Get a head start and ace your first year of law school.
Edge Ahead is open to anyone planning to attend law school in the next two years. This three-week program allows you to gain exposure to important first-year courses — Torts and Legal Writing — and to develop the skills you need to succeed in law school, such as case briefing, note-taking, research, outlining and exam strategies.
The program is taught by accomplished and dedicated professors who will support you during your introduction to the law school experience.
For more information, contact Hunter Whaley, Assistant Dean for Information Services, at edgeahead@hofstra.edu.
Program Agenda - Summer 2026 Dates TBA
The agenda for the 2026 program will be posted soon. Please check back for updates.
In 2025, the first week of the program was held in person at the law school. During this week, participants learned Foundations of the American Legal System, Academic Success Strategies, and Hofstra Law resources to set them up for success early. The second and third weeks of the program were held on Zoom and participants attended a Legal Writing Class and a Torts Class.
Registration and Program Fee
This program is open to anyone planning to attend law school in the next two years. Class sizes are limited to ensure maximum feedback and personal attention. The 2025 program fee was $1,500.
For more information, contact Hunter Whaley, Assistant Dean for Information Services, at edgeahead@hofstra.edu.
Coursework
Your professors will give you assignments as well as a final exam or writing assignment upon which you will receive substantial feedback. Through these courses, you will have the invaluable opportunity to become comfortable with the law school testing and writing experience and to hone your skills in the summer, so that when the fall semester arrives, you are in the best position to succeed.
Our Faculty
Lauren Hespos
Visiting Assistant Professor of Academic Support and Bar Preparation
Lisa M. White
Visiting Assistant Professor of Legal Writing
Nicole Lefton
Director of Academic Support and Bar Preparation and Professor of Academic Support and Bar Preparation
Kevin McElroy
Professor of Legal Writing
Student Profiles
Christopher Link
“The Edge Ahead Program was really the best experience of my educational career. The program really helps to hold your hand through the month long process. At lunchtime we had Hofstra Law alumni come in ranging in every field of law that you could possibly imagine, all the way from litigation to mergers and acquisitions with multi-billion dollar companies.”
Deandra Denton
"As a first-generation law student, I knew that getting a preview into what my 1L experience would be like was critical. Edge Ahead helped me to get acquainted with law school and start off strong. The best advice I received was on outlining strategies and exam-taking techniques. This advice has been foundational to my success in my first year."
Anthony Early
“Professor Albert taught me that ‘Law school is about being okay with the ground under you not being stable. Edge Ahead is the first step towards being comfortable in your discomfort.’ Edge Ahead, and specifically that quote, allowed me to prepare myself with uncomfortable situations. The quicker I learned to be okay with not being okay, the more comfortable I became with the law school experience as a whole.”
Jaime Feerst
“The Edge Ahead curriculum taught me how to read cases, learn the law, and write office memoranda — all essential skills for a successful 1L. I attribute much of my success during my first semester to Edge Ahead, and highly recommend it to incoming law students.”
Kyle Facibene
“Each professor does an excellent job simulating how your first-year classes will be, while also providing valuable tips on how to succeed in your first year and beyond. When I walked into my first 1L class, not only did I feel more confident than I could have imagined, but I also felt that I had a distinct advantage over many of my classmates.”
Rachel Miller
"Edge Ahead was such a great experience for me because I had the opportunity to be taught by amazing Hofstra Law professors who helped me start developing law school skills including case briefing, test-taking etc. In that way, Edge Ahead allowed me to gain a sense of what it means to study the law before law school."
Megan Scime
“Participating in the Edge Ahead program provided me with a greater understanding of law school fundamentals. With this extensive experience, I gained confidence in the classroom, was ready to take on my first year, and excelled to gain a federal judicial internship for Summer 2021!”