UCLA School of Law

A world-class legal education at a great public university. Founded in 1949, UCLA School of Law is the youngest of the top-ranked law schools in the U.S. Its faculty are influential teachers and scholars, and its 18,000-plus alumni are leaders in government, industry, social justice, and the legal profession. The school offers students a strong foundation in the law and practical training in a collaborative, intellectually rich environment.

Currently, UCLA is ranked 15th, the third-highest-ranked school in California (behind Stanford and UC Berkeley).

UCLA is also an attractive choice for many applicants because of its location: beautiful southern California. Those who are tired of the cold winters in the Northeast or Midwest can find refuge in the sunny state of California. This combination of academic rigor and fabulous weather should make UCLA Law a tempting law school for any applicant. If you're not sure about applying to law school or just beginning the application process, then please take the time to read some of the excellent pre-law articles found here.

History

Since its establishment, UCLA School of Law has continued to provide students with an innovative and exceptional legal education. The school's collaborative and challenging learning environment cultivates a faculty of cutting-edge scholars and dedicated teachers who embrace its core values. Additionally, the student body broadly represents the rich diversity of Los Angeles and the nation. Lastly, alums are brilliant leaders in law firms, business, public interest work, academia, government, and the judiciary.

In 2020, the UCLA School of Law established two new centers in areas of growing importance: the Center for Immigration Law and Policy and the Institute on Technology, Law and Policy. The latter is the first formal collaboration between UCLA Law and the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering. In August 2020, the school will begin offering a Master of Legal Studies degree, a program designed to serve non-lawyers seeking to cultivate legal knowledge and skills. In June 2022, Russell Korobkin, the Richard C. Maxwell Distinguished Professor of Law, was appointed to serve as the law school’s interim dean.

Today, UCLA Law has more than 60 full-time faculty members, many of whom are recognized by other professors of law and jurists across the nation as the most influential scholars in their disciplines. The school’s 18,000 alumni include nearly 200 state and federal judges, several members of Congress, top attorneys in government and private practice, leaders in Hollywood, attorneys who are improving the lives of people in under-represented communities, and scholars who teach in law schools around the United States.

Admissions

Statistics

Admissions Stats
Class of:	2020-2021	2021-2022
25th - 50th - 75th percentile LSAT	164 - 169 - 171	166 - 170 - 171
25th - 50th - 75th percentile GPA	3.54 - 3.79 - 3.9	3.57 - 3.82 - 3.92
Acceptance rate	22.8%	15.4%
Applications received	6034	7939
Acceptances	1373	1225
Matriculants	1799	1691

The class of 1L students at UCLA School of Law has a median LSAT score of 170. The 25th percentile LSAT score is 166 and the 75th percentile LSAT score is 171. The median GPA is 3.82. The 25th percentile GPA is 3.57 and the 75th percentile GPA is 3.92. These statistics show that the vast majority of students admitted to UCLA School of Law have very high academic standings.

Acceptance Rate

UCLA School of Law is highly competitive, with an acceptance rate of only 15.4%. In the 2022 application cycle, 7,939 people applied, and 1,225 were offered admission. The 1L class size is 366, and the yield (the percentage of applicants who accept their offer of admission) is 28.33%. This means that 347 out of 1,225 applicants who were offered admission were accepted, meaning that 28.33% of those offered admissions ended up attending the school.

When to Apply

The UCLA School of Law is one of the most prestigious and competitive law schools in the United States. The admissions process is highly selective, and only the most qualified applicants are accepted. If you are interested in applying to UCLA School of Law, they encourage you to begin the process as early as possible. Applications for Fall 2023 will be available on September 1, 2022. The deadline to apply is February 1, 2023. UCLA School of Law recommends you complete your application before the deadline to submit all materials on time. The admissions process is extensive, and UCLA School of Law wants to ensure you have everything you need to succeed. If you have any questions about the process or need any assistance, the admissions team is here to help.

In general, Dean Schwartz had the following to say about applying early:

Although you are generally encouraged to apply early to ensure that all your materials are received on time, this will not significantly impact your odds of being admitted. Since the Admissions Committee does not make decisions on a strictlyrolling basis, a candidate who applies later in the admissions cycle will not necessarily be disadvantaged. Applying early also does not guarantee early receipt of a decision. Offers of admission are usually made between January and late April, and various factors will determine when you'll actually hear from us. Thus, our general advice is to apply when you most feel prepared.

