Students who are able to connect with mentors before, during, and after the law school process find that they are more prepared for hurdles they encounter in their academic, personal, and professional lives.

Alumni and community members: If you are interested in providing mentoring opportunities to students, please complete this short form so that we can add your contact information below. 

The following list represents individuals who welcome any questions students may have about law school.

Anissa Badea

Chloe Delehanty

  • Associate; Wilson Sonsini
  • Email: Cdelehanty@wsgr.com
  • LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-delehanty-ba266262
  • UCSD Alumni
  • Availability of Mentorship: Email, Phone Call, Job Shadowing, Informational Interview, In-Person Meeting, Video Conferencing (Skype, Google Hangout, Zoom, etc.)
  • I am a young attorney who also went to USD law. I was originally an art history and political science major at UCSD. UCSD is close to my heart, and I’d love to mentor students!

Dan Rozansky

Desi Kalcheva

Eva Gabriel [Not currently taking additional emails regarding mentorship at this time]

  • 1L at Georgetown Law; Former Transportation Planner
  • Email: eg921@georgetown.edu
  • UCSD Alumni
  • LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eveet-gabriel/
  • Availability of Mentorship: Email, Phone Call, Informational Interview, In-Person Meeting, Video Conferencing (Skype, Google Hangout, Zoom, etc.)
  • I am happy to help anyone with the admissions process including statements review, resumes, LSAT prep, and interview tips. Perfecting all of these lead me to getting admitted into several schools with significant scholarships.
Marcella O. McLaughlin
  • Superior Court Judge
  • Email: Marcella.Mclauglin@SDCOURT.CA.GOV
  • Availability of Mentorship: Email, Phone Call, Job Shadowing, In-Person Meeting
  • UCSD Alumni
  • Marcella is happy to speak with any student interested in pursuing the study of law or a future in law or criminal justice. She is a Latinx woman and interested in working with students from diverse backgrounds, but is open to sharing her perspective with all.

Samuel Duimovich

Tabrez Y. Ebrahim

Pre-Law Board

Board members are attorneys currently enrolled in the doctoral program in political science. Members of the board bring broad and deep experience as law students and attorneys. They are available for individual appointments to discuss careers in law, selection of appropriate law schools, the application and admissions processes, and other concerns that you may have about this career path. Please contact each directly to arrange an appointment.


Jennifer Gaudette

Jennifer graduated with honors from Columbia Law School in 2013, where she served as an editor on the Columbia Business Law Review.  Jennifer practiced as a corporate lawyer (contracts, mergers & acquisitions, corporate governance, etc.) for seven years prior to entering the UCSD Political Science PhD program, during which time she worked both at large international law firms and a boutique law firm. Jennifer's current research interests include lobbying and the effects of certain interest group endorsements in American politics.

jennifergaudette@gmail.com


Furkan Benliogullari

Furkan graduated from the LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws) program at Istanbul University in 2016 and the LL.M. (Master of Laws) program at the University of Minnesota Law School in 2017 and specialized in human rights and international law. Between 2012 and 2016, Furkan co-founded and managed a human rights organization in Turkey. In 2017, he worked at The Advocates for Human Rights as a research intern. Furkan worked as an Erasmus legal intern in Germany for three months in 2014, and he is familiar with the European public law. Furkan’s current academic interest is in international organizations and human rights mechanisms.

fbenliog@ucsd.edu


Michael "Patrick" Hulme

Patrick graduated from the UCLA School of Law in 2017, where he served as an articles editor for the Journal of International Law & Foreign Affairs. During law school, he interned for the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as for the international law division of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. He also has some private practice experience in business and real estate law through working for a few law firms located here in San Diego. Currently, Patrick is building on his academic interest in international law as a UCSD graduate student in international relations.

mhulme@ucsd.edu


John Porten

John graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School in 2006. John spent five years in private practice focusing on corporate ownership disputes and commercial litigation, and continues to serve as a legal advisor in non-profit organizations, including a project administered by the American Cancer Society.

jporten@ucsd.edu


Matthew Draper

Matthew graduated from William and Mary Law School in 2009, specializing in intellectual property, elections and international trade law. During law school, he worked as a research assistant revising the esteemed legal treatise Nimmer on Copyright, and studied abroad in Madrid at a program focusing on European Union commercial jurisprudence. After law school Matthew was recruited into management by a marketing and public relations agency and spent five years as COO, drawing on his legal training to advise on contract formation, trademark registration and intellectual property licensing. His current research interests include democratic theory, corruption and political economy.

mdraper@ucsd.edu

Law and Society Minor (Warren College)

The Law and Society minor is administered by Warren College. The Law and Society minor offers students the opportunity to examine the role of the legal system in society. Advising questions about this minor should be directed to Warren College.  

