CHANGE
THAT’S WHY YOU’RE APPLYING TO LAW SCHOOL.
And it's why you’re considering attending the University of San Francisco School of Law, where change is our guiding principle. We see education a little differently here, and that makes the experience you’ll have a little different, too. At USF, we know the law is a living, evolving entity, and we encourage active participation and earnest activism within it.
It's our job to prepare you for that participation and help you discover where your passion lies.
We take that job seriously. Our duty to you and your career is what drives every decision we make.
It's why we've created a team of faculty who are impactful scholars, passionate legal activists, and devoted teachers and mentors who are dedicated to your success.
It's why we've designed courses to challenge you while you’re in school and prepare you to succeed when you’re in practice. It’s why we give you every tool you need to launch and grow a career you’ll be proud of — from bar exam prep to law clinics to networking opportunities.
Decide to change your life, and join us.
LEARNING YOUR WAY
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS ONE SIZE FITS ALL WHEN IT COMES TO A LEGAL EDUCATION.
USF offers a wide range of programs, degrees, and certificates to cover the full range of our students’ interests. You'll tackle challenging courses that build your critical analysis skills, prepare you to pass the bar exam, and set you up for success and fulfillment as a practicing lawyer.
JD PROGRAMS
Full-time
Part-time
JD CERTIFICATES
Business Law
Intellectual Property and Technology Law
International and Comparative Law
Labor and Employment Law
Public Interest Law
Taxation Law
DUAL DEGREES
JD/LLM in Taxation
JD/Master of Business Administration
JD/Master of Arts in Urban and Public Affairs
LLM PROGRAMS
Intellectual Property and Technology Law
International Transactions and Comparative Law
Taxation
MASTER’S PROGRAM
Master of Legal Studies in Taxation
PICK YOUR PASSION
USF offers 16 concentrations, all of which are led by faculty who are experts in their fields and who pass their knowledge and passion on to you. The goal is to expose you to many areas of law in order to make sure that you find your area of law. The following list catalogues many, but not all, of our course offerings.
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
COURSES
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Arbitration
Mediation
Negotiation
Interpersonal Dynamics for Attorneys
FACULTY
Sasha Cummings
Bill Ong Hing
Megan Hutchinson
Joshua Rosenberg
EXTERNSHIPS
Cooper, White & Cooper LLP
San Francisco City
Attorney's Office
CENTER
Center for Law and Ethics
ANIMAL LAW
COURSES
Administrative Law
Animal Law
Bioethics Law
Climate Change Seminar
Constitutional Law
Environmental Law
Property
Torts
FACULTY
Matthew Liebman
Alice Kaswan
EXTERNSHIPS
Animal Legal Defense Fund
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Student Animal Legal Defense Fund
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
COURSES
Administrative Law
Constitutional Law
Education Law
Federal Income Taxation
First Amendment Seminar
Poverty Law
Racism & Justice Seminar
Sexuality Law
FACULTY
Adam Abelkop
Rhonda Magee
Julie Nice
EXTERNSHIPS
ACLU of Northern California
Supreme Court of California
U.S. Department of Homeland
Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
American Constitution Society
If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice
National Lawyers Guild Pride Law
CORPORATE AND COMMERCIAL LAW
COURSES
Antitrust Law
Banking and Financial Services
Bankruptcy
Commercial Real
Estate Transactions
Corporate Governance
Corporations
Federal Income Taxation
Personal Injury Litigation
Securities Regulation
Transactional Skills
FACULTY
Reza Dibadj
Bruce Price
DUAL DEGREE
JD/Master of Business
Administration
CERTIFICATES
Business Law
Tax Law
EXTERNSHIPS
AssetMark
Guideline Technologies
Mixpanel
RiskIQ
Securities and Exchange Commission
Yahoo, Inc.
