University of San Francisco School of Law

The University of San Francisco School of Law's Koret Law Center occupies two buildings on the 55-acre (220,000 m²) hilltop USF campus overlooking Golden Gate Park, the Pacific Ocean and downtown San Francisco.

For fall 2019 admitted students, the median LSAT score was 153 and the median GPA was 3.29. The school accepted 53.6% of applicants, and 16.6% of those accepted enrolled. Following the 2018-2019 academic year, 19.8% of first year students left USF Law for academic (11.3%) or non-academic (8.5%) reasons.[6]

USF offers full- and part-time programs leading to the J.D. degree. Students can also enroll in the J.D./M.B.A. program which takes four years of study. USF also offers a J.D./Master of Urban and Public Affairs dual degree program. J.D. students can also receive certificates at graduation in Public Interest Law, Intellectual Property, Employment Law, International Law, and other areas. USF also offers a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree program in Comparative Law and International Transactions for foreign lawyers who have first degrees in law from a non-American university as well as an LL.M. in Intellectual Property and Technology law for foreign and American lawyers. USF also offers an LL.M. in Taxation for foreign and domestic students with law degrees, as well as a Master of Legal Studies in Taxation (M.L.S.T.) for students with a bachelor's degree.

According to the University of San Francisco School of Law's official 2018 ABA-required disclosures, 28.9% of the Class of 2018 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment nine months after graduation, excluding solo-practitioners.[10] The University of San Francisco School of Law's Law School Transparency under-employment score is 46.2%, indicating the percentage of the Class of 2018 unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job nine months after graduation.[11]

The total cost of attendance (indicating the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses) at the University of San Francisco School of Law for the 2019-2020 academic year is $80,307.[12] The Law School Transparency estimated debt-financed cost of attendance for three years is $295,551.[13]

The Law School has several school-sponsored publications in which students can participate.

• University of San Francisco Law Review
• Intellectual Property Law Bulletin
• USF Maritime Law Journal

The USF student body is among the most ethnically diverse in the country,[14] and ranked fourth for greatest resources for minority students.[8] USF sponsors dozens of student groups encompassing a wide range of demographic and practice area interests. In addition, the Public Interest Law Foundation holds an annual auction, drawing lawyers, judges and other community members in support of the school's commitment to public service. In 2017, USF opened a new residence hall for priority use by law students.[15]

USF sponsors a range of institutes, centers and special projects. In addition USF sponsors study abroad programs for its students in Prague, Dublin and Budapest. The exchange programs include instruction at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland and Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Relevant international coursework includes the study of European Community Law, International Business Transactions, and European Constitutionalism. The latter has been taught by the late prof. Vojtech Cepl, the principal drafter of the post-communist Constitution of the Czech Republic. Following his role in the Velvet Revolution of 1989, Mr. Cepl was nominated a justice of the Czech Constitutional Court and briefly participated as an advisor in post-war Iraq.

Students get hands-on training in IP and technology law through the Internet and Intellectual Property Justice Project and the Entrepreneurial Ventures Legal Services Project.[16]

In addition, USF hosts programs designed specifically for students such as the Keta Taylor Colby Death Penalty Project, which places students in the South working on death penalty appeals. Students can also participate in the Intensive Advocacy Project, which brings students from a variety of law schools and places them in an intensive trial advocacy class featuring notable local practitioners as teachers.

The school also provides ongoing mentoring through its chapter of Inn of Court. The USF chapter is the American Inn.

The Dorraine Zief Law Library opened in 2000. Three years later, the law school's main classroom and administration building, Kendrick Hall, reopened after an extensive renovation.[17]

• J. Thomas McCarthy, author of McCarthy on Trademarks and Unfair Competition[18]
• John Jay Osborn, Jr., author of The Paper Chase[19]
• John D. Trasviña, former dean, former assistant secretary of fair housing at HUD and president of MALDEF[20]

• Angela Alioto (1983), civil rights attorney and former President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors[21]
• Cupcake Brown (2001), author and a lawyer, wrote A Piece of Cake[22]
• John Burton (1960), former Member of Congress and former California Senate Majority Leader, current chairman of the California Democratic Party[23]
• Emily Compagno (2006), attorney, TV host, former National Football League cheerleader, current contributor on Fox News Channel
• Kimberly Guilfoyle (1994), former assistant San Francisco district attorney, Fox News television personality[24]
• Michael Hennessey (1973), long-serving Sheriff of the City and County of San Francisco (1980–2012)[25]
• Edward Imwinkelried (1969), Evidence Scholar and Professor at UC Davis School of Law[26]
• Frederick J. Kenney (1991), Judge Advocate General of the United States Coast Guard[27]
• Susan C. Lee (1982), Maryland State Senator, Maryland State Senate [28][29]
• Mark Massara (1987), Director of The Sierra Club Coastal Programs[30]
• Kevin V. Ryan (1984), former United States Attorney for the Northern District of California[31]
• Marjorie Scardino (1975), CEO of Pearson PLC, and the first woman to head a top 100 firm on the London Stock Exchange[32]
• John F. Shelley (1932), former Mayor of San Francisco, and member of U.S. House of Representatives[33]
• Juliet Starrett (2003), two-time whitewater rafting world champion, CEO of CrossFit San Francisco

• Official website

37°46′29″N 122°27′9″W