Why University of Houston?
The University of Houston Law Center offers a blend of academic strength, nationally recognized specialty programs in areas like intellectual property and health law, and extensive hands-on experience in a major legal market.
University of Houston is a selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 32.1%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.79 GPA and 161 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.56–3.90 GPA and 157–162 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 256 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Texas, New York, and Virginia — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, University of Houston admitted 25 transfer students into the 2L class, with a median 1L GPA of 3.43 (25th–75th percentile: 3.29–3.61). 3 1Ls transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #54
- Median GPA
- 3.79
- 25th–75th: 3.56–3.90
- Median LSAT
- 161
- 25th–75th: 157–162
- Acceptance rate
- 32.1%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 256
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 25
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students University of Houston admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.
- 25th percentile
- 3.29
- Bottom quartile
- Median
- 3.43
- 50th percentile
- 75th percentile
- 3.61
- Top quartile
3 1Ls transferred out of University of Houston in the same cycle — context for how portable University of Houston's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1Texas
- 2New York
- 3Virginia
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 Houston's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why University of Houston" essay where they align with your interests.
- Civil Justice ClinicAssists low-income clients with legal needs in family law, probate, consumer law, and landlord/tenant issues.
- Criminal Justice ClinicProvides students with practical experience in criminal law.
- Entrepreneurship and Community Development ClinicFocuses on legal issues for entrepreneurs and community development.
- Immigration ClinicOffers legal assistance in immigration matters.
- Alan F. and Diane R. Levin Mediation ClinicProvides training and experience in alternative dispute resolution and mediation.
- Trademark Prosecution ClinicFocuses on the practical aspects of trademark law.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- Houston Law Review— Publishes scholarly articles and hosts a lecture series and symposium.
- Houston Journal of International Law— Publishes articles on public and private international law.
- Houston Journal of Health Law & Policy— Focuses on health law and policy issues.
- Houston Business and Tax Law Journal— Covers topics in business and tax law.
- Journal of Consumer & Commercial Law— Dedicated to consumer and commercial law topics.
- Environmental and Energy Law and Policy Journal— Focuses on environmental and energy 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.
Communications Law
- Leonard M. Baynes
Constitutional Law
- Emily Berman
- Seth J. Chandler· also AI for Legal Education
Tax Law
- Johnny Rex Buckles
- Bret Wells
Intellectual Property & Information Law
- Greg R. Vetter
Environmental Law
- Gina S. Warren
International Law
- Elizabeth Trujillo
Intellectual Property Law/Copyright
- Aman Gebru
Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Jessica Bregant· also Settlement
What makes University of Houston distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·Located in Houston, the nation's fourth-largest city, offering extensive legal market access.
- ·Strong emphasis on experiential learning through numerous clinics and advocacy programs like the Blakely Advocacy Institute.
- ·Offers nationally recognized LL.M. programs with specializations in areas such as Energy, Health, Intellectual Property, International, and Tax Law.
- ·Features the ultramodern John M. O'Quinn Law Building, a 180,000-square-foot facility completed in 2022.
- ·Provides a Part-Time Evening Program, consistently ranked among the top in the nation.
- ·Home to the Initiative on Global Law and Policy for the Americas.
Using this for your "Why University of Houston" 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 Houston
What is the median GPA and LSAT at University of Houston?▾
University of Houston's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.79 and a median LSAT of 161. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.56–3.90 GPA and 157–162 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is University of Houston's acceptance rate?▾
University of Houston's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 32.1%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does University of Houston offer?▾
University of Houston's notable clinical programs include: Civil Justice Clinic, Criminal Justice Clinic, Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic, Immigration Clinic, Alan F. and Diane R. Levin Mediation Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does University of Houston publish?▾
University of Houston's notable student-edited journals include: Houston Law Review, Houston Journal of International Law, Houston Journal of Health Law & Policy, Houston Business and Tax Law Journal, Journal of Consumer & Commercial Law.
Where do University of Houston graduates work?▾
University of Houston graduates concentrate employment in Texas, New York, Virginia, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does University of Houston admit?▾
University of Houston admitted 25 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, with a median 1L GPA of 3.43.
Schools similar to University of Houston
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 (7) — verify any fact above
- https://www.uh.edu/lawcenter/
- https://law.uh.edu/journals/
- https://law.uh.edu/faculty/
- https://law.uh.edu/centers-institutes-programs/
- https://law.uh.edu/clinics/
- https://law.uh.edu/news/april2024/040924usnews.asp
- https://law.uh.edu/news/april2026/040726usnews.asp
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.