Beyond the Numbers

However, the admissions process at UCLA Law isn't just about the numbers. Dean Schwartz emphasizes that other factors can make the difference in his exclusive interview with Top-Law-Schools.com:

We place substantial weight on traditional measures of academic ability, namely grades and LSAT scores. We also consider attributes that may contribute to assembling a diverse class. We place special emphasis on socioeconomic disadvantage in our evaluation. We also consider work experience and career achievement, community or public service, career goals, significant hardships overcome, the ability to contribute to law school programs and concentrations, evidence of and potential for leadership, language ability, unusual life experiences and any other factors that indicate the applicant may significantly diversify the student body or make a distinctive contribution to UCLA School of Law or the legal profession.

In other words, one would be mistaken to think that meeting the above LSAT and UGPA medians is sufficient for admission to UCLA Law. To the contrary, the admissions office at UCLA, like other schools of a similar caliber, receives more than enough applications from students with adequate numbers; thus, they also look to less quantifiable "soft" factors when making their decisions. Applicants should invest a serious amount of time and effort in their essays, emphasizing their unique life/work experiences, extracurricular achievements, and any factor that would bring an element of diversity to the UCLA student body. Your resume is a good way of sharing those factors that make you different in a concise and accessible way. To read some advice about creating a professional law school resume, click here.

Personal Statements

One of the best ways to exhibit something interesting about yourself is through your personal statement. Dean Schwartz remarks:

A personal statement is potentially your only opportunity to tell us whatever you want us to know about you. It is your "interview" and should be well-presented and well-written. Because we receive over 8,000 applications, writing a well-written, interesting personal statement can be very important. The personal statement should be written with the intention to set yourself apart from all the other applicants.

If UCLA is truly your number one choice, incorporating that fact into your personal statement is definitely seen as a positive mark by the Admissions Office. Dean Schwartz says that "we are interested in any attributes, experiences or interests that would enable you to make a distinctive contribution to UCLA Law."

UCLA Law also accepts diversity statements, asserting that "anyone who wishes to provide such a statement should do so." A diversity statement should be seen as yet another chance to separate yourself from your fellow applicants. Diversity isn't just limited to ethnicity or culture, either; one can make an excellent topic out of one's socioeconomic condition or sexual orientation.

Finally, if you're interested in improving your personal statement or even just looking for ideas to write about, Ken DeLeon, the creator of Top-Law-Schools.com, wrote a fantastic guide to personal statements which can be found here for free.

Letters of Recommendation

UCLA requires at least two (but no more than three) letters of recommendation with your application. The school also requests that at least one letter come from an academic source. As with most other schools, UCLA Law suggests that you get letters of recommendation from professors or employers that know you best. Dean Schwartz says:

Obtain letters from those that know you well and have seen you demonstrate skills that will be useful in law school. It does not matter who writes the letter (i.e. professor or teaching assistant) as long as the writer knows you and your abilities.

To get some additional advice on obtaining letters of recommendation, click here.

Multiple LSATs and Other Addenda

UCLA mainly considers an applicant's highest LSAT score, although it will look at all of them. Dean Schwartz says:

Our general policy is to consider the highest LSAT score attained, although we will take note of all scores. In the case of a significant discrepancy between scores, applicants are advised to address it in their application. It is always helpful for the Admissions Committee to be aware of any factors that may have adversely or positively impacted one's performance on the LSAT. Item 12 on our application is a suitable place to provide such explanation.

One should also consider writing an addendum if one has an issue with one's UGPA, such as a downward trend. The school will take into account factors like family illness, work responsibilities, etc. when making its decisions, and an addendum can help mitigate the damage of a lower GPA. For more information about writing addendums, click here.

Waitlisted

If you end up on the waitlist, all hope is not lost. Dean Schwartz remarks that the school "admit[s] a significant percent of our class each year from the waitlist," although exact numbers are not readily available. In fact, Dean Schwartz even encourages applicants to contact the school directly to "discuss their chances of admission."

The school also encourages applicants to submit periodic LOCI (or letters of continued interest). These updates can be submitted as often as once a month "either via e-mail at admissions@law.ucla.edu or standard mail to the Office of Admissions at UCLA School of Law." Dean Schwartz has the following advice for LOCI:

The admissions committee welcomes such statements. If applicable, updated academic transcripts, LSAT scores, or any other official documents can be sent either through LSAC or directly to our office. With respect to new letters of recommendation, they should only be sent if you strongly believe that they illuminate substantially different aspects to your candidacy not covered by the previous letters submitted on your behalf.

Often, candidates wonder what else they can do to get off the waitlist. Unfortunately, the answer seems to be "not much":

Many of the factors considered in our wait list deliberations (e.g., quality of other waitlisted candidates, the enrollment goals of the Law School, number of admitted students accepting our offers of admission, etc.) are external and beyond the control of individual applicants. Thus, there isn't much one can do to improve their odds, aside from patiently waiting and continuing to express their interest in UCLA Law.

