What is the Pre-Law Conference, Law School Expo, and Mock Trial Competition?
The Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Conference is an annual event geared toward pre-law members or anyone on a law-related career track. It consists of workshops, speakers, a mock trial competition, and a law school/vendor expo. It creates an environment of learning, leadership development, and networking for those planning on attending law school or who want to learn more about legal careers.

When and where is the 2025 Pre-Law Conference?
The 2025 Pre-Law Conference will be held in-person November 5-9, 2025 at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center in Alexandria, VA.

Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International formally acknowledges the land of Indigenous peoples on which the 2025 P.A.D. Pre-Law Conference is located.

Read the full land acknowledgement statement.

Why should I attend the Pre-Law Conference?
This year's Conference is packed with programming and leadership training that will provide invaluable fraternal networking, professional growth, and important information for your chapter's future success. You'll be provided with information to bring back to your chapter's membership, and that will benefit you in the pursuit of a legal education and career.

Chapter Planning Guide for Pre-Law Conference Coming Soon

How much does it cost to attend Pre-Law Conference?
The registration fee for pre-law student and auxiliary members for the 2025 Conference is tiered based on when you register:

• Early Bird Rate (Registration Opens - May 31, 2025): $299.00
• Regular Rate (June 1-September 30, 2025): $349.00
• Late Registration (October 1-October 30, 2025): $399.00

Faculty members may attend for free. Additional registration options are available for non-members. See “Registration and Financing” for more details and payment plan options.

Former pre-law members (pre-law alumni) may register at the student rate once they transfer into our auxiliary program here: https://www.pad.org/page/auxiliarytransfer.

What's going to happen at Pre-Law Conference?
There will be several speakers giving presentations at the Conference about law school admissions, the field of law, financing your education, and more. We have plenty of workshops to allow students the opportunity to customize their Conference experience and get focused attention from presenters.

The Law Expo allows members to meet with 100+ law schools and law school prep/LSAT prep companies from across the country. Many law schools waive application fees for students attending the Pre-Law Conference. The Expo is also a great way to network with admission reps from the schools you want to attend.

Conference attendees also have the option to participate in the Pre-Law Mock Trial Competition. Teams of 4 students may compete for first through fourth place, with additional awards being available for individuals.

We look forward to honoring our pre-law award winners during the Awards Banquet on Saturday evening, as well as facilitating networking/socializing with our Purple and Gold Welcome Party.

The agenda for Pre-Law Conference will be available at www.PAD.org/prelawconference by summer 2025 and will be continually updated as we get closer to the event.

What resources are available to help us plan for Pre-Law Conference?
All pre-law chapters are expected to send at least one representative to the conference. For more guidance on fundraising and preparing for Pre-Law Conference, please look over our Planning Guide (which includes a sample budget proposal and a funding request letter to petition for funds from your school) and Pre-Law Fundraising Guide. See the “Registration and Financing” section of this FAQ for more details on funding options from P.A.D.

Download the Pre-Law Conference Planning Guide Coming Soon

Pre-Law Fundraising Guide

Additionally, we held a virtual planning session for the Conference in September 2024 that chapters may find helpful when planning for the 2025 event. The recording of this session has been posted to our YouTube Channel.

Watch the 2024 Pre-Law Conference Planning Session Video on YouTube

How much does the hotel cost?
The room rate is $183/night. This rate is for one room, and up to four people can stay in a double queen bed room. You will not be charged for your room until you leave the hotel. However, you will need to enter credit card information to place a hold on your room.

Please note that upon check in at the hotel, there will be a temporary hold charge for incidentals placed upon your card which will be reversed on checkout.

Click here to reserve a room in the room block.

Do I book my own hotel room?
Yes, members must book their own hotel room. We have a reserved room block at the Hilton Alexandria Arlington, and the booking link will be available when registration opens. The deadline to book your room has been extended to October 13, 2025. You will not be able to book at the discounted rate after this date.

The minimum age to check in for a room at the Hilton Alexandria is 18. Those checking in must present a government ID and credit card with their name on it. If you have any questions about checking in, call the hotel at 703-845-1010 to discuss check-in procedures.

I want to share a room with someone – can we split the cost of the room?
Yes! You and your roommate(s) must book your room together to be in the same room. Since nothing is charged to your credit card until you check in at the hotel, you can split the cost between multiple members upon arrival.

How do I get to the hotel?
The hotel's address is 5000 Seminary Rd, Alexandria, VA 22311. If you plan to drive to and park at the hotel, there is a discounted overnight parking rate of $15/night for any attendee who books their hotel room in our room block.

The closest airport to the Hilton Alexandria is Reagan National Airport (DCA), located 4 miles from the hotel. Washington Dulles International Airport is also available to attendees and is located 30 miles from the hotel. The best way to get to the Hilton Alexandria from the nearby airports is rideshare or taxi.