Pre-Law Advising at the UCSD Career Center

The primary office for pre-law advising and resources is the Career Services Center. Visit the UCSD Career Services Pre-Law page for information about the legal profession and applying to law school. While any Career Advisor is happy to speak to students about law school, the primary pre-law advisor is Ms. Marcy Morrison, who can be reached to schedule an appointment at mhmorrison@ucsd.edu.

Kappa Alpha Pi

Kappa Alpha Pi at the University of California, San Diego (formerly known as UCSD Phi Alpha Delta) is a co-ed pre-law fraternity. 

Current leadership includes:

Elle Peterson - President - epeterso@ucsd.edu
Alex Tang - Vice President - alt112@ucsd.edu
Flola Tam - Treasurer - ftam@ucsd.edu
Sarah Yee - Secretary - sryee@ucsd.edu

Pre-Law Society

From their website: "The purpose of the Pre-Law Society at the University of California, San Diego is to provide a resource for students who are interested in pursuing a legal career. This organization seeks to work in tandem with UCSD faculty, outside organizations, and legal professionals to provide valuable workshops and informational events that educate students about attending law school."

Please review their website for more information: https://sites.google.com/ucsd.edu/pre-law-society/home

UCSD Extension: Paralegal Studies

UCSD Extension offers a paralegal program that features a curriculum that combines practical skills with legal theory and analysis.

Website: https://extension.ucsd.edu/courses-and-programs/paralegal-studies

Please note: Extension courses are not allowable as credit toward the Political Science majors or minors. 

Obtaining Letters of Recommendation

Many graduate school programs, internships, and even career opportunities ask that students provide letters of recommendation as part of the application process. As part of your request to obtain a letter of recommendation from a Political Science professor, instructor, supervisor, or graduate TA, and in accordance with FERPA guidelines, please send those from whom you are requesting a letter a link to the Instructional Support for Faculty page and the quoted statement below:

“I consent to the release of personal and educational information about me in the letter of recommendation that I have requested from you. This authorization allows you to release all information about me, within the University’s possession, to [fill in details (e.g., any other educational institution, any centralized application processing services (list by name if possible), both, etc.]. This authorization shall remain valid unless and until it is rescinded in writing.”

Department of Political Science LinkedIn Page

The Department of Political Science has a LinkedIn Page that undergraduate students, graduate student, alumni, and others can follow or "like" to see additional posts on internal and external internships, fellowships, graduate programs, and opportunities or events hosted by the Department, UCSD campus, and outside agencies.

Outside LSAT Prep Materials, Courses, and Podcasts

Many outside companies offer LSAT Prep materials and courses for students. The Department of Political Science does not endorse one company over another; the offers below are what we have received thus far.

The LSAT: How can you effectively prepare for it?

Summer Pre-Law Intensive

STEPS to the LSAT

LSAT Super Prep Planner App

LSAT Prep: Two- and Four-Month Study Plans (created by the University of Dayton School Of Law)


Podcasts that have been recommended by outside sources:

GRE, GMAT, or LSAT?

The article below by the Online Master of Legal Studies Programs can be a resource for any students interested in the field of law and considering a multitude of programs post-undergraduate graduation. 

Law School Admissions Data

Each year, many UCSD students apply - and are accepted to - prestigious law schools across the country. UCSD's Career Center compiles this data every year. Below are the highlights from 2017.

The complete data set for UCSD students in 2017 can be reviewed here: Law School Admission Data for 2017

The complete data set for UCSD students in 2018-19 can be reviewed here: Law School Admissions Data for 2018-2019