U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT — Applicants with backgrounds in STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – have a leg up in law school admissions. Law is increasingly enmeshed with science and technology, and not just in the burgeoning areas of health law, tech law, patent law and environmental law. From forensic evidence to financial instruments, lawyers must increasingly draw upon scientific knowledge and quantitative skills. Emerging technologies based on automation, machine learning and distributed networks may eventually transform the legal field altogether. Law applicants with STEM backgrounds are no longer as unusual as they once were, but they still stand out to admissions officers. Law schools seek students who will contribute new perspectives to classes and add expertise to centers, programs and journals in high-tech legal fields.