Santa Clara University School of Law

Santa Clara University School of Law
Name	Santa Clara University School of Law
Established	1911
Type	Private
Parent	Santa Clara University
Location	Santa Clara, California
Dean	(position)
Students	(figure)
Faculty	(figure)
Website	(site)

Santa Clara University School of Law is a professional school within Santa Clara University located in Santa Clara, California, offering Juris Doctor and advanced law degrees with emphasis on technology, public interest, and corporate practice. Founded in the early 20th century, the school has developed connections across Silicon Valley, the Ninth Circuit, and federal agencies, producing alumni who serve on state supreme courts, federal benchrooms, corporate boards, and nonprofit leadership. The curriculum integrates doctrinal instruction with clinics, externships, and interdisciplinary programs linked to law firms, corporations, and community organizations.

History

The school's origins date to 1911 amid regional growth influenced by the Progressive Era, the expansion of San Francisco and the rise of Silicon Valley. Early decades saw engagement with legal issues connected to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo aftermath and California political reforms associated with figures like Hiram Johnson and institutions such as the League of Nations advocacy groups. Midcentury developments included alumni serving in roles tied to the United States Supreme Court, the California Supreme Court, and federal agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. During the late 20th century the school deepened ties to technology companies including Intel, Apple, Google, Hewlett-Packard, and Cisco Systems. Recent history features collaborations with municipal partners such as San Jose and regional networks like the Association of American Law Schools and the American Bar Association.

Academics and Programs

The school offers the Juris Doctor alongside master’s programs connected to centers focusing on intellectual property, corporate governance, international law, and public interest law. Students study via case-method courses referencing decisions from the Ninth Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States. Interdisciplinary partnerships link to Santa Clara University School of Engineering, Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business, and external partners like Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley. Specialized curricula include tracks addressing patent practice in relation to the Patent Act, transactional training aligned with standards from the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and programs reflecting regulatory environments shaped by the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Reserve System.

Admissions and Rankings

Admissions consider undergraduate records from institutions such as Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, Stanford University, and state universities like University of California, Berkeley and University of California, Los Angeles. Applicants submit credentials to be considered alongside national metrics reported by associations like the American Bar Association and publications such as U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. Graduates pursue clerkships with judges from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, appointments in offices like the California Attorney General and the United States Department of Justice, and positions in firms including Latham & Watkins, Gibson Dunn, Skadden, Arps, and Morrison & Foerster. Rankings reflect the school’s strength in areas connected to Silicon Valley legal practice and public interest placement.

Clinical and Experiential Education

Clinical offerings place students in settings tied to advocacy networks such as ACLU affiliates, public defender offices like those in Santa Clara County, and governmental bodies including the United States Attorney's Office. Clinics address immigration matters referencing statutes like the Immigration and Nationality Act and environmental disputes invoking frameworks from the California Environmental Quality Act and the Clean Air Act. Externships have been arranged with corporate legal departments at Tesla, Meta Platforms, Oracle Corporation, and nonprofit organizations such as Legal Aid Society-affiliated programs. Trial advocacy and moot court teams compete in tournaments overseen by associations like the National Moot Court Competition and the American Bar Association Section of Litigation.

Research, Centers, and Publications

Research centers focus on intellectual property, privacy, and cybersecurity with engagement from entities like the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Other centers examine corporate governance in relation to cases from the Delaware Court of Chancery and regulatory policy affecting agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission. The law school publishes journals and reviews that cite scholarship alongside contributions from authors affiliated with Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Columbia Law School, New York University School of Law, and University of Chicago Law School. Student-edited publications cover antitrust, business law, and technology law topics intersecting with decisions from the Federal Trade Commission and statutes like the Clayton Act.

Student Life and Organizations

Student organizations include chapters and affinity groups connected to national bodies such as the Federal Bar Association, the Hispanic National Bar Association, the Asian American Bar Association, and the National Lawyers Guild. Career services coordinate networking with alumni at firms like Cooley LLP and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, corporate counsel offices at eBay and PayPal, and public sector employers including the California State Legislature and the San Francisco District Attorney's Office. Extracurricular activities feature moot courts aligned with competitions hosted by American University Washington College of Law and international negotiation exercises tied to models of the United Nations.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

Alumni have served on courts including the California Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; have led institutions such as the California Attorney General’s office and corporate legal departments at Intel Corporation and Cisco Systems; and have held elected office in bodies like the United States House of Representatives and the California State Senate. Faculty and visiting scholars have included former clerks of the Supreme Court of the United States, practitioners from firms like Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, and researchers formerly affiliated with RAND Corporation and think tanks such as the Brookings Institution.

Category:Law schools in California