Frequently Asked Questions

When do I have to complete the Legal Professional Development Institute requirements?

You can complete the program requirements at your own pace.  You have the freedom to develop a personalized professional development curriculum by selecting the programming and activities best suited to your interests and goals from a menu of options.  Keep track of your activities. When you have completed the requirements, make an appointment with an advisor. At that meeting, you and your advisor will review your activity log, and you will receive your certificate.  The program works on an honor system.  As such, we trust that you report your activities accurately.  (We reserve the right to independently verify reported activities, and, if necessary, take whatever actions are necessary to protect the integrity of the program.)

Can I participate in the Pro Bono Challenge as a 1L?

YES, and we encourage you to do so.  Pro bono service is not employment – it is community service!  

Will the LCDO help me find attorneys that I can meet with to fulfill the requirement that I complete “two 30-minute, off campus mentoring meetings with alumni”?

YES.  In November or December, you will have a meeting with your LCDO advisor. During that meeting, your advisor can help you identify alumni you may want to meet with, and walk you through the process.  In the spring, there will be workshops on informational interviews (another name for mentoring meetings), and the LCDO will provide information about alumni who have volunteered to serve as 30 minute mentors.  

Do I have to find the “two approved bar association, Inns of Court and other legal professional association meetings or events off campus” myself? 

NO.  To find off-campus events, read the Weekly Record and  join the LCDO’s LinkedIn group and Facebook page. We regularly advertise a range of networking opportunities throughout the year.

Does attending the Legal Professional Development Institute Program sessions also count towards satisfying the 10 hours of career development skills training?

NO.  They are separate requirements.

When do I turn in the Registration Form? And when do I turn in the Checklist and Application?

You can turn in the Registration Form in person or by email to the LCDO at your convenience. However, you cannot list the Legal Professional Development Institute on your resume as an activity  until we have received your Registration Form.  When you have completed the Certification requirements, complete the Checklist and Application and make an appointment with an LCDO advisor. After the meeting, you can add the Certificate in Professionalism to your resume.

What if I cannot attend one of the Legal Professional Development Institute Sessions?

While we strongly encourage you to attend the sessions, they will be video recorded and available for viewing approximately two weeks after the event.