If you’re a high school student in Chicago considering a career in law, participating in a summer law program is a great way to explore the field. Summer law programs for high school students in Chicago will allow you to study legal scenarios through mock trials, legal research, case studies, and occasional visits to legal institutions in your region.
Since these law programs for high school students in Chicago run during summer break, they won’t interfere with your regular school schedule. And because they’re local, you can save money on commuting and housing. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn from legal professionals and establish worthwhile connections for the future.
Universities and organizations across Chicago, such as the Illinois Institute of Technology, Northwestern, CAIR-Chicago, and the University of Chicago, may offer law programs covering areas such as criminal justice, civil litigation, and legal advocacy at reduced tuition fees for local students.
To help you get started, here’s a list of 15 summer law programs for high school students in Chicago. They also include a few virtual summer law programs that allow students in Chicago to apply.
15 Summer Law Programs for High School Students in Chicago
1. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type; financial aid is available | None
Acceptance Rate: Around 10–25%
Dates: Vary as per cohort; Summer II: 14 July
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary by cohort; Summer II: June 23
Eligibility: High school students with an unweighted minimum 3.3 GPA on a 4.0 scale are encouraged to apply
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program offers high school students the opportunity to work on an independent research project with a PhD mentor’s help. You can choose from subjects in STEM, social sciences, or humanities. The program includes research method workshops and help with writing a full-length academic research paper. You’ll also get guidance from a writing coach to help shape your research topic. Some possible subjects include biology, chemistry, law, international relations, philosophy, physics, math, linguistics, computer science, history, data science, psychology, and engineering. If your area of interest isn’t listed, you can work with your mentor to create a custom topic. Even though the program isn’t run by a university, completing it may make you eligible to receive UCSD credit. Application information is available here.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Cost: Varies depending on program type
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
3. University of Chicago’s Pre-College Career Insight — Law and Social Impact
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: $5,625 (Residential) + $50 application fee; need-based financial aid is available, ranging from $500 to $4,000 | None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Moderately selective
Dates: June 14 – 27
Application Deadline: January 22 (priority deadline) | March 5 (regular deadline) | April 15 (extended deadline)
Eligibility: Current high school students in grades 9–11 who are at least 14 years old
The University of Chicago’s Pre-College Career Insight program is a two-week, non-credit experience where you’ll learn key concepts from UChicago professors and researchers and get support from Career Advancement staff on building skills for internships and future opportunities. The Law and Social Impact course focuses on topics in law, public policy, and social sciences. You will engage in lectures, discussions, readings, and hands-on activities, along with meeting legal and public policy professionals, exploring possible career paths, and working on a final portfolio with assignments and a reflection journal. The course explores topics such as culture and society, law and politics, history, sociology, economics, and business.
4. Illinois Institute of Technology’s Elevate College Prep — Summer Legal Academy
Location: Virtual | In-person at Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: $650–$1,500 + $100 application fee; need-based scholarships are available | None
Acceptance Rate: High acceptance rate
Dates: July 28–August 1
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th graders aged 14–17 | Students must be 15 or older to join the residential program
Illinois Tech’s Elevate College Prep offers the Summer Legal Academy, a five-day program that will allow you to explore how the legal system works and participate in civic activities. It’s a hands-on experience where you’ll build important skills for college and future careers, while also gaining a better understanding of justice, government, and your rights. You will read actual court cases, discuss the legal principles involved, and explore how these might apply in varied hypothetical situations. When you finish, you’ll earn a Certificate of Completion and receive a $500 scholarship you can use if you later enroll as an undergrad at Illinois Tech.
5. University of Chicago’s Pre-College Summer Immersion Program — Legal Reasoning and Institutions
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: $8,900 (Residential) | $5,850 (Commuter) + $50 application fee; need-based financial aid is available, ranging from $500 to $6,600 | None
Cohort Size: Around 25 students per class
Dates: June 14 – July 4
Application Deadline: January 22 (priority deadline) | March 5 (regular deadline) | April 15 (extended deadline)
Eligibility: Current high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors aged 14 or older
In this three-week program, you’ll take an undergraduate-style course with lectures, research projects, discussions, and hands-on learning led by UChicago faculty, researchers, and professionals. The Legal Reasoning and Institutions course explores how lawyers think and how legal systems work. You’ll practice rule-based and analytical reasoning through real-life examples, such as phone contracts and school rules, and explore how law operates within institutions like criminal justice systems, constitutions, tort law, and courts, both in the U.S. and globally. The course includes group projects to design legal systems, simulations, and discussions of hypotheticals. You’ll also hear from guest speakers, including law professors, lawyers, and nonprofit leaders, and attend court sessions.
