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Why Rutgers University Law School?

Rutgers Law School emphasizes a commitment to public service and social justice, offering extensive experiential learning opportunities across its two campuses in major legal markets.

Rutgers University Law School is a moderately selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 41.1%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.66 GPA and 158 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.35–3.82 GPA and 155–160 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 396 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, Rutgers University Law School admitted 8 transfer students into the 2L class, with a median 1L GPA of 3.21. 3 1Ls transferred out.

Specialty strengths

Clinical EducationCorporate & Business LawCriminal Law & ProcedureImmigration LawIntellectual Property LawGender Justice & Women's RightsSocial Justice and Public Interest

Class profile

US News rank
#100
Median GPA
3.66
25th–75th: 3.35–3.82
Median LSAT
158
25th–75th: 155–160
Acceptance rate
41.1%
Class size (FT 1L)
396
Transfers admitted (2025)
8
ABA 2025 reporting cycle

2025 transfer admit profile

Actual GPAs of students Rutgers University Law School admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.

25th percentile
Suppressed (small cohort)
Median
3.21
50th percentile
75th percentile
Suppressed (small cohort)

3 1Ls transferred out of Rutgers University Law School in the same cycle — context for how portable Rutgers University Law School's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.

Top employment markets

  1. 1New Jersey
  2. 2New York
  3. 3Pennsylvania

Where the most recent graduating class concentrated employment, per the school's ABA 509 employment summary. Use this as a signal of where the alumni network and OCI recruiting pipeline are strongest.

Signature clinics

Clinical programs that define Rutgers University Law School's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why Rutgers University Law School" essay where they align with your interests.

  • Mediation Clinic
    Students develop dispute resolution skills through hands-on training and fieldwork.
  • Legislative & Policy Advocacy Clinic
    Students engage in legislative and policy work, collaborating with professionals.
  • Immigrant Justice Clinic
    Students provide legal assistance to immigrants facing various legal challenges.
  • Criminal Defense & Advocacy Clinic (CDAC)
    Provides free, high-quality advocacy to clients in the criminal legal system.
  • Ruth Bader Ginsburg Women's Rights and Gender Justice Clinic (RBG Clinic)
    Focuses on advancing women's rights and dismantling sex-based discrimination through advocacy.
  • Community and Transactional Lawyering Clinic
    Empowers New Jersey entrepreneurs by offering legal guidance to small businesses.

Notable journals

Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.

  • The Rutgers University Law ReviewCritical discussions of current legal problems, including an annual survey of state constitutional law.
  • Rutgers Computer and Technology Law JournalComputer and technology law.
  • Rutgers Journal of Law & Public PolicyLaw and public policy.
  • Rutgers Journal of Law and ReligionLaw and religion.
  • Rutgers Law RecordGeneral subject matter, notable as the first online law journal in the U.S.
  • Rutgers Race and the Law ReviewRace and the law.
  • Women's Rights Law ReporterWomen's rights law.
  • The Rutgers Business Law ReviewBusiness law and related topics.

Faculty highlights

Well-known faculty grouped by primary specialty. If a professor's scholarship aligns with your interests, name them in your essay and reference a specific paper or course.

Trial Advocacy

  • J.C. Lore III

Constitutional Law

  • Bernard W. Bell· also Administrative Law, Torts

Clinical Education

  • Jon C. Dubin· also Administrative Law, Civil Rights Law, Poverty Law

Civil Rights

  • Elise Boddie· also Constitutional Law, State and Local Government Law

Law and Education

  • Shani M. King· also International Law

Gender

  • Marcy L. Karin· also Workplace, and Disability Justice, Employment Law

Consumer Protection

  • Omolara Joseney· also Civil Procedure

Antitrust

  • Omar Vasquez Duque· also Business Organizations, Causal Inference in Law

What makes Rutgers University Law School distinctive

Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.

  • ·Operates as one law school across two campuses (Newark and Camden), providing access to the New York City and Philadelphia legal markets.
  • ·Offers 13 formal dual-degree options, including J.D./Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and J.D./Master of Public Health (M.P.H.).
  • ·Provides certificate programs in areas such as Corporate & Business Law, Criminal Law & Procedure, Family Law, Immigration Law, and Intellectual Property Law.
  • ·Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg taught at Rutgers Law from 1963 to 1972.
  • ·The Rutgers Law Record was the first online law journal in the United States.
  • ·Strong commitment to social justice, including the Minority Student Program and Social Justice Scholars Program.
  • ·The Rutgers Advocacy Center promotes and supports written and oral advocacy through various training programs.

Using this for your "Why Rutgers University Law School" essay

Strong "Why X Law School" essays are concrete and specific to the school — not interchangeable templates. Use these facts to anchor your essay, then layer on what you've found from the school's own faculty pages, clinical program descriptions, and journal listings.

Important note: admissions committees actively reject AI-written personal statements and "Why X" essays. Use this page as research material to write your own essay — never as a template to copy. Authentic, specific, personally-grounded reasoning is the only thing that wins these essays.

Frequently asked about Rutgers University Law School

What is the median GPA and LSAT at Rutgers University Law School?

Rutgers University Law School's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.66 and a median LSAT of 158. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.35–3.82 GPA and 155–160 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.

What is Rutgers University Law School's acceptance rate?

Rutgers University Law School's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 41.1%, per ABA 509 disclosures.

What clinics does Rutgers University Law School offer?

Rutgers University Law School's notable clinical programs include: Mediation Clinic, Legislative & Policy Advocacy Clinic, Immigrant Justice Clinic, Criminal Defense & Advocacy Clinic (CDAC), Ruth Bader Ginsburg Women's Rights and Gender Justice Clinic (RBG Clinic). Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.

What journals does Rutgers University Law School publish?

Rutgers University Law School's notable student-edited journals include: The Rutgers University Law Review, Rutgers Computer and Technology Law Journal, Rutgers Journal of Law & Public Policy, Rutgers Journal of Law and Religion, Rutgers Law Record.

Where do Rutgers University Law School graduates work?

Rutgers University Law School graduates concentrate employment in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.

How many transfer students does Rutgers University Law School admit?

Rutgers University Law School admitted 8 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, with a median 1L GPA of 3.21.

Schools similar to Rutgers University Law School

Other schools at a comparable rank tier — useful for building a transfer list, balanced 0L application list, or essay-research shortlist.

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