University of San Diego School of Law
The University of San Diego School of Law, commonly referred to as USD Law, is a law school located on the 182-acre (0.74 km2) campus of the University of San Diego in San Diego, California in the community of Linda Vista. Founded in 1954, the law school has held ABA approval since 1961.[4] It joined the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) in 1966.[5]
University of San Diego School of Law | |
---|---|
Warren Hall | |
Parent school | University of San Diego |
Established | 1954[1] |
School type | Private |
Dean | Stephen Ferruolo |
Location | San Diego, California, US |
Enrollment | 1,007 (Full- and part-time) |
Faculty | 94 (Full- and part-time) |
USNWR ranking | 83rd (2021)[2] |
Bar pass rate | 75% (July 2019 1st time takers)[3] |
Website | http://www.sandiego.edu/law/ |
ABA profile | USD School of Law |
Academics
USD Law offers Juris Doctor (J.D.) degrees in either a three-year full-time or a four-year part-time program. Advanced law degree programs offered include Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees in Taxation, International Law, Criminal Law, Intellectual Property Law, Business and Corporate Law, Environmental and Energy Law, Employment and Labor law, and in Comparative Law for graduates of international law schools. Concurrent degree programs are offered to achieve a J.D. degree with either a Masters in Business Administration, International Master of Business Administration, or Master of Arts in International Relations.
Rankings
USD Law placed 71st among the nation's "Top 100" law schools in the 2016 U.S. News and World Report rankings,[1] but fell to 86th in the 2020 rankings.[6] In April 2010, USD was ranked 6th in the nation in tax law and first in the Western United States among law schools with graduate tax programs. In January 2011, USD Law was given a "B+" in the "Best Public Interest Law Schools" listing by The National Jurist: The Magazine for Law Students.[7]
The school is a member of the Order of the Coif, a national law school honorary society.[8]
Dean
The dean of the law school is Stephen Ferruolo.[9] Prior to his tenure as dean, Ferruolo was a partner at the San Diego branch of Goodwin Procter, where his practice focused on business law.[10] Prior to beginning his legal career, Ferruolo was a history professor at Stanford University.[10]
Faculty
In a 2003–2004 survey based exclusively on academic criteria, Brian Leiter of the University of Chicago Law School ranked USD Law 22nd in the nation for faculty scholarly reputation.[11] Leiter rated USD Law as "Also Strong" in Criminal Law & Procedure, Jurisprudence/Legal Philosophy, Law & Religion, and Legal Ethics.[12]
Six faculty members are members of the American Law Institute, a legal research organization.[13]
Notable guest professors
On numerous occasions, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia judged the final round of intramural moot court competitions on campus prior to his death in 2016. Along with this, he was a guest lecturer of Constitutional Law classes as well as classes on Oral Advocacy.
Media appearances
Faculty member Junichi P. Semitsu appeared on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire[14] and faculty member Frank Partnoy appeared on an episode of The Daily Show discussing his book The Match King: Ivar Kreuger, The Financial Genius Behind a Century of Wall Street Scandals.[15]
Students
In 2007, the 75th percentile of Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores was 164 and the 25th percentile of LSAT scores was 161 for admitted full-time students.[16]
Bar passage rates
71% of USD Law graduates who took the California Bar in July 2018 for the first time, passed, compared to 54.1% for all first time applicants who completed the July 2018 California Bar Examination.[17]
Based on a 2001–2007 6 year average, 76.3% of USD Law graduates passed the California State Bar.[18]
Post-graduation employment
Based on a 2001–2007 6 year average, 90.6% of USD Law graduates were employed in some capacity 9 months after graduation.[18]
Advocacy Programs
Appellate Moot Court
The law school's Appellate Moot Court team is composed of two boards, the Executive Board and the Associate Board.[19] The Appellate Moot Court Board hosts two intramural competitions each year, both open to second and third year USD Law students, the Alumni Moot Court Tournament and the Paul A. McLennon, Sr., Honors Moot Court Competition. The Moot Court Board also hosts the National Criminal Procedure Competition.[20]
National Trial Team (Mock Trial)
USD Law's National Trial Team trains students for regional and national trial competitions, competing in five major tournaments each year.[21]
Transactional Law Team (TLT)
The Transactional Law Team competes in the National Transactional Law Meet.[22]
Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot (VICAM)
USD Law's Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot (VICAM) team competes in the area of international commercial law and arbitration, also known as alternative dispute resolution.[23] Members of VICAM compete in the Willem C. Vis Moot in Vienna, Austria and the Vis East in Hong Kong.[24][24]
USD VICAM hosts the Michael Thorsnes International Commercial Arbitration Competition each year.[25] The competition serves as preparation for the Willem C. Vis Moot. It is an international competition, and in 2017 twenty-two teams from ten schools participated, including schools from Japan and Russia.[25]
Employment
According to the University of San Diego's official 2018 ABA-required disclosures, 67% of the Class of 2018 obtained full-time, long-term, JD required employment nine months after graduation.[26] The University of San Diego's Law School Transparency under-employment score is 24.6%, indicating the percentage of the Class of 2018 unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job nine months after graduation.[27]
Costs
The total cost of attendance (indicating the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses) at the University of San Diego School of Law for the 2017-2018 academic year is $74,086.[28] The Law School Transparency estimated debt-financed cost of attendance for three years is $270,135.[29]
Notable alumni
- Steven R. Altman, 1986, President Qualcomm[30][31]
- Thomas J. Barrack, Jr., 1971,[32] CEO Colony Capital;[33] called "the best real estate investor on the planet today" by Fortune magazine[34]
- Shelley Berkley, 1976, Member U.S. House of Representatives
- Mark Brnovich, 1991, Arizona Attorney General[35]
- Dave Camp, 1978, Member U.S. House of Representatives, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee[36]
- Theo Epstein, 2000, formerly the youngest general manager in the history of MLB, when the Boston Red Sox hired him at the age of 28; currently President of Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs
- Jan Goldsmith, 1976, City Attorney of San Diego and former California State Assemblyman and judge
- Joseph Ghougassian, 1980, Chairman, Persian Gulf Consultants, former Deputy Senior Advisor for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, former US Ambassador to Qatar[37]
- Robert Kardashian, 1967, lawyer for OJ Simpson and father of reality show personalities Kourtney Kardashian, Kimberly "Kim" Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian Odom, and Robert Kardashian Jr., with his former wife Kris Jenner.
