Why University of California-berkeley?
UC Berkeley Law is renowned for its public mission, interdisciplinary approach, and hands-on learning, with leading programs in intellectual property, environmental law, and social justice.
University of California-berkeley is a highly selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 12.5%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.92 GPA and 170 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.84–3.99 GPA and 167–172 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 278 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in California, New York, and Washington, DC — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, University of California-berkeley admitted 44 transfer students into the 2L class, with a median 1L GPA of 3.80 (25th–75th percentile: 3.62–3.90). 10 1Ls transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #16
- Median GPA
- 3.92
- 25th–75th: 3.84–3.99
- Median LSAT
- 170
- 25th–75th: 167–172
- Acceptance rate
- 12.5%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 278
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 44
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students University of California-berkeley admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.
- 25th percentile
- 3.62
- Bottom quartile
- Median
- 3.80
- 50th percentile
- 75th percentile
- 3.90
- Top quartile
10 1Ls transferred out of University of California-berkeley in the same cycle — context for how portable University of California-berkeley's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1California
- 2New York
- 3Washington, DC
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 University of California-berkeley's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why University of California-berkeley" essay where they align with your interests.
- Human Rights ClinicDesigns and implements creative solutions to advance human rights globally.
- Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy ClinicGives students unparalleled opportunities to tackle the complexities of technology-related law.
- Death Penalty ClinicSeeks justice for death-row inmates and exposes problems endemic to the administration of capital punishment.
- East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC)Provides free legal services to low-income community members in eight areas.
- Environmental Law ClinicAdvocates for environmental health and environmental justice.
- Social Enterprise ClinicWorks as outside counsel for local businesses with a social or environmental mission.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- California Law Review— Primary, student-run journal publishing cutting-edge legal scholarship
- Berkeley Technology Law Journal— Emerging issues in intellectual property, high-tech, and biotech law
- Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law & Justice— Feminist legal scholarship examining gender and other axes of subordination
- Ecology Law Quarterly— Environmental law
- Berkeley Journal of International Law— International law
- Berkeley Journal of Employment and Labor Law— Employment and labor law issues
- Asian American Law Journal— Legal issues affecting Asian American communities
- Berkeley Journal of Criminal Law— Criminal law and justice
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.
- Erwin ChemerinskyConstitutional Law
- Kenneth A. BambergerAI Governance, Technology Law, Information Privacy
- Katerina LinosInternational Law, Global Antitrust Law
- Steven Davidoff SolomonCorporate Law, Securities Regulation
- Joy MilliganComparative Equality & Antidiscrimination Law
- Alina BallSocial Enterprise, Clinical Legal Education
- Daniel FarberEnvironmental Law, Constitutional Law
- Colleen ChienIntellectual Property, Innovation, Criminal Justice
- Osagie K. ObasogieBioethics, Law and Society
- John YooConstitutional Law, National Security Law
What makes University of California-berkeley distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·Strong public mission and commitment to racial, economic, and social justice.
- ·Extensive clinical program with 15 clinics, including the East Bay Community Law Center, offering diverse hands-on experience.
- ·Jurisprudence and Social Policy (JSP) Ph.D. program, an interdisciplinary program housed within the law school.
- ·Offers Certificates of Specialization in various areas such as Business Law, Law & Technology, Environmental Law, and AI Law & Regulation.
- ·Unique grading system for J.D. students (High Honors, Honors, Pass) designed to foster a less competitive academic environment.
Using this for your "Why University of California-berkeley" 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 University of California-berkeley
What is the median GPA and LSAT at University of California-berkeley?▾
University of California-berkeley's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.92 and a median LSAT of 170. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.84–3.99 GPA and 167–172 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is University of California-berkeley's acceptance rate?▾
University of California-berkeley's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 12.5%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does University of California-berkeley offer?▾
University of California-berkeley's notable clinical programs include: Human Rights Clinic, Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic, Death Penalty Clinic, East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC), Environmental Law Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does University of California-berkeley publish?▾
University of California-berkeley's notable student-edited journals include: California Law Review, Berkeley Technology Law Journal, Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law & Justice, Ecology Law Quarterly, Berkeley Journal of International Law.
Where do University of California-berkeley graduates work?▾
University of California-berkeley graduates concentrate employment in California, New York, Washington, DC, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does University of California-berkeley admit?▾
University of California-berkeley admitted 44 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, with a median 1L GPA of 3.80.
Schools similar to University of California-berkeley
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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Try Case Cub free →Sources (9) — verify any fact above
- https://law.berkeley.edu/experiential/clinics/
- https://law.berkeley.edu/academics/journals/
- https://law.berkeley.edu/our-faculty/faculty-profiles/
- https://law.berkeley.edu/academics/areas-of-study/
- https://law.berkeley.edu/academics/certificates-honors/
- https://law.berkeley.edu/about/mission-and-learning-outcomes/
- https://law.berkeley.edu/admissions/jd/jd-program/
- https://law.berkeley.edu/article/such-a-strong-law-school-seven-new-hires-bring-expertise-and-enthusiasm-across-a-wide-range-of-fields/
- https://scholarship.law.berkeley.edu/journals/
Generated from public sources via search-grounded AI on 4/27/2026. If any fact looks wrong, click through to verify and let us know.