If you’re curious about legal reasoning, constitutional interpretation, or how courtroom strategy actually works, law summer camps can give you a compact but engaging introduction to the field. Unlike semester-long academic programs, these camps are shorter experiences built around simulations, workshops, and applied legal analysis that let you actively explore how the legal world operates.
If you’re still exploring humanities-focused summer opportunities, check out Horizon’s guide for more opportunities.
What do law summer camps for high schoolers include?
Most law camps are structured around practical legal exercises rather than lectures alone, giving you hands-on exposure to how legal systems work in the real world. You often spend your time working through mock cases, preparing oral arguments, analyzing legal precedents, and developing courtroom and advocacy skills. Depending on the program, you may read and annotate appellate opinions using IRAC-style reasoning, practice mock trial procedures including witness examination and cross-examination, and study constitutional law topics such as free speech, privacy, due process, and equal protection.
Many camps also include drafting legal briefs, writing opening and closing statements, analyzing criminal law and tort hypotheticals, and participating in legislative simulations or policy-writing exercises. Research-focused programs may introduce students to legal databases such as LexisNexis or Westlaw, while others include courtroom visits and opportunities to interact with practicing attorneys and judges.
Below are 15 Law Summer Camps designed specifically for high school students.
15 Law Summer Camps for High School Students
1. Georgetown University Law Academy
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Cost/Stipend: Residential: $3,725; Commuter: $3,095
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: June 21 – 27, July 12 – 18 and July 26 – August 1
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until sections are full
Eligibility: High school students interested in law, criminal justice, constitutional studies, and public policy
The Georgetown University Law Academy is a one-week pre-college summer program for high school students interested in legal studies and the American justice system. Through lectures, mock trials, group discussions, and off-site visits, you’ll gain a practical introduction to constitutional law, criminal justice debates, jury systems, arrests and sentencing, and landmark Supreme Court cases. The program also explores issues such as victim rights, prisoner rights, and legal career pathways through sessions led by Georgetown faculty, legal experts, and policy professionals.
2. Outset Law Summer Camp
Location: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Cost: Cost not publicly listed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: July 19 – 24
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12 interested in law school and legal careers
Outset Law is a one-week summer law camp hosted at UNC-Chapel Hill for high school students interested in exploring careers in law and legal studies. The program includes legal skills workshops, active learning sessions, and career exploration activities led by law students, attorneys, and law faculty. Through workshops hosted at UNC Law School, you’ll develop foundational skills in legal reasoning, communication, and case analysis, and gain insights into how legal education and the legal profession work in practice. The curriculum is reviewed by practicing attorneys and legal educators, giving you an introduction to what studying law and working in the legal field can look like.
3. Future Latino Leaders Summer Law Camp
Location: Hispanic National Bar Foundation, Washington DC, WD
Cost: Free to attend; transportation assistance available based on financial need
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: July 19 – 26
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: High school students in the United States entering grades 10–12
The Future Latino Leaders Summer Law Camp is an eight-day program designed to introduce high school students to legal education and careers in law. You attend courses taught by law professors, take part in mock trial activities, and learn from practicing attorneys about oral arguments, case preparation, and cross-examination. The program also includes visits to institutions such as the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Capitol, Department of Justice, National Archives, and foreign embassies, giving you exposure to constitutional and international law in real-world settings. In addition, you’ll attend workshops covering college admissions, law school preparation, scholarships, financial aid, and internship opportunities.
4. Intensive Law & Trial at Stanford Law School
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: $5,699 residential tuition
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: June 24 – July 3 / July 6 – 15
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12 interested in law, litigation, and public speaking
Intensive Law & Trial is a 10-day residential summer program hosted at Stanford University for high school students interested in legal studies and courtroom practice. During the program, you’ll explore topics such as trial advocacy, legal ethics, evidence, tort law, appellate arguments, and courtroom procedure through lectures, workshops, and mock trial simulations. You’ll work with Stanford Law faculty, attorneys, and legal mentors while developing skills in public speaking, cross-examination, legal writing, and case preparation. The program concludes with a full mock trial in which you’ll take on the roles of attorneys and witnesses in a realistic courtroom simulation.