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Business Law Association
Real Estate Law Society
Technology, Entrepreneur, and Start-up Law Association
CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE
COURSES
Advanced Criminal Procedure
Applied Evidence
Criminal Law
Criminal Procedure Evidence
Grand Jury Law and Practice
International Criminal Law
Trial Practice: Criminal Law
Wrongful Convictions
FACULTY
Lara Bazelon
Amy Flynn
Richard Leo
CLINICS
Criminal and Juvenile Justice
Law Clinic
Racial Justice Law Clinic
SPECIAL PROGRAM
Keta Taylor Colby
Death Penalty Project
EXTERNSHIPS
Alameda County
District Attorney's Office
Alameda County
Public Defender's Office
District Attorney's Office of Sonoma County
Law Offices of B.C. McComas
Law Offices of Douglas Horngrad
Pier 5 Law Offices
San Francisco
District Attorney’s Office
San Francisco
Public Defender’s Office
San Francisco Superior Court, Criminal Division
U.S. Attorney’s Office
STUDENT ORGANIZATION
Criminal Law Society
DISCRIMINATION LAW
COURSES
Employee Benefits (ERISA)
Employment Discrimination
Immigration Law
Issues of Race and Law
Poverty Law
Sexuality Law
FACULTY
Lara Bazelon
Bill Ong Hing
Rhonda Magee
Julie Nice
Michelle Travis
CLINICS
Immigration Policy Clinic
Racial Justice Law Clinic
EXTERNSHIPS
Dhillon Law Group
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
American Constitution Society
Labor and Employment Law
Student Association
Pride Law
Student Immigration Law Association
Women’s Law Association
ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY LAW
COURSES
Energy Law
Environmental Law
Property Water and Natural Resources Law
FACULTY
Alice Kaswan
Frank Lindh
Richard Roos-Collins
EXTERNSHIPS
Natural Resources Defense Council
Sierra Club
U.S. Department of Justice — Environmental and Natural Resources Division
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Environmental Law Student and Alumni Society
Real Estate Society
ESTATE PLANNING AND FAMILY LAW
COURSES
Community Property
Estate Planning
Family Law
Health Law
Juvenile Law
Sexuality Law
Wills and Trusts
FACULTY
Tomasene Knight
Julie Nice
Michelle Travis
CLINIC
Criminal and Juvenile Justice Law Clinic
EXTERNSHIPS
Delagnes, Mitchell and Linder LLP
Family and Children's Law Center
Family Law Group
Fenchel Family Law
Murphy, Vu, Thongsamouth & Chatterjee LLP
San Francisco
City Attorney’s Office
San Francisco Superior Court, Family Division
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Estate Planning and Tax Society
Family Law Society
If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice
USF Parents and Advocates
Law Student Association
IMMIGRATION LAW
COURSES
Administrative Law
Employment Law
Family Law
Immigration Law
FACULTY
Jacqueline Brown Scott
Bill Ong Hing
During my externship, I learned important legal skills like writing motions, but I also witnessed the impact the prosecution’s work can have on victims, defendants, and the community.
CYNTHIA
SWAMINATHAN ’18Externed at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office and won First Year Moot Court Best Oralist
CERTIFICATE
Public Interest Law
CLINICS
Immigration and Deportation
Defense Clinic
Immigration Policy Clinic
EXTERNSHIPS
Centro Legal de la Raza
East Bay Sanctuary Covenant
Law Offices of Robert P. Gaffney
U.S. Department of Homeland
Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Family Law Society
International Law Society
Labor and Employment Law
Student Association
Public Interest Law Foundation
Student Immigration Law Association
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, TECHNOLOGY, AND PRIVACY LAW
COURSES
Art Law
Blockchain Technology & the Law
Copyright Law
Information Privacy Law
Internet Law
Patent Law
Patent Licensing
Privacy Skills
Trademark Law
FACULTY
Dean Susan Freiwald
Jessica Fajfar
Tiffany Li
Everett Monroe
Michele Neitz
Tom Onda
Karren Shorofsky
Tyson Winarski
CERTIFICATE
Intellectual Property and Technology Law
CLINIC
Internet and Intellectual Property Justice Clinic
EXTERNSHIPS
AppDynamics
Duane Morris LLP
GoPro
Kuehn Law
LeClairRyan
Perkins Coie LLP
Yahoo!
