Why Santa Clara University?

Class profile

US News rank

#150

Median GPA

3.50

25th–75th: 3.21–3.74

Median LSAT

158

25th–75th: 155–160

Acceptance rate

52.3%

Class size (FT 1L)

203

Transfers admitted (2025)

4

ABA 2025 reporting cycle

2025 transfer admit profile

Actual GPAs of students Santa Clara University admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.

25th percentile

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Suppressed (small cohort)

Median

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50th percentile

75th percentile

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Suppressed (small cohort)

4 1Ls transferred out of Santa Clara University in the same cycle — context for how portable Santa Clara University's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.

Top employment markets

1. 1California
2. 2New York
3. 3Colorado

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 Santa Clara University's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why Santa Clara University" essay where they align with your interests.

• International Human Rights Clinic (IHRC)
  Provides students with practical experience in international human rights litigation and advocacy, representing victims of human rights violations.
• Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center
  Offers pro bono advice and representation to low-income residents in areas such as workers' rights, consumer rights, and immigration rights.
• Entrepreneurs' Law Clinic
  Focuses on the legal needs of early-stage Silicon Valley companies, providing high-quality legal help to startups and real-life exposure for students.
• Immigration Appellate Practice Clinic
  Students represent individuals seeking review of deportation orders before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
• Northern California Innocence Project (NCIP)
  Works to obtain exonerations for wrongfully convicted individuals and promotes a just criminal justice system.

Notable journals

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

• Santa Clara Law Review— General legal scholarship, often discussing emerging legal trends and new approaches to complex legal problems.
• Santa Clara High Technology Law Journal— Multidisciplinary discourse on emerging issues at the intersection of technology, law, and public policy.
• Santa Clara Journal of International Law— Publishing articles at the forefront of scholarly debate in international law.

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.

• Michael J. Kaufman
  Education Law and Policy, Securities Regulation and Litigation, Civil Procedure.
• Tyler T. Ochoa
  Copyright Law, Rights of Publicity, International Intellectual Property.
• David L. Sloss
  International Law, Constitutional Law, International Human Rights, U.S. Foreign Relations Law.
• E. Gary Spitko
  Workplace Law, Conflict Resolution, Employment Law.
• Margaret M. Russell
  Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure, Civil Rights/Civil Liberties.
• Tseming Yang
  Environmental Law and Policy, Environmental Justice, Climate Change Law.
• David G. Yosifon
  Business Law, Legal Ethics, Corporate Governance Law.
• Eric Goldman
  Internet Law, Intellectual Property, Advertising Law.
• Edward Lee
  Copyright Law, Design Law, International Intellectual Property Law, AI and Law.
• Zahr K. Said
  Art Law, Copyright Law, Music Law, Social Media/Digital Media Law, Tort Law.

What makes Santa Clara University distinctive

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

• ·Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, providing unparalleled access to the technology industry for experiential learning and career opportunities.
• ·Offers a hybrid, part-time Flex J.D. program designed for working professionals, combining in-person and asynchronous online classes.
• ·Features specialized J.D. Cohort Programs, including TechEdge J.D. for high tech law and Public Interest J.D. for social justice.
• ·Provides several specialized graduation certificates, such as High Tech Law, Privacy Law, International Law, Social Justice Law, and Sports Law.
• ·Strong emphasis on experiential learning through numerous clinics, externships, and pro bono opportunities.

Frequently asked about Santa Clara University

Schools similar to Santa Clara University

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