6. Saper Law Immersion Program
Location: Saper Law Offices, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: $875; need-based scholarships are available | None
Cohort Size: Maximum 40 people per class
Dates: August 4 – 8
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school and college students
Held at Saper Law Offices, this program is led by Principal Attorney Daliah Saper and her team, with guest speakers from various legal fields. You’ll take part in writing and negotiation exercises, field trips, and mock legal proceedings, with a focus on business, entertainment, and internet law. You’ll hear from lawyers in different specialties, including immigration, civil rights, and environmental law, and meet professionals from corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors. Guest speakers have included former state officials, in-house counsel from major companies, and lawyers from diverse legal backgrounds. Alongside guest lectures and visits to legal workplaces, you’ll also get to work on personal statements and practice LSAT-style questions.
7. JTB’s Summer Legal Institute
Location: Multiple locations including Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: None | None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive
Dates: July 21 – 25
Application Deadline: April 30
Eligibility: All high school students
JTB’s Summer Legal Institute (SLI) is a five-day program designed to help you develop essential skills, including reading, critical thinking, financial literacy, writing, public speaking, and professional etiquette. The curriculum is designed to provide you with practical tools that support your long-term academic and career goals in the legal field. You will have the opportunity to learn directly from attorneys at law firms and corporations. These professionals volunteer their time to guide students through hands-on activities and discussions, giving you a real look into what a legal career is like. You’ll learn from real-world examples and gain a clearer understanding of the legal profession.
8. Internship Program at CAIR-Chicago
Location: CAIR-Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: None | None
Cohort Size: Each summer session includes 15 interns
Dates: May 15 – August 31
Application Deadline: April 15; rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12
CAIR-Chicago’s Internship Program allows you to explore career paths and get involved in grassroots activism while working in an advocacy-driven setting. The program is partnered with over 120 colleges and universities, including top networks like the Ivy League, the University of California and Texas systems, Carnegie Research I institutions, and HBCUs. Opportunities are available in areas such as Civil Rights Law, Government Affairs, Communications, Operations, and Outreach. You will be required to attend training sessions and orientation, complete an exit interview, and submit a final evaluation. Those who excel may be invited to return for future sessions, based on availability. You may earn academic credit or community service hours.
9. Northwestern College Preparation Program Credit Courses — Law and Society
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $5,597 | None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive
Dates: June 23 – July 27
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Finished their sophomore or junior year of high school | 15–17 years old by the program’s start | Minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
Northwestern University’s Law and Society Program explores the connection between law and society, using a mix of social science fields like political science, sociology, psychology, and history. You’ll examine law’s role in shaping society, its influence on change, and how it interacts with institutions and norms, primarily in the U.S., with some global context on human rights and international law. The course covers thematic topics such as law and social control, law’s role in social change, and law’s capacity to reach into complex social relations and intervene in existing normative institutions and organizational structures. The program is a mix of three synchronous lectures and 2-3 asynchronous discussions per week.
10. University of Chicago’s Pre-College Summer Immersion Program — Human Rights: Foundational Concepts, Global Challenges
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: $8,900 (Residential) | $5,850 (Commuter) + $50 application fee; need-based financial aid is available, ranging from $500 to $6,600 | None
Cohort Size: Around 25 students per class
Dates: July 7 – July 26
Application Deadline: January 22 (priority deadline) | March 5 (regular deadline) | April 15 (extended deadline)
Eligibility: Current high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors aged 14 or older
The University of Chicago’s Pre-College Summer Immersion Program allows you to take an undergraduate-style course with lectures, research projects, and discussions led by UChicago faculty, researchers, and professionals. The Human Rights: Foundational Concepts, Global Challenges course allows you to explore how human rights have evolved, from current debates on equality, justice, and freedom to key treaties such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. You’ll study issues like free speech, gender equality, education, and protection from violence, looking at how these rights play out globally and locally. Using media, real case studies, and discussions, you’ll learn how global organizations, governments, and local groups defend or challenge these rights.