Transfer Students

UCLA School of Law's transfer application for fall 2022 will open on May 2 and close on June 30. The priority deadline is June 15. Transfer applicants must be enrolled at another American Bar Association (ABA)-approved law school. Applicants may submit their application with fall semester grades only; in some circumstances, the admissions committee may review applications before receiving second-semester grades. Applying early is highly encouraged, as it may allow for a quicker decision.

UCLA Law is committed to enrolling a diverse student body, and transfer students play an important role in contributing to the quality of the school's academic program. Transfer students bring valuable perspectives and experiences that enhance classroom discussion and contribute to clinical efforts, student projects, and faculty-supervised research at UCLA Law. The school, therefore, reserves some spaces in the second year for transfer students who have demonstrated academic excellence during their first year at another law school. If you are interested in applying to UCLA Law as a transfer student, you must do so through the LSAC online application service. To read a fantastic article about transferring, click here.

Urms (or Underrepresented Minorities)

Because of their disadvantaged histories in the United States, certain minorities enjoy a significant boost in the application process. To read more about this boost and to see whether you classify as a URM, click here. In addition, many pre-law programs are specifically created to help URM applicants get accepted to top schools. For more about some of these programs, click here.

Final Words About Admissions

One should feel immensely privileged to be accepted to UCLA Law, as it is one of the finest law schools in the country. If one is lucky enough to have a choice between UCLA Law and other top law schools, Dean Schwartz has the following wise words of advice:

Stay true to yourself and maintain perspective. There are plenty of fine law schools across the country, and as long as you know yourself and what you want out of a legal education, you will find a place that is right for you. To that end, take the time to self-reflect and consider the factors that may be important to you (e.g., location, size, reputation, availability of financial assistance, clinical opportunities, career prospects, etc.). Enjoy the process of researching and visiting law schools, and the more you learn about your options, the likelier you are to make a good choice.

To read some general advice from TLS about the admissions process, click here and here.

Tuition and Expenses

Cost of Attendance

Cost of Attendance 2022-2023
	California Resident	Non-Resident
Tuition	$53,909.99	$64,416.99
	OFF-CAMPUS HOUSE OR APARTMENT	COMMUTING FROM FAMILY HOME
Living Expenses	$28,352	$17,125

Students should also be prepared to pay for room & board, books, and miscellaneous fees. With all of these costs included, the yearly attendance cost at UCLA is roughly $53,909.99 for California residents and $64,416.99 for non-residents. Given that this can amount to a three-year total of more than $170,000, the prospect of investing such an amount can be daunting. Nonrefundable application fee of $75. You may submit your application and pay the fee electronically via LSAC. You may also pay by check, money order, or international money order payable to the Regents of the University of California and include it with your signed Certification Letter. To read more about fee waivers, click here.

Financial Aid

At UCLA Law, we believe a legal education should be accessible to any student with the talent and drive to be admitted to our school. Each year, our team of dedicated administrators develops comprehensive financial aid packages to assist more than 900 students with diverse needs and backgrounds. We help students finance a premier legal education through a combination of grants, fellowships, scholarships and an array of loan options. Nearly 90 percent of J.D. candidates benefit from some type of financial assistance; almost 82 percent receive gift aid that does not need to be repaid. The school also offers a limited number of full-tuition scholarships for qualified students. Our administrators are committed to helping admitted and prospective students explore resources and create packages tailored to their unique requirements.

Scholarships

UCLA Law is excited to offer three full-scholarship programs to students pursuing a J.D. degree. The UCLA Law Distinguished Scholars Program is a binding early-decision program providing full tuition for three years to exceptionally qualified students ready to commit to UCLA Law.
The UCLA Law Achievement Fellowship is non-binding and provides full tuition for three years to high-achieving students who have overcome significant personal, educational or socio-economic hardships.
The Graton Scholarship is also non-binding and provides full tuition for three years to students who are interested in pursuing legal careers in Native American law.
UCLA Law also offers the Emmett Family Environmental Law Scholarship one three-year, full-tuition scholarship awarded to one exceptional incoming student who is dedicated to pursuing a career in environmental law.

Quality of Life

Los Angeles is a dynamic and beautiful city with rich natural and cultural resources and connections to every continent. A Location Like No Other
UCLA School of Law's location in Los Angeles allows students to get involved with various aspects of the city. The school also takes advantage of its proximity to other UCLA resources, such as world-renowned research facilities. This allows for a well-rounded and unique education that can apply to many legal fields. Sophisticated Culture and Natural Splendor
UCLA School of Law is an excellent choice for students pursuing a legal education in a dynamic and vibrant city. Los Angeles offers students many opportunities to enjoy the arts, socialize, and experience world-class cuisine and sporting events. The city's unique geographical features also provide ample opportunity for outdoor recreation throughout the year. UCLA School of Law provides an excellent education in a stimulating and enjoyable setting.

