University of California, Berkeley, School of Law

University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Name	University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Caption	The main law building, known as the "Law Building".
Established	1894
Type	Public law school
Dean	Erwin Chemerinsky
City	Berkeley
State	California
Country	United States
Students	~950 (J.D.)
Faculty	~100 full-time
Website	law.berkeley.edu

University of California, Berkeley, School of Law is a premier public law school located in Berkeley, California. Founded in 1894, it is one of fourteen schools and colleges at the University of California, Berkeley. The school is renowned for its intellectual rigor, influential scholarship, and commitment to public service, consistently ranking among the top law schools in the United States. Its graduates hold prominent positions across the legal profession, including on the Supreme Court of the United States, in the United States Congress, and within leading firms and organizations worldwide.

History

The institution was established in 1894, initially operating out of California Hall on the Berkeley campus. Its first dean was William Carey Jones. The school grew significantly under the leadership of Dean Roger J. Traynor, who later served as an influential Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of California. A pivotal moment in its history was the founding of the Berkeley Law Review in 1912. Throughout the 20th century, the school was deeply involved in the Free Speech Movement and various social justice initiatives. Its faculty and alumni have played key roles in major legal developments, from shaping New Deal policies to arguing landmark cases before the Supreme Court of the United States.

Academics

The school offers the Juris Doctor degree, as well as the Master of Laws and the Doctor of Juridical Science. Its curriculum is noted for strength in areas such as intellectual property law, environmental law, and social justice advocacy. The first-year program includes foundational courses in torts, contracts, and constitutional law. Students can pursue concentrations and certificates in specialized fields like business, international, and Technology law. The school employs a modified pass/fail grading system known as the "Berkeley Model." Experiential learning is provided through numerous clinics, including the East Bay Community Law Center, and externships with institutions like the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Centers and programs

The school hosts several internationally recognized research centers. The Berkeley Center for Law & Technology is a leader in intellectual property and cyberlaw scholarship. The Center for the Study of Law and Society fosters interdisciplinary work with the university's Department of Sociology and Department of Political Science. Other notable institutes include the Miller Institute for Global Challenges and the Law, the Environmental Law Clinic, and the Death Penalty Clinic. The school also houses the Robbins Collection in religious and civil law. Specialized programs like the Berkeley Law in D.C. semester and the International Human Rights Law Clinic provide global engagement.

Notable faculty and alumni

The faculty includes prominent scholars such as constitutional law expert Erwin Chemerinsky, former United States Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, and criminal law professor Franklin Zimring. Distinguished alumni span government, judiciary, and business. They include Chief Justice of the United States Earl Warren, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Stephen Breyer, and former United States Attorney General Edwin Meese. In politics, notable figures are U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and Iran–Contra affair prosecutor Lawrence Walsh. Legal pioneers include the first female partner at a major Wall Street firm, Hortense Ward, and civil rights attorney Johnnie Cochran.

Campus and facilities

The primary facility is the Law Building, located near the center of the Berkeley campus, adjacent to Moffitt Undergraduate Library and the Valley Life Sciences Building. The complex includes the state-of-the-art Berkeley Law Library, one of the largest legal collections in the Western United States. The school also operates the Berkeley Law Boalt Hall Student Association building for student activities. Recent additions include modernized classrooms and trial advocacy suites. The campus is situated close to the San Francisco Bay Area legal community, including the California Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Rankings and reputation

The school is consistently ranked among the very best law schools by publications like U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. It is particularly highly regarded for its programs in intellectual property law, environmental law, and clinical education. Its graduates enjoy one of the highest bar passage rates in California and are heavily recruited by elite firms such as Latham & Watkins, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and Morrison & Foerster, as well as by public interest organizations and government agencies like the U.S. Department of Justice. The school's reputation for producing influential judges, scholars, and practitioners is widely recognized within the global legal community.

Category:University of California, Berkeley Category:Law schools in California Category:Educational institutions established in 1894