11. Northwestern University’s Pre-College Online Program — Law: From Interview to Argument
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $1,795 | None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: High acceptance rate
Dates: 2-week and 4-week sessions are available; the next course begins on July 27
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students aged 13 or older
Northwestern University’s Law: From Interview to Argument course covers key legal reasoning and communication skills, from client meetings to courtroom arguments. You’ll learn to write legal briefs, analyze statutes and case law, and build strong arguments. You’ll also hear from judges and lawyers in areas like corporate law, government, finance, and employee rights. The courses feature video lessons, interactive tools, and mentor support, so you can take more than one and learn at your own pace. It includes 20–30 hours of instruction, assignments, multimedia content, and a final capstone project. When you finish, you’ll earn a Certificate of Completion from Northwestern.
12. JTB’s ConnectED Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None | None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not listed
Dates: August 4 – 8
Application Deadline: June 30
Eligibility: All high school students
JTB’s ConnectED is a virtual program that gives high school students an introduction to the legal field. Over five days, you’ll explore the path to becoming a lawyer or judge, take a virtual tour of a courthouse, discuss current legal topics, hear from federal judges about their journeys to the bench, and build legal skills through interactive workshops. The program includes four live one-hour Zoom sessions, plus one to two hours of daily pre-recorded content on JTB University, the program’s online learning platform. You’ll also connect with peers in small virtual groups for discussions and activities throughout the week. The experience wraps up with a group social justice project called Rise Up.
13. Future Justice Lawyers of Chicago (FJLOC) Program
Location: Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: None | None
Cohort Size: This year, 11 high school students participated in the program
Dates: January 11 – August 8; meetings take place one Saturday a month (Feb–May) and once a week (June–July)
Application Deadline: December 19
Eligibility: High school students who attend school and reside in the Chicago area
This program is designed for high school students in the Chicago area who are considering a career in law with a focus on justice work. You’ll learn how the legal system works, meet lawyers and law students, and connect with others who share your interest in addressing systemic injustice. The program is led by the Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers, both known for their long history of tackling justice issues. You’ll attend workshops on argumentative writing and editing, join speaker panels on specific justice topics, and work on both individual and group projects with support from experienced legal professionals.
14. Georgetown University’s Pre-College Online Program — Law: How To Think Like an Attorney
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $1,795 | None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: High acceptance rate
Dates: Several one-, two-, and four-week sessions are available from July 27 to August 31
Application Deadline: Each session’s deadline is one week before it begins
Eligibility: Students who are at least 13 years old
The Law: How to Think Like an Attorney course teaches you how lawyers think, ask questions, and make decisions based on facts and analysis. You’ll learn to separate fact from opinion, explore a lawyer’s daily work, and build strong, evidence-based arguments. The course covers writing and defending arguments, ethics, fairness, and how values influence laws. You’ll study a well-known murder case, follow it through the justice system, and explore legal topics like plea deals and appeals. You’ll also explore law-related majors and careers, complete a Capstone Project, and earn a Certificate of Completion from Georgetown. The course includes videos, simulations, and assignments, with help from mentors or teaching assistants.
15. Civic Leadership Institute (CLI) at Northwestern University
Location: Northwestern University, Evanston, 14 miles from Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: $5,475 (Residential Camp) | $3,070 (Day Camp); need-based financial aid is available | None
Cohort Size: Small class size; around 16 students
Dates: June 29 – July 18
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–12
The Civic Leadership Institute (CLI) is a three-week program that allows you to explore social and political issues through service-learning, academic discussions, and hands-on experiences. You’ll build critical thinking and leadership skills, form your own views through dialogue and debate, and create an action plan on a topic you care about. You’ll meet and learn from community members, nonprofit professionals, and leaders in business and government who share their experiences and ideas for making a difference. Instructors will guide you through research, discussions, and activities that help you understand different perspectives. You’ll also work with a local nonprofit, contribute to real projects, and earn service hours.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image source – Northwestern University