If you are thinking of studying law in California, it is important to know the best schools to enroll in law. California has a high density of law schools. It is good to distinguish those considered the most prestigious or with the highest level.
California is one of the states with the greatest tourist attraction in the country. At the same time, it is also a highly sought-after destination from the point of view of business development and, of course, a fundamental location within the technological innovation or film industry.
It is quite understandable that there are many law schools in this context. Law work is abundant in the state. Moreover, more than a few students choose California as a place to study law.
Let’s take a look at some of the top law schools in the State of California.
Stanford Law School (SLS)
There is not much to say as this is one of the top law schools in the country.
This university, always ranked among the top three law schools in the United States, is one of the most sought-after by students. It offers a small-group education model with a highly selective admissions process.
The groups in the specializations are very small. There can be groups of between 15 and 20 students. That is about 8% of applicants per degree. Some of the main disciplines are:
- Environmental policy and law
- Corporate Governance and Practice
- International Economic Law
- Business Policy
- Science Technology
It is considered one of the universities with the best law professors. It also has some highly acclaimed programs of study within the pedagogical community: the Stanford Program in International Legal Studies (SPILS).
- LSAT: 169-174
- GPA: 3.82-3.99
University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley)
It is considered the second-best law school in California, behind only Stanford. That gives us a measure of how great a law school is considered.
In fact, in some analyses, it consistently appears in the top 10 US law schools.
The volume of accepted applications is around 20%. It maintains a relatively low student-faculty ratio. At the same time, it has some very interesting and in-demand programs.
Some of the most renowned specializations of this Faculty are:
- Business Law
- Law and Technology
- Energy and clean technology
A relevant fact is that the percentage of employment obtained in the first year after graduation is close to 90%. That is a very high percentage.
- LSAT: 165-170
- GPA: 3.64-3.90
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
It is the first public law university in Southern California. It was founded in the mid-20th century and is considered one of California’s most relevant law schools.
It offers some renowned and sought-after specializations for students, such as:
- Business Law
- Tax Law
- Law and Sexuality
- Sports Law
- Entertainment Law
In fact, some of these specializations, such as entertainment law, are considered the best in American faculties.
Another important fact is the competitiveness of the admissions process. Only 22% of applications are accepted. Another relevant aspect, which it shares with the rest of the main universities in the state, is the strong alumni network it maintains.
- LSAT: 160
- Undergraduate GPA: 3.72
University of Southern California Gould School of Law (USC Law School)
This university is listed as the fourth-ranked law school in California in most reviews. However, it is one of the oldest and has generally always been ranked among the most prestigious in the country.
Its origins date back to the late 19th century. The law school originated in 1900, and It enrolls around 600 students annually. However, the acceptance rate is not very high, about 19%. It has a high capacity to accommodate students.
Notable are the dual affiliation programs, with around fifteen of them integrating specializations such as:
- Public Policy
- Business Administration
- International Relations
- Gerontology
The university maintains partnerships with global universities in Europe, Asia, South America, and elsewhere.
- LSAT: 163-167
- GPA: 3.61-3.89
The University of California (U.C.) Irvine School of Law
Although it is a relatively young university, it has positioned itself among the best law schools. It also has the added reputation of being one of the most progressive law schools in the United States.
It usually appears in the different rankings within the top 25 best law schools. It does not have many students, around 500, but it maintains an interesting student-faculty ratio that allows for sparsely populated classes.
The acceptance rate is usually around 25%. That means that three out of four applications are rejected.
This university has a pedagogical action that combines studies with practice. Students take courses in advocacy skills during the first year, dealing with real clients. They can choose from different specializations and subjects in the second year, ranging from criminal justice to immigration rights, domestic violence, etc.
- LSAT: 161-165
- GPA: 3.4-3.73
Chapman University – Fowler School of Law
This is nother relatively young university on the list. Founded in 1995, it obtained full ABA accreditation in 2002.
Some of the specializations that distinguish these faculty are:
- Business Law
- Entertainment and Media Law
- International Law
- Criminal Law
- Environmental Law
- Taxation
It offers some very attractive combined programs such as JD/MBA and JD/MFA in Film and Television Production.
- LSAT: 154-158
- GPA: 3.17-3.56
An interesting fact about this university is that it has a high acceptance rate of around 48%. On the other hand, according to the university itself, at least 78% of recent graduates are employed within ten months.