JOURNAL
Intellectual Property and Technology Law Journal
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
IP and Cyber Law Association
Space and Aeronautical Law Student Association
Technology, Entrepreneur, and Start-up Law Association
INTERNATIONAL AND COMPARATIVE LAW
COURSES
Comparative Law
E.U. Law
International Business Transactions
International Human Rights
International Taxation
Public International Law
FACULTY
Reza Dibadj
Lindsay Harris
Dana Zartner
CERTIFICATE
International and Comparative Law
CLINIC
Frank C. Newman International Human Rights Law Clinic
SPECIAL PROGRAM
International Summer
Externships in China, Czech Republic, Europe, Mexico, and Vietnam
STUDENT EXCHANGES
Hong Kong
Luxembourg
Prague
EXTERNSHIPS
Baker McKenzie, Vietnam
Boehmert & Boehmert, Germany
Cleveland Scott York, UK
Comisión Nacional de los Derechos
Humanos, México
De Gaulle Fleurance & Associés, France
Deloitte, Czech Republic
Dentons, Czech Republic
Duane Morris LLP, Vietnam
Ernst & Young, Mexico Reed Smith LLP, China
Trevisan & Cuonzo Avvocati, Italy
STUDENT ORGANIZATION
International Law Society
LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW
COURSES
Arbitration
Employee Benefits (ERISA)
We are more than just classmates at USF, we are a true community. We care about each other, and we all want success for ourselves and our classmates. USF Law makes sure that its students learn how to collaborate, which is a cornerstone to any successful legal career.
Employment Discrimination
Employment Law
Employment Law Seminar
Labor Law
Mediation
Negotiation
FACULTY
Don Carrol
Nicole Phillips
Michelle Travis
CERTIFICATE
Labor and Employment Law
EXTERNSHIPS
Dhillon Law Group
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Liuzzi Murphy Solomon
Churton & Hale LLP
Messing Adam & Jasmine LLP
San Francisco City Attorney's Office
Sheik Law
U.S. Federal Labor Relations Authority
U.S. Postal Service
STUDENT ORGANIZATION
Labor and Employment Law
Students Association
LITIGATION AND TRIAL ADVOCACY
COURSES
Appellate Advocacy
Applied Evidence
California Civil Discovery
California Civil Procedure
Civil Procedure
Personal Injury Litigation
Practice-ready Skills
Remedies
Trial Advocacy and the Ethical Prosecutor
Trial Practice
FACULTY
Lara Bazelon
Amy Flynn
CLINIC
Criminal and Juvenile Justice Law Clinic
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Advocate of the Year Competition
Intensive Advocacy Program
Moot Court Program
EXTERNSHIPS
Albert G. Stoll, Jr.,
A Law Corporation
San Francisco City
Attorney’s Office
Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco
Thompson Law Office
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
STUDENT ORGANIZATION
Criminal Law Society
PUBLIC INTEREST AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
COURSES
Constitutional Law
Domestic Violence Law and Litigation Skills
Education Law
International Human Rights Issues of Race and Law
Practice Readiness for Nonprofit Leadership
Reproductive Rights and Justice
Sexuality Law
FACULTY
Lindsay Harris
Bill Ong Hing
Richard Leo
Rhonda Magee
Julie Nice
DUAL DEGREE
JD/Master of Arts in Urban and Public Affairs
CERTIFICATE
Public Interest Law
CLINICS
Immigration and Deportation
Defense Clinic
Immigration Policy Clinic
Racial Justice Law Clinic
SPECIAL PROGRAM
Keta Taylor Colby
Death Penalty Project
EXTERNSHIPS
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Eviction Defense Collaborative
Family Violence Law Center
Legal Aid of Sonoma County
Open Door Legal
Public Advocates
Tenant Law Group
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
American Constitution Society Pride Law
Public Interest Law Foundation
SPORTS , ENTERTAINMENT, & THE ARTS
COURSES
Contract
Drafting
Intellectual Property Seminar
Patent Licensing
Sports Law
FACULTY
Karren Shorofsky
Roy Eisenhardt
CLINIC
Internet and Intellectual Property Justice Clinic
EXTERNSHIPS
Athletes First
BBC Worldwide Productions
Content Group
Lionsgate
Pac-12 Conference
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Intellectual Property and Cyber Law Association
Sports and Entertainment Law Association
TAXATION LAW
COURSES
Corporate Taxation
Federal Income Taxation
International Taxation Partnership Taxation
FACULTY
Daniel Lathrope
Joshua Rosenberg
DUAL DEGREES
JD/LLM in Taxation
JD/Master of Business Administration
CERTIFICATES
Business Law
Tax Law
EXTERNSHIPS
California State Board of Equalization
Franchise Tax Board
IRS Office of Chief Counsel
Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
Tax Appeals Assistance Program
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Tax Division
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Business Law Association
Estate Planning and Tax Society
GRADUATE WITH EXPERIENCE
GAINING MEANINGFUL PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE WHILE YOU’RE IN SCHOOL GIVES YOU A COMPETITIVE EDGE.