Housing

UCLA School of Law students have many options for finding housing on and off campus. The school provides a secure website where students can connect with potential roommates and exchange information. There are also many attractive neighborhoods nearby that offer plenty of housing options for law students. Whether you're looking for a private or university-owned property, we're here to help you find the perfect place to call home.

Housing Resources
UNIVERSITY-OWNED PROPERTIES
University-owned properties offer attractive, accessible and affordable residences for law students who are single, partnered or raising children.

• UCLA Housing Services
• Graduate Student Housing

PRIVATELY OWNED PROPERTIES
A diverse array of apartments are available near the UCLA campus. The UCLA Housing Office has compiled Neighborhood Profiles. You can also review the Housing Guide assembled in 2019 on the basis of a survey of law students. UCLA Law Admissions has also compiled a guide to private housing.

UNIVERSITY COOPERATIVE HOUSING ASSOCIATION
The University Cooperative Housing Association provides affordable housing to qualified students, visiting scholars and faculty of UCLA. The Co-op offers reasonably priced accommodations for those who might not be able to afford alternatives.

• University Cooperative Housing Association

Transportation

Los Angeles has cultivated a famous car culture, but there are excellent alternative means of transportation to the UCLA campus and surrounding neighborhoods. For a comprehensive and in-depth overview of transportation, including campus maps, explore more:

• UCLA Transportation Main Site
• Bruin Commuter Club
• How to Access Campus

Law School Culture

One of UCLA's biggest draws is its fantastic location. The school's proximity to Los Angeles allows students to experience a bustling city, but there is the opportunity to relax as well. The school's campus is cradled in rolling green hills about five miles from the Pacific Ocean and bordered on the north by the protected wilderness of the Santa Monica Mountains. The law school offers a full array of performing arts including concerts, theater, ballet, opera, and the symphony as well as lectures, forums, and seminars--both throughout the city and at the law school. Dean Schwartz explains in detail:

UCLA Law is situated in one of the world's most vibrant and exciting geographic regions. While sufficiently close to the thriving metropolis of Los Angeles to afford students convenient opportunities to engage its social and professional scenes, the campus is secluded enough for students to focus on their legal studies. UCLA Law is strategic about tapping into the numerous industries represented in the area (e.g., entertainment, non-profit, business, political, etc.) as a way to enrich our academic programs and combine them with intriguing experiential offerings for our students.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles serves as a major cultural and recreational hub, hosting various sporting and entertainment events and offering scores of theaters, museums, and cultural centers. The city's global reach, environmental diversity (where you can hike, snowboard, and go to the beach all in the same day), and perpetually desirable weather further enhance the quality of life for our law students. The only negative that Dean Schwartz mentions is the heavy traffic of the Los Angeles area, but this can be "easily avoided by living on campus or close to campus."

However, what do the students think about living at UCLA? Unsurprisingly, they seem to agree with the Dean that the Westwood area (where UCLA is located) is a wonderful place to spend three years. One student writes:

The Westwood area is probably the only walkable mini-city in LA. Within a 7-block radius you can get just about anything you want (food, Best Buy, Gap, etc.). After a few months I needed some change, so I started forcing myself to travel outside of Westwood to study as often as possible. That said, I know tons of people who love having everything they need within walking distance, and Westwood is wonderful for that.4

If you want to get the full UCLA Law experience, then Weyburn Terrace, the campus apartment buildings, is a popular location to live, especially for first years (or 1Ls). Many 1L activities tend to revolve around Weyburn Terrace and the surrounding area, so living elsewhere might make it more difficult to bond with your classmates. One student remarked: "Live in Weyburn. Trust me. It is the center of social life for 1L's and you will be so left out if you don't live there." Another student further emphasizes this point, stating: "Most students live in the Westwood area. Most students who don't live in Weyburn live off of Wilshire (south Westwood). I live in Weyburn, which is fantastic. For what I'm paying (1k/month, everything included - except parking), it's a great deal."

The Student Body

UCLA School of Law has a very favorable student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1. This means that there are eight students for every faculty member. This is a very good ratio because it ensures that each student gets the individual attention they need and deserve. Additionally, this ratio also allows for more intimate class sizes which facilitate better learning. The average class size for 1L sections is approximately Above Average compared to other law schools. Student diversity at UCLA is Average. The following chart gives the class makeup for the Class of 2021:

Females	50.5%
Male	49.5%
Hispanics	11.5%
American Indian	0.9%
Asians	15.8%
African American	3.4%
Others	6.5%
Caucasian	61.8

The most represented undergraduate schools (by number of students enrolled) are mainly located in California: UCLA, UC Berkeley, University of Southern California, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, and Stanford University. However, several Ivy League universities also make an appearance: University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, and Harvard University.

