UCI Law Ranked 6th in Nation for Practical Training
IRVINE, Calif. — The National Jurist magazine ranked UCI Law sixth in the nation for practical training in its Spring 2017 issue. The magazine awarded UCI Law an A+ grade, one of only nine law schools nationally to receive top honors.
“From the outset, UCI Law has had a preeminent goal of preparing students for the practice of law at the highest levels of the profession,” said Dean Erwin Chemerinsky. “National Jurist ranking us sixth in the country in providing practical training is a wonderful reflection of what we are accomplishing in this regard.”
It is the second consecutive year in which UCI Law received an A+ grade from the National Jurist.
UCI Law’s curriculum emphasizes experiential learning by ensuring significant opportunities for students to gain hands-on, real-world experience during all three years.
Students are required to participate in one of eight core clinics during their second year: Appellate Litigation; Community and Economic Development; Criminal Justice; Domestic Violence; Environmental Law; Immigrant Rights; Intellectual Property, Arts, and Technology; and International Justice. In each clinic, students work to solve problems facing individual clients and problems that affect a larger community, and serve as the primary legal representatives for their clients. The U.S. News & World Report recently ranked UCI Law’s Clinical Training 15th in the nation.
“UCI Law’s ability to create a wealth of outstanding practice-based learning opportunities has been possible due to the tremendous support of a dean and faculty who truly understand and value the importance of experiential education as a cornerstone of the curriculum, and a passionate and talented group of professors and administrators who teach and administer these programs,” said Carrie Hempel, Clinical Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Clinical Education and Service Learning.
UCI Law students are also encouraged to participate in a robust externship program. Students have served as clerks for both federal and state judges, including those at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the State Supreme Court. In 2016, the National Law Journal ranked UCI Law sixth nationally in percentage of students who secured federal clerkships. Additionally, students have found externships at myriad government and public interest jobs across the nation.
UCI Law’s Pro Bono Program is another reflection of the school’s deep commitment to experiential learning and public service. Since the school’s inception in 2009, more than 90 percent of all UCI Law students have provided more than 50,000 hours of pro bono legal services for the poor and underserved, both locally and beyond.
About UC Irvine School of Law
Ranked No. 6 overall in the National Jurist 2017 list of Best Schools for Practical Training, UCI Law is a visionary law school focused on training talented and passionate lawyers and driven by professional excellence, intellectual rigor, and a commitment to enrich our communities through public service. UCI Law is a collegial environment, and our faculty comprises accomplished, nationally ranked thought leaders from around the country with a broad range of expertise. In the 2015 study by University of St. Thomas School of Law, the UCI Law faculty ranked No. 6 in the nation in scholarly impact. More about the Law School is available at law.uci.edu.
Media Contacts:
Colleen Taricani
Assistant Dean for Communications
Phone: (949) 824-3063
Email address: ctaricani@law.uci.edu
Ryne Hodkowski
Public Relations Manager
Phone: (949) 824-0385
Email address: rhodkowski@law.uci.edu