2025-26 Program Experience
The information below reflects the eligibility requirements and program details for the 2025 application cycle and is provided for reference only.
Core Program Components
- Summer Residency at Harvard Law School (Cambridge, MA) & Paul, Weiss (New York, NY): Designed to expose Fellows to law school, career exploration, network building, and skills development to demystify and navigate law school, its application process, and beyond.
- Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) Preparation Course: Participants will receive synchronous instruction and preparation for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) through Advantage Testing, a test preparation company.
- Empowerment Seminars: Saturday Sessions in which Fellows will continue to engage and benefit from workshops, skills building, application preparation, and mentorship opportunities. These empowerment sessions are designed to continue preparing participants for the law school application process.
- Mentorship: Fellows will receive valuable mentorship and advice from Harvard Law School affiliates.
- Zero-L®: Upon completion, Fellows will receive access to Zero-L®, an online course designed by Harvard Law School to introduce incoming law students to the American legal system, the vocabulary of law school, and what it means to be a law student in the U.S.
“We are launching the Future Leaders in Law program to help elevate, inspire, empower, and impact the lives of program participants and the legal profession by focusing on early talent generation and igniting excitement about law as a career path,”
Monica E. Monroe, Dean of Students & Associate Dean for Community Engagement, Equity, and Belonging
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants for the 2025-2026 Future Leaders in Law Program must:
- Commit to attending and participating in all core program components.
- Be in pursuit of an undergraduate degree with an expected graduation date of 2025 or 2026 OR be a recent graduate (Class of 2022, Class of 2023, and Class of 2024).
- Have a 3.3 cumulative undergraduate GPA.
- Intend to apply for a J.D. program for matriculation no earlier than Fall 2027.
- Be at least 18 years old as of the program start date.
All majors are encouraged to apply!
Acceptance into the Future Leaders in Law Program is independent of the Harvard Law School J.D. Admissions process. Participation in the Future Leaders in Law Program does not guarantee admission into Harvard Law School. We regret that Harvard Law School cannot provide visa sponsorship for the Future Leaders in Law Program.
Key Program Dates
| Application Opens | Wednesday, January 29, 2025 |
| Application Deadline | Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EDT |
| Notification of Decision | May 2025 |
| Summer Residency | Sunday, June 22, 2025 – Sunday, June 29, 2025 Harvard Law School (Cambridge, MA) & Paul, Weiss (New York, NY) |
| LSAT Preparation Course | Summer Bootcamp (evenings from July 9 – July 20, 2025) Weekend Courses (select weekends, July through October) (Virtual, synchronous programming) |
| Mentorship | Winter & Spring 2026 |
| Empowerment Seminars | January 24, 2026 February 21, 2026 March 21, 2026 April 25, 2026 May 16, 2026 |
Application Components
The application portal will open on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. All application materials must be submitted electronically by the deadline, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EDT (Eastern Daylight Time). You may begin, save, and complete your application progress before the deadline.
A confirmation email will be sent to the email address you used to create an account. Your application will be marked as complete upon receipt of all required materials, including letters of recommendation. After submission, all submissions are considered final, and you will be unable to reopen and edit the application.
For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions on our website.
2025-2026 Application Components:
- Personal Background
- Academic History
- Future Leader Details
- Resume
- Statement of Professional Interest
- Optional Statement
- Recommendations
- Required: One Academic Letter of Recommendation
- Optional: One Additional Academic or Professional Letter of Recommendation
- Character & Fitness
We encourage all applicants to promptly identify and send out the Letter of Recommendation Request Form to recommenders on the Future Leaders in Law application portal to allow sufficient time for their recommender to complete the reference. Your application will not be complete until the required Academic Letter of Recommendation has been submitted through the application portal.
All program finalists will be invited to interview via Zoom no earlier than mid-to-late April 2025. Applicants will be notified of their decision in May 2025.