What is there to do in the area?
Attending Pre-Law Conference means you have a chance to visit our nation's capital and all it has to offer. Sightseeing time is built into the Conference agenda to allow attendees to take advantage of their visit.

The Hilton Alexandria is just a short distance away from downtown Washington, D.C. For more information on Washington, D.C. attractions, visit https://washington.org/.

There are also many area attractions in northern Virginia, including the Pentagon, National Landing, Arlington National Cemetery, Old Town Alexandria, and historic Mount Vernon Trail. For more information on Alexandria, VA attractions, visit https://visitalexandria.com/; for more information on Arlington, VA attractions, visit https://www.stayarlington.com.

What is the best way to get around?
The easiest transportation methods around Arlington and Washington D.C. are ride share services (Uber, Lyft, etc.), the DC Metro, and local Bus System.

How do we register for the 2025 Pre-Law Conference?
Registration for the 2024 Conference is now open at https://www.pad.org/events/register.aspx?id=1954530. Please note that Mock Trial team registration is separate from individual member registration; mock trial participants will still be required to register individually. See the Mock Trial section for more information.

What is the registration fee for Pre-Law Conference and what is included?
We are offering tiered options for student conference registration. In addition to the rates below, all registrants have the option to add on Conference merchandise when registering.

• Student and Auxiliary Member Registration: Includes access to all agenda items, including the Law School Expo, keynote speaker presentations, and workshops; also includes breakfast and lunch Friday and Saturday, and the Awards Banquet on Saturday (dinner included), and all conference materials.
• Early Bird Rate (through May 31, 2025): $299.00.
• Regular Rate (June 1-September 30, 2025): $349.00.
• Late Registration (October 1-October 30, 2025): $399.00
• Non-Member Registration: $499; Includes access to all agenda items, including the Law School Expo, keynote speaker presentations, and workshops; also includes breakfast and lunch Friday and Saturday, and the Awards Banquet on Saturday (dinner included), and all conference materials.
• Faculty: FREE; Includes access to all agenda items, including the Law School Expo, keynote speaker presentations, and workshops; also includes breakfast and lunch Friday and Saturday, and the Awards Banquet on Saturday (dinner included), and all conference materials.

Please visit the registration page for more details. If you need any assistance with determining which rate is applicable to you, please contact prelaw@pad.org.

If we're participating in Mock Trial, how do we register?
Mock Trial team registration is separate and available on the main Pre-Law Conference event page. Each team must register individually, and then each team member must individually register for the Conference. See the Mock Trial section for more information on the registration rate for this year's Competition.

Do I need to pay the registration fee when I register? Can I set up a payment plan?
No, you do not need to pay the Conference registration fee in full when you register. We offer deferred payment options. We also offer interest-free and customizable payment plans to students/chapters that wish go to the Conference. Plans are incredibly flexible in terms of due dates and amounts.

To enroll in payment plan you must first register for the conference, then complete the payment plan form here: www.PAD.org/PLConference2025PaymentPlan.

Contact xena@pad.org with payment plan questions.

Note: Mock Trial registration fees are not eligible for deferred payment or payment plans.

What kind of funding options are available so that we can attend the Conference?
All pre-law chapters are expected to send at least one representative to the conference. To help meet this expectation, we are offering one registration fee waiver per active chapter, meaning you can select a member to register for free. This can only be applied to one member, so be sure to discuss it as a chapter before selecting the individual!

Chapter officers should report the member using the fee waiver to prelaw@pad.org.

Additional fee waivers may be available if your chapter plans to bring more than 10 members. Contact prelaw@pad.org for more details.

In addition to the fee waiver, there are multiple need-based grants available for individual members to apply for. Grants are worth $500 and can be applied toward registration fees or travel cost reimbursement. If you have any questions about applying to grants and eligibility, please contact prelaw@pad.org.

Click here to apply for a Pre-Law Conference Grant.

We recommend that you try to raise funds by having chapter fundraisers or petitioning your school's student activities office for funding. Set a goal for fundraising and for your chapter to be able to attend the Conference. We recommend that chapters fundraise year round to support yearly conference attendance. We encourage chapters to be in a position where they can afford to send at least a few members each year. For more in-depth guidance on fundraising and preparing for Pre-Law Conference, please look over our Planning Guide (which includes a sample budget proposal and a funding request letter to petition for funds from your school) and Pre-Law Fundraising Guide.

Pre-Law Conference Planning Guide Coming Soon

Download the Pre-Law Fundraising Guide

We also offer interest-free and customizable payment plans to students/chapters that wish go to the conference (see question above for details).

Is there a deadline to register for the Conference?
We suggest that members register by September 30, 2024 to lock in the regular registration rate. However, registrations will be accepted up to the start of the conference. Keep in mind that while we will still accept Conference registrations up to the event start, we cannot extend the room block booking deadline of October 9.

