Why University of Nevada-las Vegas?

The William S. Boyd School of Law is Nevada's only public law school, distinguished by its top-ranked legal writing and dispute resolution programs, and a strong commitment to experiential learning and community service.

University of Nevada-las Vegas is a selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 35.4%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.76 GPA and 160 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.39–3.88 GPA and 155–162 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 124 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Nevada, California, and Utah — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, University of Nevada-las Vegas admitted 14 transfer students into the 2L class, with a median 1L GPA of 3.06 (25th–75th percentile: 2.99–3.12). 4 1Ls transferred out.

Visit University of Nevada-las Vegas's site

Specialty strengths

Legal Writing (Lawyering Process Program ranked #1 nationally by U.S. News & World Report).Dispute Resolution (Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution ranked #8 nationally by U.S. News & World Report).Gaming Law and Regulation (offers an LL.M. degree and a dedicated journal).Intellectual Property Law (curriculum responsive to technology, entertainment, and gaming industries).Health Law (in partnership with the UNLV School of Public Health).

Class profile

US News rank: #91
Median GPA: 3.76; 25th–75th: 3.39–3.88
Median LSAT: 160; 25th–75th: 155–162
Acceptance rate: 35.4%
Class size (FT 1L): 124
Transfers admitted (2025): 14; ABA 2025 reporting cycle

2025 transfer admit profile

Actual GPAs of students University of Nevada-las Vegas admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.

25th percentile: 2.99; Bottom quartile
Median: 3.06; 50th percentile
75th percentile: 3.12; Top quartile

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

Top employment markets

1Nevada
2California
3Utah

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 Nevada-las Vegas's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why University of Nevada-las Vegas" essay where they align with your interests.

Economic Justice and Small Business Clinic
Provides free transactional services to small business owners and under-resourced community organizations.
Immigration Clinic
Offers pro bono deportation defense and legal services to the UNLV campus community.
Survivor Representation and Advocacy Clinic
Offers direct representation to survivors of trauma-based violence in civil protection order hearings and post-conviction matters.
Tenants' Rights Legal Residency
Represents residents in eviction cases in partnership with the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada.
Public Defender Residency
Allows students to practice and apply skills directly in a public defender setting.
Rosenblum Family Foundation Tax Clinic
Provides legal assistance in tax-related matters.

Notable journals

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

Nevada Law Journal— General legal scholarship analyzing law and policy implications of significant case law, legislation, and legal events.
UNLV Gaming Law Journal— The only specialty journal in the U.S. dedicated to gaming law, analyzing its legal and policy implications, including social policy, AI, addiction, and tribal 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.

Intellectual Property Law

Leah Chan Grinvald· also particularly enforcement and its impact on small businesses.

Domestic and International Intellectual Property Law

Mary LaFrance· also Entertainment Law, and Taxation of Intellectual Property.

International Intellectual Property Law and Conflict of Laws/Private International Law.

Marketa Trimble

Immigration Law and Director of the Immigration Clinic.

Michael Kagan

Poverty Law and Policy.

Rachel J. Anderson

Legal Writing and Appellate Advocacy.

Mary Beth Beazley

Lawyering Process.

Nantiya Ruan

Experiential Legal Education and Conflict Resolution.

Lydia Nussbaum

What makes University of Nevada-las Vegas distinctive

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

·It is the first and only public law school in Nevada.
·All first-year students participate in a community service program, providing legal information to those in need.
·Offers dual degree programs including a JD/MBA, JD/MSW, and JD/PhD in Education.
·Houses the Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution, nationally and internationally renowned for its study of conflict and alternative dispute resolution.
·The Thomas & Mack Legal Clinic functions as the school's 'law firm,' providing practical legal experience.

Using this for your "Why University of Nevada-las Vegas" 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 Nevada-las Vegas

What is the median GPA and LSAT at University of Nevada-las Vegas?▾

University of Nevada-las Vegas's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.76 and a median LSAT of 160. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.39–3.88 GPA and 155–162 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.

What is University of Nevada-las Vegas's acceptance rate?▾

University of Nevada-las Vegas's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 35.4%, per ABA 509 disclosures.

What clinics does University of Nevada-las Vegas offer?▾

University of Nevada-las Vegas's notable clinical programs include: Economic Justice and Small Business Clinic, Immigration Clinic, Survivor Representation and Advocacy Clinic, Tenants' Rights Legal Residency, Public Defender Residency. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.

What journals does University of Nevada-las Vegas publish?▾

University of Nevada-las Vegas's notable student-edited journals include: Nevada Law Journal, UNLV Gaming Law Journal.

Where do University of Nevada-las Vegas graduates work?▾

University of Nevada-las Vegas graduates concentrate employment in Nevada, California, Utah, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.

How many transfer students does University of Nevada-las Vegas admit?▾

University of Nevada-las Vegas admitted 14 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, with a median 1L GPA of 3.06.

Schools similar to University of Nevada-las Vegas

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

Regent University Law School

GPA 3.68 · LSAT 157

#91

Saint Louis University

GPA 3.61 · LSAT 156

#91

Stetson University College of Law

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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.