UCI Law ranked fourth in nation in practical training
IRVINE, Calif. – PreLaw magazine ranked UCI Law No. 4 in its annual list of “Best Schools for Practical Training.” Of the 64 law schools ranked in the article, UCI Law is the only University of California law school that is ranked.
For the third consecutive year, UCI Law received an A+ grade, and is one of only 10 law schools to receive top honors this year. UCI Law climbed two spots in the rankings, and is now ranked ahead of Yale University.
The U.S. News & World Report this week ranked UCI Law’s Clinical Training No. 13 in the nation, also up two spots from last year.
"UCI Law is committed to producing practice ready attorneys in a wide array of fields," said L. Song Richardson, dean and professor of law. "Every day our students are representing clients, acquiring practical skills, and achieving meaningful results for their clients."
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.
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 February, PreLaw magazine ranked UCI Law sixth nationally in percentage of students who secured federal clerkships, second in the state of California and behind only Yale, Stanford, Harvard, University of Chicago, and Duke. 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 70,000 hours of pro bono legal services for the poor and underserved, both locally and beyond.
The magazine awarded 10 schools an A+ grade, 16 schools an A grade, 22 schools an A-, and 16 schools a B+. The A- and B+ schools are listed alphabetically.