Making Friends

Many students are nervous about networking and making friends when they first arrive at law school. However, one student reassures prospective students that making friends is "really, really easy":

I'm from the East Coast so I had no friends in LA when I moved here in August. It is really, really easy to make friends in law school because you are around the same people all the time, and you have so much in common. Plus, people were really friendly the first month or so and willing to go outside their comfort zones to make new friends.

Another student emphasizes this point: "UCLA Law School is a nurturing haven where the professors have coffee with you and the person to your left is sporting a genuine smile." That being said, the same student warns that things can get a little insulated at UCLA:

Outside of law school, however, I have met nobody. This isn't really an issue for me, because I would never have time to hang out with them anyway. It might be kind of nice to have friends outside of law school, but to be honest, at least your friends in law school know what you are going through. They aren't going to rag on you to go out the weekend before your graded memo is due because their memo is due also. Around the last month of school, nobody goes out at all here. It would be hard to blow off your non-law school friends for a month straight (they would have a hard time understanding and would probably just stop calling). This summer I'm hoping to maybe meet some people outside the law school, but I feel like it might be fairly hard to do.

Also, competition can get fierce when memos are due and exams are coming up:

Sometimes it is a little weird to be friends with people who constantly compete with you. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I've found some of my friends to be super cool when it comes to social stuff but then this weird side comes out in them when exam and memo time rolls around and people can get super shady. It's weird. I guess that's what a curve does to people.

In general, many students report that making friends at UCLA Law should be a relatively painless process. With "approximately 1115" students at the law school, you should be able to find plenty of people that you get along with!

Facilities

Students seem to agree that one aspect of UCLA where there is room for improvement is in the learning facilities of the law school. One student describes the two lecture halls as "outdated and too large," and remarks that the "smaller classrooms are better, but still not perfect." However, he concedes that "the law library is incredible, and as a student, that's where you're going to spend most of your time anyway."

However, the school does offer an exceptional selection when it comes to athletics. Students can take advantage of extensive tennis and racquetball courts, a full-service gymnasium and recreation program, four swimming pools, playing fields, and running tracks.

Extracurriculars

Like many other top law schools, the choices are practically endless when it comes to activities. There are nearly 50 different student organizations that students can get involved with; some include the Animal Law Society, the China Law Association, and the Environmental Law Society. Students can also get involved with the UCLA Law Softball League, soccer, intramural basketball, etc. Overall, you should be able to find at least one organization on campus that is relevant to your interests.

Journals

UCLA Law has an impressive twelve different journals that span a variety of subjects. These include: the Asian Pacific American Law Journal, the Chicano/a-Latino/a Law Review, the Dukeminier Awards Journal of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law, the Entertainment Law Review, the Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, the Journal of International Law & Foreign Affairs, the Journal of Islamic and Near Eastern Law, the Journal of Law & Technology, the National Black Law Journal, the Pacific Basin Law Journal, the UCLA Law Review, and the Women’s Law Journal.

Each of the journals has different requirements for becoming a member. The most difficult journal to join is probably the UCLA Law Review, the school's flagship journal. Those who are interested can compete in the journal's Write-on competition, which "first year students complete over their spring break." Selected students become staff members for the year, and those who show "diligence, attention to detail, demonstrated leadership abilities, and service to the Law Review during their staff year" get the opportunity to be editors during their third year at the law school. Other journals do not have stringent requirements; for instance, the Pacific Basin Law Journal simply requests that students contact their Recruitment coordinator.

The journals at UCLA Law span various subjects, and many of them are renowned in their respective fields. For instance, the Chicano/a - Latino/a Law Review is "the first legal journal that recognized how common law, statutes, legislative policy, and politically popular propositions impact the Latino community," and has been "publishing strong scholarly work on affirmative action and education, Spanish and Mexican land grants, environmental justice, language rights, and immigration reform" since 1972. In addition, the Pacific Basic Law Journal is the "only law review in the country devoted to the study of international and comparative law within the rapidly developing economic sphere of the Pacific Basin." Finally, the Journal of Islamic and Near Eastern Law is the "first journal in the United States dedicated to this area of study." The journal deals with the "complex and multifaceted issues of Islamic and Near Eastern law and its applications and effects within and outside of the Near East." To read more about these fascinating journals and others, just click the links given above.