5. Harvard Pre-College Program – Constitutional Law, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $6,100 program fee + $75 application fee; limited need-based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available; average class size around 15 students
Dates: Session I: June 21 – July 2,; Session II: July 5 – 17; Session III: July 19 – 31
Application Deadline: Priority deadline: January 7; Regular deadline: February 11; Late deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors graduating
Harvard’s Pre-College Program is a two-week residential summer experience that allows high school students to study college-level subjects in a noncredit academic setting. Students interested in law can take courses such as Constitutional Law, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, which introduces topics including constitutional interpretation, civil liberties, federal versus state authority, and the role of the judiciary in American politics. Classes are taught by Harvard faculty in discussion-based formats with small class sizes that encourage analytical thinking and active participation.
6. Yale Young Global Scholars – Politics, Law & Economics (PLE)
Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT
Cost: $7,000 tuition; need-based financial aid available up to full tuition coverage
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: Session I June 21 – July 3; Session II July 5 – 17; Session III July 19 – 31
Application Deadline: Early Action: October 15; Regular Decision: January 7
Eligibility: High school students eligible for the Yale Young Global Scholars program; open to domestic and international students
Politics, Law & Economics (PLE) is a two-week interdisciplinary summer program within Yale Young Global Scholars that explores political systems, legal frameworks, economics, and public policy. During the program, you’ll examine topics such as constitutional interpretation, governance, human rights, market regulation, international relations, artificial intelligence policy, and economic inequality, through lectures and seminars led by Yale faculty and experts. Seminar offerings may also include specialized subjects such as constitutional law, game theory, arbitration, antitrust regulation, and political satire, giving you a broad introduction to the intersection of law, politics and economics.
7. University of Pennsylvania – Law and Society
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, PA
Cost: Tuition varies by Penn Summer Session course enrollment
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: July 2 – August 7
Application Deadline: Varies by Penn Summer Programs application cycle
Eligibility: High school students participating in Penn’s Pre-College Residential Program
Law and Society is an on-campus pre-college course offered through the University of Pennsylvania’s Summer Programs for high school students interested in legal studies and social sciences. The course introduces you to major theories related to law, legal systems, and the relationship between law and society in both U.S. and international contexts. During the program, you’ll examine topics such as civil liberties, court systems, legislatures, administrative agencies, and the legal profession, through class discussions and comparative analysis. Readings include statutes, legal cases, and research reports that help you understand how laws influence social and political systems.
8. UCLA Mock Trial Institute
Location: University of California, Los Angeles, LA
Cost: In-person: $2,126; Online: $1,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Cohorts are intentionally limited; exact size not publicly available
Dates: Session A: June 21 – 27; Session B: July 5 – 11; Session C (Online): August 2 – 8
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until sessions are full
Eligibility: High school students ages 15–18 with a minimum 3.0 GPA; no prior mock trial experience required
The UCLA Mock Trial Institute is a one-week summer mock trial program for high school students interested in law, public speaking, debate, and courtroom advocacy. Through hands-on training led by UCLA Mock Trial competitors, alumni, coaches, and faculty, you’ll learn courtroom procedure, objections, cross-examinations, opening statements, and trial strategy. The participants analyze a full mock trial case throughout the week, practicing as both attorneys and witnesses, and receiving individualized feedback during drills and simulations. The program concludes with competitive final trial rounds that give you the opportunity to apply the advocacy and courtroom skills developed during the session.
9. Brown Pre-College – Leadership, Law and Social Movements
Location: Brown University, Providence, RI
Cost: Residential: $5,786; Commuter: $4,482
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: June 22 – July 2
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until courses fill
Eligibility: High school students eligible for Brown Pre-College Programs; no prerequisites required
Leadership, Law and Social Movements is a two-week on-campus Brown Pre-College course that examines how legal systems interact with social movements and the broader efforts for social change. As part of the program, you’ll study historical and contemporary movements such as Civil Rights, immigrant rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and environmental justice through sociological, legal, anthropological, and historical perspectives. The course also explores topics including rights and justice within the U.S. legal system, the role of activists and lawyers, and the effectiveness of legal strategies in advancing social and political reform.