At USF, you’ll learn by doing: participating in legal clinics, exploring externships, joining the advocacy program, excelling in moot court, learning abroad… you’ll have access to it all, and it will build your skills and confidence.
KIRAN BELUR ’07 Head of trademarks and copyrights at Salesforce.com, who has hired many USF law grads and studentsThe reputation of USF law grads helped me land my first legal job. Working at an innovative, fast-paced company like Salesforce now brings opportunities to expand my practice and work on cutting-edge issues .
HAVING AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON SOMEONE’S LIFE THROUGH YOUR WORK IS ONE OF THE MOST GRATIFYING ASPECTS OF PRACTICING LAW.
Under the supervision of professors, our law clinics let you practice real lawyering by representing defendants, advocating for children in immigration proceedings, tracking racial disparities in the criminal justice system, and working with startups to secure trademarks.
AND THAT’S ONLY SCRATCHING THE SURFACE.
At USF, you'll discover where your passion lies as you gain valuable hands-on experience that prepares you to hit the ground running.
USF LAW CLINICS
Criminal and Juvenile Justice Law Clinic
Frank C. Newman International Human Rights Law Clinic
Immigration and Deportation Defense Clinic
Immigration Policy Clinic
Internet and Intellectual Property Justice Clinic
Racial Justice Law Clinic
16,367
HOURS OF HANDS-ON LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDED TO CLIENTS BY STUDENTS IN SIX USF LAW CLINICS IN 2022–2023
“Having practical experience to understand the nuances of a courtroom and its proceedings gives me the confidence to pursue a career as a trial attorney. The legal system can be daunting to those outside of it, and I want to advocate for those people.”
“The clinics give our students the opportunity to forge meaningful relationships with clients who otherwise would have no one to help them, to hone their research and writing skills, and to become effective advocates who are able to think and react in the moment when they appear in court.”
“Not only did I gain practical skills and make a difference in my clients’ lives, I developed relationships with fellow clinic students that I can count on as I grow professionally.”
WHEN YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE USF SCHOOL OF LAW EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM, YOU GRADUATE WITH VALUABLE SKILLS AND CONTACTS.
You can earn academic credit and be paid for the hours you spend working at government agencies, corporate legal departments, law firms, nonprofit organizations, and state and federal courts.
But you’re not just thrown into the deep end and expected to swim. Alongside experienced professors who teach the externships’ course components, you gain insight into legal and professional issues that arise in your fieldwork.
"USF helped set me up for a successful career. I focused on improving my oral and written advocacy and spent significant time in externships — including one in the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office — which gave me experience advocating for clients in the courtroom."
20,295
STUDENT HOURS IN CIVIL, CRIMINAL, OR JUDICIAL EXTERNSHIPS IN 2022–2023
WARD HOSKINS ‘18 Deputy Public Defender at the Sonoma County Public Defender's Office DENISE WATT ’19 Now working as a Fellow on Aging and Disability Justice at the UCSF - UC Hastings Consortium JUSTINE JOYA ’19 Gave an opening statement in Humboldt County Superior Court during one of her two semesters in the Racial Justice Law Clinic PROFESSOR LARA BAZELON Director of the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Law Clinic and Racial Justice Law ClinicMOOT COURT
In the Moot Court Program you’ll get hands-on experience researching and writing legal briefs before arguing a case in front of a judge and jury. That experience can pave the way to a spot on one of our award-winning advocacy teams.
During the Moot Court Program, our students build invaluable skills that prepare them for practice, including learning to work as a team to create top-notch work together. At one competition in particular, they argued in front of intellectual property lawyers from Apple, Oracle, and top IP firms, making strong connections to professionals who can help them get their first job.
AMY FLYNN ’04 Associate dean for academic affairs and director of the Moot Court ProgramINTENSIVE ADVOCACY PROGRAM
In this two-week course, you’ll learn the art of trial advocacy, including crafting opening statements and closing arguments and conducting direct and cross examinations. Workshops, demonstrations, individualized feedback, and lectures given by renowned litigators and judges sharpen your skills.
"The goal of the Intensive Advocacy Program is learning by doing, not learning by sitting. Students who finish the program come out as strong communicators and strong advocates, no matter who they’re representing.”
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES
An international perspective is critical to being a modern lawyer. Go global and gain valuable work experience on a summer externship in China, the Czech Republic, Europe, Mexico, or Vietnam.