Academics

Unsurprisingly, in terms of academics, UCLA Law is one of the top schools in the country. Brian Leiter, the University of Chicago professor and rankings guru, places UCLA Law's faculty as the 10 (by mean per capita) in the nation based on scholarly impact, and with the school's decent student to professor ratio of 13 to 1, students should be able to get one-on-one time with their teachers In terms of entering students' numerical (LSAT and GPA) quality, UCLA ranks 15. UCLA is also strong in many different specialties: intellectual property law, environmental law, trial advocacy, clinical training, international law, and particularly tax law. Finally, given the school's location in Los Angeles, it is not surprising that UCLA Law is also regarded as having one of the nation's finest programs in entertainment law.

The curve for classes at UCLA Law is quite generous and depends on the performance of your class as a whole. The following chart shows the distribution of grades for different years of law school:

1L	Percentage of students
A	25-29% (target 27%)
B/B+	41-52%
B-	18-22% (target 20%)
C+ or below	5-8%
2L and 3L	Percentage of students
A	23-27% (target 25%)
B/B+	50-60%
B-	17-23% (target 20%)
C+ or below	Not mandatory

The school also offers several joint degree programs with many other graduate programs, including the highly regarded Anderson School of Business. However, students interested in joint degrees should know that scheduling conflicts are common since UCLA Law School is on the semester system and the rest of the campus is on quarters. Dean Schill emphasizes that taking classes in other departments is possible; it just requires planning. To read more about joint degrees and why one might pursue one, click here and here.

Public Interest

UCLA Law's David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law & Policy is an "unbelievable public interest program." Professor Ann Carlson sums up the program:

As funding shrinks and society's problems become ever more vexing, the need for creating public interest lawyering becomes even greater. UCLA School of Law's Program in Public Interest Law and Policy aims to provide its students with serious, sustained training and education from some of the country's leading scholars and practitioners in order to meet that need.

Dean Schill further explains:

We are the second law school in the country to put together an organized Public Interest program. You come in with 25 students and take all your classes with them. You develop a deep relation with these students and you have special faculty that deal with you. They help you with your fellowship programs. We fund your PI job (all of the students that wanted to do Public Interest work), and we have many clinics to help you explore other options. Beyond the first year, you have various class options.

The program "provides an array of opportunities for students to hear speakers, work on current policy problems, and become involved in public interest activities outside the School of Law." In other words, the school really takes care of its public interest students; you get your own curriculum, a core group of faculty that supervise and mentor you, and a small, tightly-knit group of public interest students to bond with and learn from. Most students enter the program for their 1L years, but the school reserves a small number of slots (approximately five) for students wishing to apply for their 2L years.

There are a number of fellowships that one can receive for summer funding and pursue non-UCLA funding opportunities. The Office of Public Interest Programs maintains a database where one can find "information about specific sources of auxiliary funding available nationwide to support summer public interest work." The school also has a LAP (or Loan Assistance Program) where public interest students can get most of their loans forgiven if they stay in public interest work after graduation. More information can be found on UCLA's website.

Clinics

The clinical program at UCLA Law is superb. Students can pick from nearly twenty in-house clinics, ranging in subject and scope from immigration to criminal defense. UCLA has opened up three new clinics for the 2009-2010 school year, including a bankruptcy transactions course, a civil rights litigation clinic, and a regulatory lawyering clinic.

UCLA is proud of several distinctive features of its program. First, the clinics at UCLA focus on "transferable teaching skills." This means that clinics work to create conceptual frameworks for students. This broader lesson plan creates a strong foundation for specific skills that students have to learn. This allows students to be better lawyers and to utilize skills over a larger and more substantial area. In the more specialized clinics, students get hands-on experience representing actual or simulated clients in realistic scenarios.

The school also has an interesting "borrowing" system, where clinics will become co-counsel with local public interest organizations and law firms on certain cases. UCLA's website explains:

By "borrowing" complex cases at appropriate stages of development, we are able to teach the specific lawyering skills we want to focus on (deposition-taking, for example) and give students exposure to large, significant legal matters that we would not be able to handle as lead counsel. At the same time, we are able to provide needed assistance to public interest law firms working on issues of major importance to the community.

Finally, the school's externship program is worthy of mention. The school gives students the opportunity to extern in a judge's chambers or for a government or non-profit organization. Students enroll in their fourth or fifth semesters at the law school and receive class credit for their work. Judicial externships are confined to the Los Angeles area, but students end up in cities as varied as New York and Washington D.C. for government/non-profit externships. To learn more about UCLA's fantastic clinics, click here.

