New legal fraternity to hold mock LSAT

Phi Alpha Delta to ‘assist undergraduate students … in selecting law as a career’

Next Monday marks the initiation of the first members of JMU’s new co-ed legal fraternity, Phi Alpha Delta.

Phi Alpha Delta is the world’s oldest and largest professional legal fraternity, said junior Matthew Clark, Phi Alpha Delta president.

"The fundamental objective of PAD’s pre-law program is to assist undergraduate students to make an ‘informed choice’ in selecting law as a career, deciding which law school to attend and in preparing for the rigors of law school," Clark said. "Phi Alpha Delta remains the only law fraternity — and the only national legal organization of any kind — with a national pre-law program committed to meeting the needs of undergraduate students interested in the law."

According to junior Tiffanie Wilson, PAD secretary, nationally, there are over 200,000 members of PAD. There are 189 law school chapters, over 240 pre-law chapters and 97 alumni chapters."

Junior Daniel Heilberg, social chair, said, "I was surprised when I saw that there wasn’t a law fraternity here at JMU … I’m pretty happy with where we’re at right now."

The fraternity will compliment the James Madison Pre-Law Society, to which most of the brothers belong, Clark said.

"Our aim is to help students interested in getting into a good law school," said junior Thalia O’Hearn, treasurer for Phi Alpha Delta. "For example, next semester we will hold a mock LSAT."

The LSATs are a standardized entrance exam for law schools. Composed mostly of critical thinking questions, the mock exam will be held early on a Saturday morning with a test proctor in the same manner as the real test would be, O’Hearn said. The fraternity also has discussed holding mock trials on campus so that legal skills can be practiced in a professional atmosphere.

"I understand why people wind up scrapping the idea of starting up a new chapter, said O’Hearn. "It’s a lot of work, but it will be a huge benefit down the road."

Phi Alpha Delta will be holding rush spring semester for any pre-law students who are interested in meeting others, and whom also are interested in pursuing a career in law.