Why University of Denver?
The University of Denver Sturm College of Law is a national leader in experiential learning, known for its top-ranked practical skills programs and a pioneering history in legal education innovation.
University of Denver is a selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 48.5%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.66 GPA and 160 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.36–3.80 GPA and 156–162 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 280 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Colorado, California, and Illinois — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, University of Denver admitted 5 transfer students into the 2L class. 12 1Ls transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #91
- Median GPA
- 3.66
- 25th–75th: 3.36–3.80
- Median LSAT
- 160
- 25th–75th: 156–162
- Acceptance rate
- 48.5%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 280
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 5
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students University of Denver admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.
- 25th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
- Median
- —
- 50th percentile
- 75th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
12 1Ls transferred out of University of Denver in the same cycle — context for how portable University of Denver's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1Colorado
- 2California
- 3Illinois
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 Denver's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why University of Denver" essay where they align with your interests.
- Advancing Social Change ClinicStudents work on cases that aim to create systemic change and address social justice issues.
- Civil Litigation ClinicStudents represent clients in a variety of civil disputes, gaining hands-on litigation experience.
- Community Economic Development ClinicProvides transactional legal services to entrepreneurs, small businesses, and non-profits in underserved communities.
- Environmental Law ClinicStudents engage in environmental advocacy and litigation under faculty supervision.
- Immigration Law and Policy ClinicRepresents clients at the intersection of criminal and immigration law, often those detained and at risk of removal.
- Low Income Taxpayer ClinicStudents represent low-income taxpayers before the IRS and Colorado Department of Revenue.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- Denver Law Review— General legal scholarship, including a dedicated Tenth Circuit issue and an annual symposium.
- Denver Journal of International Law & Policy— Legal scholarship exploring international law and policy and their global implications.
- Denver Sports & Entertainment Law Journal— Scholarly articles on legal issues within the sports and entertainment industries.
- Transportation Law Journal— The sole transportation law journal of its kind in the United States.
- University of Denver Water Law Review— Focuses on water law issues, particularly relevant to the Western United States.
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.
- Alan ChenFree Speech, Federal Courts, Public Interest Law, Civil Rights
- Rebecca AvielLegal Ethics, Professional Responsibility, Family Law, Constitutional Law
- Sam KaminCriminal Procedure, Constitutional Remedies, Marijuana Law and Policy
- Roberto CorradaLabor and Employment Law, Critical Race Theory, Administrative Law
- Bernard ChaoPatent Law, Data Privacy, Remedies, Intellectual Property
- John BlissLegal Profession, Social Change Lawyering, Public Interest Law, Legal AI
- Susan DaggettNatural Resources, Environmental, and Land Use Law, Sustainable Development
- Viva MoffatContracts, Intellectual Property
- Jerome BorisonTaxation
- Kelley LoperInternational and Comparative Law
What makes University of Denver distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·Pioneered experiential learning by establishing the nation's first legal aid clinic in 1904.
- ·Houses the Frank H. Ricketson Jr. Law Building, the nation's first LEED Gold-certified 'green' law building.
- ·Offers a Professional Part-Time JD Program with a hybrid format (weekend classes and online coursework).
- ·Consistently ranks highly for its practical skills programs, including Clinical Training, Trial Advocacy, and Legal Writing.
- ·Requires all JD students to complete a minimum of 50 hours of supervised public service work for graduation.
Using this for your "Why University of Denver" 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 Denver
What is the median GPA and LSAT at University of Denver?▾
University of Denver's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.66 and a median LSAT of 160. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.36–3.80 GPA and 156–162 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is University of Denver's acceptance rate?▾
University of Denver's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 48.5%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does University of Denver offer?▾
University of Denver's notable clinical programs include: Advancing Social Change Clinic, Civil Litigation Clinic, Community Economic Development Clinic, Environmental Law Clinic, Immigration Law and Policy Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does University of Denver publish?▾
University of Denver's notable student-edited journals include: Denver Law Review, Denver Journal of International Law & Policy, Denver Sports & Entertainment Law Journal, Transportation Law Journal, University of Denver Water Law Review.
Where do University of Denver graduates work?▾
University of Denver graduates concentrate employment in Colorado, California, Illinois, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does University of Denver admit?▾
University of Denver admitted 5 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle.
Schools similar to University of Denver
Other schools at a comparable rank tier — useful for building a transfer list, balanced 0L application list, or essay-research shortlist.
About to start at University of Denver?
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Try Case Cub free →Sources (5) — verify any fact above
- https://www.law.du.edu/academics/clinical-programs
- https://www.law.du.edu/academics/law-reviews-journals
- https://www.law.du.edu/about/people/faculty-directory
- https://www.law.du.edu/jd-degrees-certificates
- https://www.law.du.edu/our-community
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.