Why University of Richmond?
University of Richmond School of Law offers a rigorous academic program with a strong emphasis on practical experience through its in-house clinics and a supportive, collegial community.
University of Richmond is a selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 33.7%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.81 GPA and 163 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.66–3.92 GPA and 158–165 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 121 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Virginia, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, University of Richmond admitted 1 transfer student into the 2L class. 4 1Ls transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #62
- Median GPA
- 3.81
- 25th–75th: 3.66–3.92
- Median LSAT
- 163
- 25th–75th: 158–165
- Acceptance rate
- 33.7%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 121
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 1
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students University of Richmond admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.
- 25th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
- Median
- —
- 50th percentile
- 75th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
4 1Ls transferred out of University of Richmond in the same cycle — context for how portable University of Richmond's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1Virginia
- 2Washington, DC
- 3Pennsylvania
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 Richmond's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why University of Richmond" essay where they align with your interests.
- Jeanette Lipman Children's Defense ClinicStudents represent indigent children in delinquency matters and focus on their well-being.
- Institute for Actual InnocenceStudents screen, investigate, and litigate felony cases with credible evidence of wrongful conviction, and assist with clemency petitions.
- Intellectual Property and Transactional Law ClinicStudents provide pro bono IP and business transactional legal services to entrepreneurs, non-profits, artists, and small businesses.
- Access to Justice ClinicStudents provide critical legal services to underserved communities, developing real-world litigation skills.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- University of Richmond Law Review— Presents scholarly articles on current legal interests, publishing four times a year.
- Richmond Journal of Law and Technology— The world's first exclusively online law review, focusing on the impact of technology on law.
- Richmond Public Interest Law Review— Serves as a scholarly voice for social welfare, public policy, and a broad spectrum of jurisprudence.
- Richmond Journal of Global Law & Business
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.
- Wendy Collins PerdueDean, former president of the Association of American Law Schools.
- James GibsonIntellectual Property Law, Co-Director of the Intellectual Property Institute.
- Roger SkalbeckLegal Research, Copyright Law, Artificial Intelligence, Access to Justice.
- Kristen Jakobsen OsengaIntellectual Property Law, Patent Law.
- Rebecca CrootofTechnology Law, International Law, Torts, Autonomous Systems, AI.
- Tara L. CaseyPublic Policy, Poverty Law, Pro Bono and Public Service.
- Mary Kelly TateCriminal Law, Wrongful Convictions, Director of the Institute for Actual Innocence.
- Joel EisenEnvironmental Law, Energy Law.
- Jessica EricksonBusiness Law, Corporate Law.
- Carl TobiasConstitutional Law, Federal Courts, Judicial Selection.
What makes University of Richmond distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·The Intellectual Property Institute offers a Certificate of Concentration in IP Law and fosters study of contemporary IP issues.
- ·The National Center for Family Law offers a Certificate of Concentration in Family Law.
- ·The Robert R. Merhige Jr. Center for Environmental Studies engages in research, instruction, and public outreach on energy and environmental issues.
- ·The Harry L. Carrico Center for Pro Bono & Public Service emphasizes an attorney's professional obligation to serve the community.
- ·A Professional Identity Formation program for first-year students helps them discern their values and strengths in relation to the legal profession.
- ·Guaranteed summer public service fellowships for all 1L students provide hands-on experience in the public sector.
Using this for your "Why University of Richmond" 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 Richmond
What is the median GPA and LSAT at University of Richmond?▾
University of Richmond's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.81 and a median LSAT of 163. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.66–3.92 GPA and 158–165 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is University of Richmond's acceptance rate?▾
University of Richmond's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 33.7%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does University of Richmond offer?▾
University of Richmond's notable clinical programs include: Jeanette Lipman Children's Defense Clinic, Institute for Actual Innocence, Intellectual Property and Transactional Law Clinic, Access to Justice Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does University of Richmond publish?▾
University of Richmond's notable student-edited journals include: University of Richmond Law Review, Richmond Journal of Law and Technology, Richmond Public Interest Law Review, Richmond Journal of Global Law & Business.
Where do University of Richmond graduates work?▾
University of Richmond graduates concentrate employment in Virginia, Washington, DC, Pennsylvania, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does University of Richmond admit?▾
University of Richmond admitted 1 transfer student into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle.
Schools similar to University of Richmond
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 Richmond?
Case Cub is the AI study platform built for the 1L grind: case briefs, issue spotters, flashcards, outline generators. Walk into your first finals already practiced.
Try Case Cub free →Sources (6) — verify any fact above
- https://law.richmond.edu/academics/clinics-experiential/in-house-clinics.html
- https://law.richmond.edu/academics/journals.html
- https://law.richmond.edu/faculty/profiles.html
- https://law.richmond.edu/academics/centers-institutes-programs.html
- https://law.richmond.edu/academics/jd/certificates.html
- https://law.richmond.edu/about/we-are-ur.html
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.