ALAMEDA COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF ALAMEDA
CONTRA COSTA DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
THE LAW AND EVERYTHING ELSE HAPPENS HERE
CHOOSING TO ATTEND USF SCHOOL OF LAW IN THE MIDDLE OF SAN FRANCISCO SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT YOU.
You’re comfortable blazing your own trail. You’re inspired by the law and the countless ways it impacts our world, and you want to be a part of that impact. In the center of one of the world’s most active legal landscapes, you’ll have access to opportunities to work in firms from San Francisco to Silicon Valley, in state and federal courts, in district attorneys’ and public defenders’ offices, and more.
WHEN YOU’RE HERE, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO IT ALL.
SELECT EMPLOYMENT AND EXTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
ACLU of Northern California
Alameda County
District Attorney's Office
Alameda County Family Justice Center
Alameda County Public Defender’s Office
Andersen Tax
AppDynamics
Apple
Arns Law Firm
Blue Shield of California
Burke, Williams & Sorensen LLP
California Court of Appeal, First District
Catholic Charities of the East Bay
Cisco Systems Inc.
Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office
Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office
Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP
Delagnes, Mitchell & Linder LLP
DeVito Law Group
Dhillon Law Group
DLA Piper
Dolby Laboratories Inc.
Duane Morris LLP
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Eviction Defense Collaborative
Family & Children's Law Center
Gagnier Margossian LLP
Gap Inc.
Genentech Google
GoPro
Hanson Bridgett LLP
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Intel Corporation
Jones Day
Kaiser Permanente
Levi Strauss & Co.
Liuzzi Murphy Solomon
Churton & Hale LLP
Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lyft
CONNECTIONS
THAT ARE BUILT TO LAST
Almost as important as the education you’ll receive within our walls is the support you’ll receive from alumni connections once you’re outside them. USF School of Law alumni are in major cities across the United States and around the world, and they’re eager to help you when you graduate — and even before.
I consider USF to be my family, which helped immensely because law school was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Everyone from the Dean’s Office on down supported me, believed in me, and prepared me for the legal profession.”
NICHELLE HOLMES ’10
Deputy district attorney in the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office, where she was honored as Misdemeanor Prosecutor of the Year just three years after graduating
10,000 LAW ALUMNI WORLDWIDE
"My advice to incoming students: Be ready to work, not to relax. Think strategically, not tactically — aim for the life you want, not for the first job you want.”
SEAMUS BRUGH
JD/MBA ’17
Director of operations at Leverage, who found his USF law professors not only inspiring but also inspired
"There's at least one USF Law alum at every firm or public agency in San Francisco. Everyone is supportive of each other, and it's a vibrant community."
CAMERON CLOAR-ZAVALETA ’09
Deputy General Counsel & Managing
Director, Litigation and Regulatory
Law at Alaska Airlines
51 COURSES WITH FEWER THAN 25 STUDENTS OFFERED IN 2022–2023
"USF teaches practically, not just theoretically. Because I learned the nuts and bolts of being a good trial lawyer, I tried and won complex cases and earned an appointment to bench."
HON.
CHRISTOPHER HONIGSBERG ’05
Appointed to the Sonoma County Superior Court as one of its youngest judges in recent memory, after years as a Sonoma County deputy district attorney
115,000 ALUMNI IN THE USF NETWORK GLOBALLY
"I love referring business to my former law school classmates to help them succeed in their practices and careers.”
YESENIA GALLEGOS ’03
Partner at McDermott Will & Emery in Los Angeles and one of the 25 Most Influential Hispanic Lawyers in the U.S. according to Latino Leaders magazine
"USF's faculty never let you forget to be good to yourself and to others, even in the midst of frenzy. This experience has helped me stay grounded in my practice and confident in my abilities, in what can so often be a trying profession."
USF students are energetic, inquisitive, eager to learn, and creative. Watching them get out of their comfort zones to improve their skills in examination and presentations, seeing them grow in knowledge and confidence, helping them mature into young lawyers with skills and excitement about their future... these things all bring me great joy as their professor.
TOP CITIES
WHERE RECENT ALUMNI ARE WORKING OUTSIDE THE BAY AREA: BOSTON, LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK, AND SAN DIEGO
79
EMPLOYERS PARTICIPATING IN ON-CAMPUS RECRUITING IN 2022–2023
Participating in USF's International Human Rights Clinic, and presenting at the United Nations in Geneva, put me lightyears ahead of others and has continued to propel me in my career.