10. Brown Pre-College – Leadership and Social Justice
Location: Brown University, Providence, RI
Cost: Residential: $5,786; Commuter: $4,48
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: June 22 – July 2
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until courses fill
Eligibility: High school students eligible for Brown Pre-College Programs; no prerequisites required
Brown Pre-college Leadership and Social Justice is a summer course that explores grassroots movements connected to democracy, labor rights, gender equity, immigration, race, and LGBTQ+ advocacy while analyzing how campaigns are organized and sustained. The course includes workshops on public speaking, active listening, campaign strategy, audience engagement, and group facilitation, along with discussions about privilege, oppression, and intersectionality. As part of the program, you’ll create and present a mock social justice campaign addressing an issue affecting your own communities and receive peer feedback to refine and refine your ideas.
11. Brown Pre-College: American Law and Society
Location: Brown University, Providence, RI
Cost: Residential: $5,786; Commuter: $4,482
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly stated
Dates: June 29 – July 10
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Best suited for students who have completed 10th or 11th grade and have taken coursework in American history, government, civics, or politics
Brown University’s “American Law and Society” course is a two-week pre-college program that explores constitutional law, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the role of the judiciary in American society. As a high school student participant, you’ll study major Supreme Court decisions, judicial review, free speech, equal protection, and the powers of government branches through lectures, discussions, and group projects. The course also introduces you to legal and historical research methods while helping you strengthen your analytical writing and debate skills. You’ll examine how law interacts with politics, institutions, and social movements across different historical periods of American history.
12. Seton Hall University Summer Law Academy
Location: Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ
Cost: $1,200
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly stated
Dates: July 20 – 24
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students interested in law, public policy, advocacy, or legal studies
Seton Hall University’s Summer Law Academy is a one-week pre-college program that introduces high school students to civil and criminal law, legal reasoning, and careers in the legal profession. Through lectures, case studies, mock trial simulations, and courtroom-style exercises, you’ll strengthen your analytical thinking, communication, and advocacy skills, while gaining insights into how the legal system works. The curriculum explores how laws are created and interpreted, how courts operate, and how attorneys analyze evidence and legal arguments. You’ll also collaborate on legal challenges with peers and engage with judges, attorneys and law faculty throughout the program.
13. Summer Discovery: Introduction to Law Academy
Location: The University of Texas, Austin, TX
Cost: Not publicly stated
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly stated
Dates: June 28 – July 17
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12 with an interest in law, government, or criminal justice
Summer Discovery’s Introduction to Law Academy is a three-week pre-college program that introduces high school students to the American legal system, constitutional law, and criminal justice processes. As part of the program, you’ll learn how civil and criminal courts function, study constitutional rights and protections, and examine the responsibilities of courts, law enforcement, victims, and offenders within the justice system. The course emphasizes legal vocabulary development, case analysis, and argument-building through classroom discussions and applied activities.
14. Wake Forest University Summer Immersion Law Institute
Location: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
Cost: $3,500 tuition
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly stated
Dates: June 14 – 19 and July 19 – 24
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Current high school students in grades 9–12
Wake Forest University’s Summer Immersion Law Institute is a one-week residential pre-college program that introduces high school students to different areas of legal practice and legal education. During the program, you’ll explore topics such as civil and criminal litigation, family law, government law, lobbying, legal ethics, and transactional law through lectures, discussions, and hands-on activities. The institute also includes experiences such as participating in a first-year law class, analyzing case studies, negotiation exercises, and mentoring sessions with law students and attorneys. In addition, guest speakers share their insights about legal careers, professional ethics, resilience, and work-life balance within the legal profession.
15. Ohio University Summer Law & Trial Institute
Location: Ohio University, Athens Ohio, OH and Virtual
Cost: Not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; space limited
Dates: June 28 – July 10; virtual sessions will run from June 28 – July 2
Application Deadline: May 25
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors, with preference for students from Appalachian Ohio; strong sophomores and students outside the region may also be considered. A 3.0+ GPA is preferred.
The Summer Law & Trial Institute is a two-week pre-law program for high school students interested in law, justice, and public service. The first week is conducted virtually, while the second week takes place on Ohio University’s campus in Athens, Ohio. Throughout the program, you’ll participate in mock trials, meet attorneys and judges, visit courts and legal organizations, and observe a Supreme Court of Ohio oral argument. The curriculum focuses on analytical reasoning, case analysis, negotiation, professionalism, and public speaking skills, giving you practical exposure to legal education and courtroom advocacy.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in law and related fields, 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: Ohio University