What happens if I register but can't attend?
If you want to cancel your registration, please email prelaw@pad.org. Full refunds will be offered through October 1, 2024. You may also transfer your registration to another chapter member.

What is the Pre-Law Mock Trial Competition?
The P.A.D. Pre-Law Mock Trial Competition is an annual competition held in conjunction with the Annual Pre-Law Conference. Teams from P.A.D. pre-law chapters across the country compete for first through fourth place, with additional honors for outstanding defense, prosecution, advocates, witnesses, and fraternalism awarded. The competition is judged by volunteer lawyers and judges (both P.A.D. alumni and non-members). Teams are comprised of four students and all competitors must be P.A.D. members. This competition is for pre-law chapters only.

In 2025, the Competition can accept up to 12 teams.

How does our chapter register a team?
Team registration will take place online at the link provided on the Pre-Law Conference webpage. Only one person is required to register the team; participant/team member names are not required at the time of registration.

Registration will remain open until October 1, 2025 or all 12 team slots are filled (whichever comes first).

Registration fees must be paid in full when the teams register UNLESS you provide written proof that your school will be providing funding at a later date.

If you have difficulty registering online, call the Executive Office at 410-347-3118 to register and pay over the phone.

What happens when all 12 team slots are filled?
We will open a wait list. Should a team drop out, the next team on the wait list will be contacted and have 48 hours to respond and register.

How many students are on a team, and how many teams can we send?
There are four (4) students to a team. Chapters may register up to two teams. There may be opportunities to register additional teams as registration continues.

Are there any restrictions on who can compete?
All competitors must be P.A.D. pre-law student members in good standing (joined, paid, and initiated by the time the competition starts).

How much does Mock Trial cost, and what does that include? Do you offer refunds?
The fee for this year's competition is $150.00 per team. This includes entry into the competition for the four competitors and up to two coaches. It also includes all competition materials. It does not include each team members' individual registration for Pre-Law Conference.

Do we need to know who all our team members are when we register?
No, only the chapter name must be provided during registration. However, all team members’ and coaches names and information must be submitted to the Executive Office by October 1, 2025. Please use this form to report your team members' and coach's names and information to the Executive Office.

What happens if we need to switch someone on our team after we've submitted participants' names?
Just email Director of Technology & Competitions Leslie Plummer at leslie@pad.org to make team changes and updates. You can make changes to your team all the way up to the Captain’s Meeting at the Conference. After the Captain’s Meeting, all teams will be considered locked in.

Can I bring people to the competition?
Yes. You are welcome to bring additional coaches (faculty or student), student alternate competitors, or spectators to the Competition. Coaches and alternate competitors must register for the conference. Spectators must be reported to the Executive Office (leslie@pad.org) via email by October 1, 2025. Only reported spectators will be permitted to view the rounds.

Where can this year's case and rules be found, and how do we submit questions about the case? The 2025 Pre-Law Mock Trial case is available for download here: https://www.pad.org/resource/collection/CE5EA3AD-3C95-4F04-8282-7060C424AD84/2025_Pre-Law_Mock_Trial_Case-CORRECTED.pdf. Questions regarding the case, mock trial procedure, the Rules of Competition, or the Rules of Evidence should be submitted to leslie@pad.org. Any procedural/logistics questions will be answered as they are received by Executive Office staff, but any questions about the case materials will be answered by our Case Coordinator en masse. Teams may begin submitting questions at any time when the case is released, but the deadline to submit a question is October 8, 2025.

When should I plan to compete?
The competition schedule will be released along with a tentative conference agenda when registration opens in spring 2025. It is expected that each team will compete three times during the event.

What should we wear for this event?
All our events require business casual dress except the Mock Trial Captains' Meeting and the Purple & Gold Party, which have no dress code (though you are encouraged to wear purple and gold at the party!). Many students dress in cocktail attire for the Saturday evening banquet, but it is NOT required. If you're questioning the appropriateness of any item of clothing, it's best to leave it at home.

What will happen if the conference cannot take place in person, either due to pandemics, weather, or other issues?
The Executive Office will be closely monitoring all factors that might impact an in-person conference (weather, national emergencies, etc.). If the conference cannot take place in person, all registrants will be notified immediately. Every effort will be made to ensure the conference moves forward in a safe and accessible format.

Anything else I should know about Pre-Law Conference?
Remember, at the Conference you are not only representing your chapter and school, you are also representing P.A.D. Be courteous to other attendees and be mindful of P.A.D.'s Event Code of Conduct.

Don't forget to have some fun with your fellow P.A.D. members and make meaningful memories along the way!

I have a question that's not on this list – who should I talk to?
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to the Executive Office at prelaw@pad.org or 410-347-3118. Please also feel free to reach out to specific staff members regarding specific event topics:

• Law Expo and Sponsorship Opportunities: Andrew Sagan, andrew@pad.org
• Mock Trial: Leslie Plummer, leslie@pad.org
• General Event Questions: prelaw@pad.org