Why University of Miami?
The University of Miami School of Law offers a dynamic legal education at the crossroads of the Americas, emphasizing experiential learning and a global perspective.
University of Miami is a selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 33.5%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.79 GPA and 161 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.58–3.88 GPA and 156–164 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 360 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Florida, New York, and Washington, DC — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, University of Miami admitted 7 transfer students into the 2L class, with a median 1L GPA of 3.24. 9 1Ls transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #70
- Median GPA
- 3.79
- 25th–75th: 3.58–3.88
- Median LSAT
- 161
- 25th–75th: 156–164
- Acceptance rate
- 33.5%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 360
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 7
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students University of Miami admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.
- 25th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
- Median
- 3.24
- 50th percentile
- 75th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
9 1Ls transferred out of University of Miami in the same cycle — context for how portable University of Miami's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1Florida
- 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 Miami's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why University of Miami" essay where they align with your interests.
- Children & Youth Law ClinicRepresents children in foster care and former foster youth in various civil legal matters.
- Immigration ClinicAdvocates on behalf of immigrants in a range of legal issues.
- Investor Rights ClinicRepresents underserved investors in securities arbitration claims against their brokers.
- Environmental Justice ClinicAdvocates for marginalized communities disproportionately affected by environmental degradation.
- Human Rights ClinicEngages in cutting-edge human rights litigation and advocacy at local, national, regional, and international levels.
- Startup ClinicProvides legal assistance to entrepreneurs and startup businesses.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- University of Miami Law Review— Publishes articles of interest to legal scholars and practitioners across various legal fields.
- University of Miami Business Law Review— Publishes scholarly articles, comments, and case notes on business-related legal issues.
- University of Miami Inter-American Law Review— Focuses on international and inter-American legal developments.
- University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review— Explores international and comparative law topics.
- University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review— Promotes scholarship addressing legal, social, economic, and psychological issues affecting communities of color.
- University of Miami Entertainment & Sports Law Review— Covers legal issues within the entertainment and sports industries.
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.
Ethics
- Anthony V. Alfieri· also Public Service, Civil Procedure, Professional Responsibility
Environmental Law
- Jessica Owley· also Property Law, Climate Change Law & Policy
- Douglas Ruley· also Environmental Justice, Litigation and Advocacy
Corporate Governance
- George S. Georgiev· also Securities Law, Business Law
International Law
- Pablo Rueda Saiz· also Comparative Law, Human Rights, Indigenous Rights
Transactional Skills
- Marcia Narine Weldon· also Corporate Compliance, Governance, Business & Human Rights
International Human Rights
- Tamar Ezer· also Health and Human Rights, Women's and Children's Rights
International Arbitration
- Jan Paulsson· also Comparative Law, International Law
What makes University of Miami distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·Strategic South Florida location offers unique opportunities for studying environmental, maritime, and international law, particularly concerning Latin America.
- ·Hosts the annual Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, a premier national conference for estate planning professionals.
- ·Features a prominent International Arbitration Institute and a highly-ranked White & Case International Arbitration LL.M. program.
- ·Offers LawWithoutWalls (LWOW), a global experiential learning initiative focused on innovation at the intersection of law, business, and technology.
- ·Includes the Miami Law & AI Lab, dedicated to advancing responsible and effective utilization of AI within the legal ecosystem.
- ·Provides a Mindfulness in Law Program, offering tools for well-being and intellectual development.
Using this for your "Why University of Miami" 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 Miami
What is the median GPA and LSAT at University of Miami?▾
University of Miami'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 3.58–3.88 GPA and 156–164 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is University of Miami's acceptance rate?▾
University of Miami's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 33.5%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does University of Miami offer?▾
University of Miami's notable clinical programs include: Children & Youth Law Clinic, Immigration Clinic, Investor Rights Clinic, Environmental Justice Clinic, Human Rights Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does University of Miami publish?▾
University of Miami's notable student-edited journals include: University of Miami Law Review, University of Miami Business Law Review, University of Miami Inter-American Law Review, University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review, University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review.
Where do University of Miami graduates work?▾
University of Miami graduates concentrate employment in Florida, New York, Washington, DC, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does University of Miami admit?▾
University of Miami admitted 7 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, with a median 1L GPA of 3.24.
Schools similar to University of Miami
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 (12) — verify any fact above
- https://www.law.miami.edu/academics/programs-concentrations-centers
- https://www.law.miami.edu/academics/experiential-learning/clinics
- https://www.law.miami.edu/academics/journals
- https://www.law.miami.edu/faculty/all-faculty-members
- https://www.law.miami.edu/faculty/faculty-leadership/jessica-owley
- https://www.law.miami.edu/faculty/faculty-leadership/george-s-georgiev
- https://www.law.miami.edu/faculty/faculty-leadership/pablo-rueda-saiz
- https://www.law.miami.edu/faculty/faculty-leadership/marcia-narine-weldon
- https://www.law.miami.edu/faculty/faculty-leadership/tamar-ezer
- https://www.law.miami.edu/faculty/faculty-leadership/douglas-ruley
- https://www.law.miami.edu/faculty/faculty-leadership/jan-paulsson
- https://www.law.miami.edu/academics/academic-programs/international-arbitration-institute
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.