Professors

As with any other school, the professors can be hit or miss. One student described his experiences: "Two of my professors this year have been horrible - as in unbelievably bad. Two of them actually have been really

cool and I really liked them." Of course, different students will like different professors; maybe this student was just unlucky. Another student wrote a glowing review of his 1L year's professors:

All of my professors have been ridiculously accomplished. By far the sweetest professor I've ever had was Prof. Grady (Torts). His teaching method is dramatically different from others (we read excerpts from 750 cases), but everyone loved his humor and sincerity. My favorite professor was probably Prof. French (Property), who wrote our Property book (not the most popular book - which our Dean wrote - but probably the second-most assigned). She never flaunted her intelligence or belittled a student, and her breadth of knowledge on every aspect of property was incredible. She even managed to make a horrible topic like the Rule against Perpetuities clear and understandable (having helped redefine the way it was taught to students through a law review article in the early 1980s).

One of prospective students' biggest fears entering law school seems to be the dreaded "Socratic Method." The idea that law professors love to humiliate their students has permeated common thought (perhaps because of the movie "The Paper Chase"), but fret not! A student reassures us that the Socratic Method isn't the worst thing in the world:

None of my professors used Socratic last semester, but all of them do it this semester. As I'm sure other students have told you, it is not a big deal at all. If you get the answer wrong, the professor doesn't harass you but simply gives the correct answer and continues to ask questions. No one judges you for not knowing (because most of them don't know, either). None of my professors uses the Socratic Method to torture students, so don't worry.

Finally, for exams, one student just advises that you "do all of the practice answers, and practice writing in the same style as the samples they provide." There is plenty of advice about study guides, supplements, pre-law-school reading, etc. littered throughout the TLS forums that will help you out, so search around and you're sure to find some answers!

Employment Prospects

UCLA Law graduates have great success in finding employment after graduation. The vast majority (72.6%) go on to work for law firms, while 6.4% clerk for a judge. 10.5% of graduates enter into public interest work. An impressive 97.2% of the University of California—Los Angeles graduates pass the bar on their first try.

Approximately 93% of the UCLA Law graduates who took the July 2021 California Bar Exam for the first time passed the examination. The statewide bar passage rate average for first-time test takers was approximately 70.5%. For UCLA Law graduates taking the July 2021 New York Bar Exam, the passage rate was 97% for first-time test takers.

The UCLA Law School class of 2021 had an employment rate of 93% with 1% pursuing an additional degree. In 2021, 92.7%% of students reported their employment status 9-months after graduation.

Type Of Employment	Percent of students
Law Firms:	64.0%
Business:	8.0%
Government:	8.0%
Public interest	12.0%
Academic	1.0%
California:	85%
District Of Columbia:	3%
New York	3%

Finally let's look at the salary ranges for each of these firm sizes. Please note that this information comes from a limited data set; the school reports that salary statistics are full-time only for those who reported salary information. Because it is not entirely clear what percent of students submitted their salary information, it is hard to tell how reliable the following data is.

Category	Salary Range	Salary Median
Total private sector	$32,000 - $160,000	$160,000
Self-employed	N/A	N/A
2-10 attorneys	$32,000 - $100,000	$65,000
11-25 attorneys	$60,000 - $150,000	$83,000
26-50 attorneys	$90,000 - $160,000	$150,000
51-100 attorneys	$74,000 - $160,000	$90,000
101-250 attorneys	$100,000 - $160,000	$160,000
251-500 attorneys	$135,000 - $160,000	$160,000
501 or more attorneys	$90,000 - $160,000	$160,000
Total government sector	$31,863 - $150,000	N/A
Judicial clerkship	$48,000 - $69,756	$63,945
Military	N/A	$31,86
Other government	$31,863 - $150,000	$62,234
Total business sector	$45,000 - $120,000	$90,000
Total public sector	$37,000 - $57,408	$44,000

As can be seen from above, generally, the bigger a law firm is, the more it pays its attorneys. With 59.05% of those who found law firm employment (or 40.41% of graduates in general) placing into the highest employment bracket, prospects look pretty good for UCLA graduates that manage to score above median. However, keep in mind that employment prospects have gotten worse since the Class of 2009 found jobs; thus, you might need to place higher in your class in order to secure high-paying employment. One student confirms this analysis, writing:

I guess I was slightly naive coming into UCLA and thinking that everyone gets good jobs. In a good economy, about 40 percent of the class gets a firm job. The top 40 percent is somewhere around a 3.3 GPA, and I think the median GPA is a little over a 3.2. I looked at last year's OCI list and every single biglaw firm lists a 3.3 GPA cutoff (and journal/moot court) as a requirement. However, 2L's that I have talked to tell me that most people who actually get offers have a 3.4 or higher, so a 3.3 won't necessarily cut it. It's just the minimum requirement.

