1. Home
  2. About UC Irvine Law
  3. Inclusive Excellence
  4. Inclusive Excellence

Commitment to Inclusive Excellence

Equity, diversity and inclusion are vital to UC Irvine Law’s role as a top law school with a mission of training future leaders in the legal profession. In collaboration with the UCI Office of Inclusive Excellence, Sameer Ashar, Associate Dean for Equity Initiatives, and Jennah Jones, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence, UC Irvine Law is committed to fostering a campus culture in which all members of the UC Irvine Law community -- regardless of background, race, nationality, religion, gender identity, political perspective, or any other dimensions of our lived identities -- feel heard, welcomed and fully and deeply included. 

Our commitment to diversity in legal education and the legal profession dates back to our inception with 48 percent of our J.D. graduates identifying as people of color. Our dedication to strive for equity, diversity and inclusion is seen in the research and scholarship performed by our lauded faculty, in the work performed in our legal clinics and pro bono projects, in our diverse and comprehensive curriculum, and in the makeup of our vibrant UC Irvine Law community. 

We believe that a culture of inclusion makes stronger lawyers, inspires innovation and encourages teamwork. We are proud to promote these values and believe a huge part of academic success comes from hearing a variety of perspectives. 

Related Resources

  • UCI Office of Inclusive Excellence
    • The Office of Inclusive Excellence drives UCI’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. This commitment is fundamental to advancing the campus’s mission as a public research university. To this end, the office provides campus accountability, mounts training and education, conducts responsive research, and builds and sustains partnerships with universities and colleges that share this commitment.
  • Race and Indigeneity Course Requirement
    •  As a requirement for graduation, students must complete a minimum of 2 credits in a course including substantial content relating to race and indigeneity, structural inequity, and the historical bases for such inequity. 
  • UC Irvine Law Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
    • The UC Irvine Law Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee is an on-campus organization whose mission is to lead in the creation of a diverse, equitable and welcoming environment for all students. Made up of students, staff and faculty, the Committee strives to create change and address issues of equity and diversity through support, advocacy and education. We recognize that genuine solidarity among all members of the UC Irvine Law community is necessary in order to develop a strong and inclusive institution. As a result, the Committee is determined to help create a campus environment where each member of the student body, staff and faculty feels included and valued. We are deeply committed to being a place where all belong. 
  • UC Irvine Law Anti-Black Racism Report
    • In June 2020, the UCI Office of Inclusive Excellence asked schools and units to identify and summarize research or creative activities that relate to Black populations within their departments. This report highlights all that the law school has done and continues to do in documenting the Black experience within the law and the legal profession.
  • Racial Inequity in the Tax System Resource Guide
    • Racial inequality is pervasive throughout the legal system, and the effects of disparate racial impact can be observed in the U.S. tax system. This website contains resources for anyone interested in learning about the interaction of tax law and racial inequity. It contains academic research, stories from the popular press, blog posts, podcasts, testimony and additional resources.
  • UCI Diversity Resources
    • UCI is committed to excellence through diversity and to the goal of reflecting diversity in our faculty, student and staff populations, as well as our teaching, research and public service endeavors. Visit this webpgae for a collection of offices, units and resources devoted to fostering diversity in our campus community. 
  • Anti-Asian Racism
    • In recent months, people of Asian heritage have reported an alarming increase of both physical and verbal assault rates across the country. According to Stop AAPI Hate, a national coalition focused on combatting the rise in racism against Asian American Pacific Islander communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 2,800 incidents of anti-Asian hate were reported between March 19 and December 31.