AMOL MEHRA ’09 Director of Industry Programs, Laudes Foundation
“At USF, I learned to really love the law. To love the argument, the conversation, the analysis. I also learned that as is true in life, generally, little will substitute for hard work.”
JENNIFER BAKER LOEB ’09 Counsel, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
NUMBER OF CAREER COUNSELING SESSIONS STUDENTS AND ALUMNI HAVE WITH OUR ATTORNEY-COUNSELORS
A
NATIONAL JURIST GRADE FOR USF'S OFFERINGS IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND TECHNOLOGY LAW A-
NATIONAL JURIST GRADE FOR USF'S OFFERINGS IN BUSINESS LAW AND INTERNATIONAL LAW
1912
USF SCHOOL OF LAW FOUNDED
"Because of the opportunities and relationships I built at USF, I was able to pursue my interests and launch my career as an employment lawyer.”
"The approach is quite different in-house than being a partner at a law firm. You're not in the business of law, you're in the same business as your company. I bridge the gap between the business leadership and the legal team, and I'm in this field because I was inspired by USF professors who are world-renowned in IP law."
DAVID TOGNOTTI ’96
Rose through the ranks at Monster Inc. and other Bay Area tech companies, and now helps lead Google's strategic partnerships
340+ ALUMNI JUDGES
Law school is already so rigorous and demanding, why add an unnecessary sense of competition on top of that? Instead, the environment here at USF is supportive.
JOHN HONG ’07 Chief operating officer at biotech company Avellino Lab USF prepares you to be a lawyer in the real world, not an ivory tower. JEAN AFTERMAN ’91 New York Yankees senior vice president and assistant general manager, and one of the highest ranking woman in Major League Baseball operations DANAE ROBINSON ’17 Trademark attorney at Pirkey Barber PLLCOUR SCHOLARS, YOUR MENTORS
THE USF FACULTY DIFFERENTIATES OUR LAW SCHOOL FROM THE PACK, AND WHAT SETS THEM APART IS THEIR PASSION.
Our faculty are zealous about their students, their study of the law, and their activism. The way our professors engage in the legal community and in law reform speaks to our mission, as does their ability to inspire our students to do the same. The individual attention and care every student receives is incomparable, and our ethos of law as impact — as alive, and happening, and happening right here, right now — is at the heart of our approach to teaching.
540+
Faculty here have an equal commitment to both teaching and scholarship, which is different from other law schools where the focus is on scholarship and teaching is just another thing you do. Our students pick up on that. It’s important to me to interact with students in class, meet them in office hours, hire some as research assistants, and see them at law school events.
"I appreciated the openness and accessibility of the faculty. They are all accomplished academics in their fields, but they treat you as an equal, give weight to what you say, and have genuine interest in your opinions. USF law professors aren’t shepherding you into their way of thinking, they are cultivating you as a thinker."
YATINDRA PANDYA ’17 YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE BY USF LAW TENURED FACULTY PROFESSOR EMERITUS TIM IGLESIAS Expert in housing theory, affordable housing development, and fair housing, and serves on the California Fair Employment and Housing CouncilSETTING YOU UP FOR SUCCESS
FROM THE MOMENT YOU ENTER USF SCHOOL OF LAW FOR YOUR FIRST-YEAR ORIENTATION, THROUGH TO GRADUATION, WE PREPARE YOU FOR SUCCESS WHEN YOU SIT FOR THE BAR.
Our Academic and Bar Exam Success program gives all students exam strategy skills, teaches you how to outline, problem solve, and conduct legal analysis, and offers one-on-one meetings to give you the techniques and study strategies to excel in your courses. Our ABES team is comprised of two fulltime co-directors, a law faculty fellow, and experienced bar graders. You’ll get counseling and study planning with faculty, practice exams, small group workshops, one-on-one tutorials, and individualized feedback on essays.
ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES
First-generation law students and students who face unique challenges are just two of the groups who might be eligible for specialized academic support services. Our Academic Support Program (ASP) individually selects participants in a holistic review, and works one-on-one with each to tailor an academic success strategy. A program director meets with every member throughout the year to assess academic progress, work on writing skills, and adjust their academic approach as necessary.
USF recognizes that the rigorous demands of a legal education may be especially challenging for applicants who have been culturally, educationally, economically, or historically disadvantaged, or who have not been in an academic setting for several years. USF created the Academic Support Program to provide resources for these well-qualified individuals to excel in law school. We are committed to ensuring that everyone has the tools they need to flourish in law school.