In other words, if you want a coveted firm job, you might have to pursue means other than OCI (On-Campus Interviews). Obviously, there are other jobs available in different sectors of the industry (public interest, government, academia, clerkships, etc.), but those interested in making the big bucks might have to put a little extra legwork into their job searches. Those who miss the biglaw boat can end up working at small law firms in the area that pay much lower salaries. One student speaks anecdotally:

If you wonder what happens to the people who don't get biglaw, they end up in small firms making $65k a year. I know someone who graduated last year and this is what he ended up doing. He had a 3.15 during OCI and he didn't end up getting a job until after he passed the bar.

While these kinds of anecdotal stories should be taken with a grain of salt, they demonstrate that things might not be all sunshine and roses for all graduates over at UCLA. As expected, summer associate opportunities are also drying up with the law market changing. A current student confirms this:

I know of two 1Ls who have summer associate jobs this summer (there may be more). However, be aware that it is very, very, difficult to get one of these jobs, and probably involves a fair amount of luck. There are many qualified applicants, especially at a good school like UCLA, and the fact that one person gets a firm job over another is based on how the interview goes, and probably some luck. The 1L On-Campus Interview program was extremely small (4 firms) as opposed to past years (I was told around 30 firms came last year, but I can't confirm that). Firms just are being very careful with who they hire.

So be ready to make good grades, brush up on your interviewing skills, and do some legwork if you want one of these coveted positions. With the market changing, many students are realizing that they will have to find work elsewhere. One student lists some of the possibilities for a 1L:

Just also be aware that there are plenty of other jobs available - I know people working for small firms (hourly pay), and for public interest organizations (for a $3500-$4000 stipend), and for government organizations. Are there people who have nothing for the summer at this point? Absolutely. And that is likely very much to do with the economy. But for someone with decent grades and who does the legwork, I think a respectable job, if not a firm one, is certainly attainable.

Things become slightly more promising when 2L summer rolls around; one student knows "plenty" of 2Ls that have associateships for the summer, though he concedes that he also knows plenty that don't.

For the students who are more interested in clerkships, the clerkship program is on the rise at UCLA. Dean Schill described increasing clerkships as one of the school's "top priorities," The faculty and Dean Schill work together with students to phone judges and make recommendations. UCLA's website also clarifies that "as a service to students, the Office processes faculty letters of recommendation, includes the letters in the student application packets and sends out the complete packets to all judges."

Finally, for aspiring academics, UCLA isn't a bad choice either. The Dean is actively working to increase the number of people going into academic careers and expects "real returns." The school just recently started a Law and Philosophy department and wants to further expand with a Law and Economics department as well as a Law and Sociology department.

Employment is a tricky subject right now, because no one is sure how the market will be restructured to accommodate the troubled economy. Nearly all UCLA graduates are still finding employment after graduating, and UCLA's website reports the median private-sector salary as $160,000. In general, going to law school and trying to find a job is a stressful process, but with a little bit of luck and some legwork, it's still possible to find a high-paying job in your field of interest. OCI is no longer guaranteed, though, especially for firms outside of southern California. But UCLA's alumni network is very strong, and Dean Schill from UCLA argues that the only reason that most students stay in California is because of self selection; Dean Schill writes:

We are a relatively rare commodity on the East Coast because everyone loves it here. Consequently, all of our alumni are begging me for more students in the East Coast. We get law firms from the East Coast that come to LA and give a half a day of interviews; in comparison, they only give 4 interviews to NYU. Our students do extremely well. The biggest challenge we have is to keep employers happy by giving them enough students; not many students want to leave, but we try to facilitate as many opportunities as possible for those who do wish to go.

While Dean Schill might exaggerate slightly, some opportunities exist for students outside of California.

Synopsis

UCLA Law is a relatively young school, but it has quickly made a name for itself among the top law schools in the country. Students and faculty alike are excited about the changes currently afoot. Facilities are being renovated, new professors are being recruited, and the public interest program continues to grow. Combine those factors with the vitalizing atmosphere of southern California and the Los Angeles area, and you've got a school that should be tempting for any applicant.

Contact Information

UCLA School of Law
Office of Admissions - J.D. Program
71 Dodd Hall, Box 951445
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1476
Phone: 310.825.2080
Email: admissions@law.ucla.edu
http://law.ucla.edu/admissions

Summary

Established	1949
Location	Los Angeles, CA
Dean	Russell Korobkin
2022 US News Ranking	15th
LSAT Median Score	170
GPA Median Score	3.82
Bar Passage Rate	97% (2022)
Employment Rate	78% (2022)
Cost	$53,909.99 (California Resident) $64,416.99 (Non-Resident)
Average Debt	$141,062
Application Deadline	February 1, 2023

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Reference

https://law.ucla.edu/
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