- Judith N. Keep, 1970, Chief District Judge of the Southern District from 1991 to 1998
- Ron Mix, Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle[38]
- Thomas P. O’Brien, 1993, United States Attorney for the Central District of California
- Rod Pacheco, 1983, former California Assembly Member and District Attorney of Riverside County[39]
- Ron D. Parraguirre, 1985, Chief Justice for the Supreme Court of Nevada[40]
- Wade Sanders, Deputy Assistant United States Secretary of the Navy for Reserve Affairs and convicted sex offender
- Lynn Schenk, 1970, former Member U.S. House of Representatives
- Michael J. Streit, 1975, Associate Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
- Frances Townsend, 1984, former Homeland Security Advisor
- Danny Tarkanian, Nevada politician, former college basketball player, and son of legendary college basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian
- Nancy Halliday, United States Ambassador to Slovenia[41]
- Larry Williams, American football player
- Tiffany Ackley, 2006, City Council Member, Aliso Viejo, California
- Timothy Gordon, 2013, Catholic author and educator[42]
Student publications
- San Diego Law Review[43]
- San Diego International Law Journal[44]
- San Diego Journal of Climate and Energy Law[45]
References
- "U.S. News & World Report, "Best Law Schools: University of San Diego"". Retrieved April 14, 2011.
- "University of San Diego". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- Rubino, Kathryn. "California Bar Exam Results: A Breakdown By Law School (July 2019)". Above the Law. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
- "ABA-Approved Law Schools by Year". ABA website. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
- "Member Schools - Association of American Law Schools".
- "University of San Diego #86 in Best Law Schools". usnews.com. US News & World Report, L.P. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- Weyenberg, Michelle (January 2011), "Best Law Schools for Public Interest", The National Jurist, San Diego, California: Cypress Magazines, 20 (4): 24–28
- Smith, Anesha. "member chart". www.orderofthecoif.org.
- "Introducing Stephen Ferruolo, USD School of Law's Incoming Dean". www.motionsonline.org.
- "Ferruolo bio".
- "Brian Leiter Appendix D: Summary Faculty Quality Rankings for the Top 25 Schools, 2003-04". www.leiterrankings.com.
- "Brian Leiter Top Law Schools by Specialty Area, 2002-03". www.leiterrankings.com.
- https://www.ali.org/members/directory/
- "USD Law faculty bio, Junichi Semitsu".
- "USD Law faculty bio, Frank Partnoy". Archived from the original on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
- "Brian Leiter Student Quality, 2007". www.leiterrankings.com.
- "California Bar Results: July 2018" (PDF). Retrieved October 29, 2019.
- "Internet Legal Research Group: University of San Diego, 2009 profile". Retrieved April 13, 2011.
- "Moot Court Boards - USD Law Moot Court".
- "Appellate Moot Court - School of Law - University of San Diego". www.sandiego.edu.
- "National Trial Team - School of Law - University of San Diego". www.sandiego.edu.
- "Transactional Law Team (TLT) School of Law - University of San Diego". www.sandiego.edu.
- "Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot (VICAM) - School of Law - University of San Diego". www.sandiego.edu.
- "About USD VICAM". USD VICAM.
- "USD Pre-Moot". USD VICAM.
- "Employment Statistics 2018" (PDF).
- "University of San Diego Profile".
- "Tuition and Expenses".
- "USD SOL Summary".
- "Executive Officers - Qualcomm Incorporated". investor.qualcomm.com.
- California, The State Bar of. "Attorney Search : The State Bar of California". members.calbar.ca.gov.
- California, The State Bar of. "Attorney Search : The State Bar of California". members.calbar.ca.gov.
- "Colony Inc. Company Executives".
- Tully, Shawn. "I'm Tom Barrack and I'm Getting Out". FORTUNE Magazine. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
- "Mark Brnovich's Biography".
- "CAMP, David Lee, (1953 - )". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
- "Nomination of Joseph Ghougassian To Be United States Ambassador to Qatar". www.reagan.utexas.edu.
- DeArmond, Michelle, Kimberly Trone and Jose Arballo, Jr., "Timeline of Pacheco's political and legal career", The Press Enterprise, January 5, 2008. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
- "Supreme Court of Nevada "Justice Parraguirre Will Be New Chief Justice at Nevada Supreme Court" December 30, 2009".
- http://scholarship.law.berkeley.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1267&context=bjil
- https://www.sophiainstitute.com/author/timothy-gordonhttps://www.sophiainstitute.com/author/timothy-gordon
- San Diego Law Review, Journal Homepage (Accessed August 22, 2015)
- San Diego International Law Journal, Journal Homepage (Accessed August 22, 2015)
- San Diego Journal of Climate and Energy Law, Journal Homepage (Accessed August 22, 2015)