STARTING YOUR CAREER
We’re here to help you get "there," wherever your legal destination may be. Our Office of Career Services is staffed with attorney-counselors who have diverse legal experience and extensive networks. They work with you on career planning, job search strategy, and connecting you with opportunities in the legal community. Specific services include individual career counseling, mock interviews, career skills workshops, and resume, cover letter, and social media presence review. Throughout the year, you’ll connect with practicing attorneys in your field of interest, through opportunities such as tech sector networking events, the Lunch with Lawyers program, and various panels given by lawyers in different practice areas.
"The Academic and Bar Exam Success program set a foundation for how I approached my classes, teaching me how to structure my studying, how to take notes, how to synthesize them, how to do outlines ."
SARAH OMER '21
CITY LIVING
HOUSING AT USF
You have an array of housing options when you attend USF School of Law. The majority of our students live off campus in the neighborhoods surrounding USF. There are also plenty of students who commute from around the Bay Area while living with roommates or at home. A newer option is our St. Anne’s residence, where USF law students live and learn together.
The St. Anne’s residence houses up to 45 law students. Located just one and a half miles from campus in the Inner Sunset neighborhood, St. Anne’s features a large kitchen, free laundry on each floor, and a large lounge area. A popular study spot with the first-year law students who make up the vast majority of St. Anne’s residents, the lounge is where you’ll find groups reviewing and discussing notes from that day’s lecture.
"Living at St. Anne's with other law students, we really got to know one another, conquered classes together, and supported each other."
JAVKHLAN (JAY) ENKHBAYAR ’19
Served as the resident adviser at USF’s St. Anne’s residence hall for law students
"It was hard not to feel connected to my classmates. We worked, studied, and ate together pretty much every day."
JESSICARAMSEY ’21 Commuted from about 10 miles away in Colma, and makes the most of her drive by practicing for exams while carpooling with a classmate
JULIA MAYER ’20
Took the bus or walked to campus from her apartment in the Inner Sunset neighborhood
"In San Francisco, there is always something to do — especially with all the great restaurants and shops in my neighborhood."
CHANGE HAPPENS
HERE
There are so many reasons to attend the University of San Francisco School of Law, particularly: where we are, who we are, and who you are.
Where we are is in San Francisco, a beautiful city and innovation center that offers a tremendous range of opportunities across every type of practice. Who we are is a community of staff, faculty, and alumni eager to provide you with personal attention, mentoring, and professional connections to help you find the work you want, during and after law school. Our faculty of accomplished scholars, teachers, and practitioners will challenge, inspire, and support you as you gain the knowledge and skills you need to thrive.
And who you are is someone ready to seek your future as an excellent, ethical, and proud graduate of the University of San Francisco School of Law.
Susan Freiwald Dean and Professor of Law“Wherever my career takes me, whether into civil litigation or another area of practice, I know I want to use my law degree to help my community and work to increase black representation in the legal field.”
AMBRIA MAHOMES ’19
Financial assistance from four scholarships allowed her to attend law school years earlier than she could have otherwise
ENDOW YOUR FUTURE
CHOOSE TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE
When you begin your legal career at USF School of Law, we’re here to help you navigate every part of the admissions process, whether it’s making sure you have your prerequisite testing requirements complete or assisting you in applying for financial aid. Our admissions staff travels around the country to meet as many prospective students as possible at recruitment events, and we’re always a phone call or an email away from answering all of your questions.
TAKE THE NEXT
ADMISSIONS
STEP
Our admissions staff is standing by with all the information you need about USF Law: enrollment processes, career services, our curriculum... whatever questions you have, we’re here to answer them. We use a rolling admission system that typically begins accepting applications in mid-September and sending the first acceptance letters before the end of December.
ALLOW US TO HELP
Attending law school is one of the most significant investments you’ll make. Our financial aid team ensures that you receive all the scholarship and loan support for which you’re eligible, and makes the process of getting it easy to navigate.
CONTACT US
USF School of Law
Kendrick Hall
2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94117-1080
ADMISSIONS
lawadmissions@usfca.edu
415.422.6586
FINANCIAL AID
lawfinaid@usfca.edu
415.422.6210
CAREER SERVICES
lawcareer@usfca.edu
415.422.6757
USFCA.EDU/LAW/ADMISSIONS