UCI Law

Launched with a groundbreaking approach that was practical, experiential, public service oriented and global in perspective, the University of California, Irvine School of Law revolutionized legal education when it opened its doors in 2009. Our vision was of a school that would impact the world through its dedication to training talented students; generating expert knowledge on important topics; and providing free legal services.

The University of California, Irvine School of Law is the culmination of several generations of revolutionary dreamers. Those not satisfied with the status quo who wanted to redefine, reimagine and reinvent legal education. Celebrating its 17th anniversary in 2025, the University of California, Irvine School of Law continues its second decade a larger, stronger, more dynamic academic institution than its founders could have ever imagined. UC Irvine Law provides an innovative and comprehensive curriculum, and prioritizes public service and a commitment to diversity within the legal profession. UC Irvine Law students have completed more than 170,000 hours of pro bono work since inception. Sixty-two percent of UC Irvine Law’s graduates identify as students of color. At UC Irvine Law, we are driven to improve our local, national, and global communities by grappling with important issues as scholars, as practitioners, and as teachers who are preparing the next generation of leaders. The collaborative and interdisciplinary community at UCI Law includes extraordinary students, world-renowned faculty, dedicated staff, engaged alumni, and enthusiastic supporters.
UC Irvine Law continues to rank highly. UC Irvine Law ranked No. 8 overall in an analysis of Princeton Review's Best Law Schools of 2023 (TaxProf Blog). UCI Law is the No. 4 top law school in the country (No. 1 in California) for practical training with an A+ grade. (preLaw Magazine). We look forward to continuing our remarkable journey with our faculty, staff, students, alumni and community partners.

Now, UC Irvine Law is poised to tackle some of the most significant challenges facing the legal profession and society, as artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies rapidly change the world. Our award-winning, interdisciplinary, and diverse faculty are up to the task. Ranked 11th in the nation for the impact of our faculty's scholarship, we will grapple with important issues, including the profound moral, ethical and legal questions raised by emerging technologies, as well as family violence, the environment, health policy, tax, implicit bias, criminal justice, immigration, and international human rights, among others. We also continue to innovate our groundbreaking curriculum.

Legal Clinics: Experiential Learning and Community Impact

A cornerstone of UC Irvine Law’s innovative curriculum is the requirement that all students participate in a legal clinic representing clients under the supervision of a faculty member. In addition to training our students, our clinics provide access to justice for underserved and vulnerable communities.

Faculty Research: Centers and Initiatives

UC Irvine Law fosters knowledge, skills, dialogue and impact through its nationally recognized Centers and Initiatives. Through our Centers and Initiatives, our faculty engage students and community members in their research and activities, including by fostering intellectual exchanges, drafting legislation and white papers, and organizing and presenting conferences. Our supporters will contribute to advancing UC Irvine Law as a nationally recognized site for scholarship, education and impact even further.

Postgraduate Fellowships

UC Irvine Law fosters and trains students with a commitment to public service. Postgraduate fellowships successfully launch our graduates into career positions with public interest organizations across the globe, ensuring a steady stream of top-notch lawyers who are ready to make a difference. Support law graduates with career ambitions in nonprofits, government service and public interest law.

Direct service to Orange County and Southern California.
Research by UC Irvine Law faculty has national and international impact.

At University of California, Irvine School of Law, we pride ourselves on an innovative and comprehensive curriculum, a commitment to public service, a culture of excellence, and a vibrant community of extraordinary students, world-renowned faculty, engaged alumni, and dynamic administrators.

We’re proud of our holistic approach to legal education, which produces students who are confident, creative, and ready for the practice of law in a wide variety of settings. The National Jurist gave us an A+ grade of Best Law Schools for Practical Training. Our robust clinical program, featuring more than a dozen clinics, is ranked No. 5 in the latest edition of the U.S. News & World Report ranking of Best Law Schools. We are the only ABA-accredited law school in the nation that both requires and offers an in-house clinical opportunity to every student, which helps prepare them for employment at law firms, public interest and government agencies, major corporations, and federal and state judicial clerkships.

We strongly encourage our students to engage in pro bono work. Since opening our doors in 2009, more than 90 percent of our students have contributed more than 170,000 hours of pro bono work, and we rank No. 3 in the country among all law schools in community service hours per student.

Our faculty have been lauded for their interdisciplinary impact, ranking No. 5 in the nation in a recent study. They are integral to the thriving intellectual community at UC Irvine Law and are accessible and committed to students’ growth and success. Our student to faculty ratio is among the lowest in the nation.

We want our students to flourish and to enjoy their experience in law school. Thanks to our students’ strong relationships with their peers; a welcoming and supportive faculty, administrative team, legal community and alumni base; and an unparalleled location in the heart of Orange County (ten minutes to the beach!), our students have ample opportunities to thrive.

I’m deeply honored to serve as dean and to work alongside such wonderful students and colleagues. I encourage you to further understand what makes UC Irvine Law an exciting, special, and preeminent law school.

Austen Parrish, Dean and Chancellor's Professor of Law
University of California, Irvine School of Law

"If you had to pick one law school at this time in this nation to support it would be UCI Law: a public institution that has been extremely highly-ranked within a ten year span, and has the dedication to public interest, social responsibility, and social justice."

Richard K. Bridgford, Founding partner of Bridgford, Gleason & Artinian and Chair of the Dean's Board of Visitors for University of California, Irvine School of Law.