Program Overview

Academics

The university offers various academic programs, including:

• J.D. Program
  • First-Year Curriculum
  • Concurrent Degree Programs
  • Combined Degree Programs
  • Berkeley-Harvard Degree Programs
• LL.M. Programs
  • Current Academic Calendars
  • LL.M. Executive Track
    • Past LL.M. Executive Track Academic Calendars
    • LL.M. Executive Track Courses
  • LL.M. Traditional Track
    • Current Academic Calendars
  • LL.M. Courses
  • Certificates of Specialization
  • Application & Admission
    • Steps to Apply
    • Application Forms & Deadlines
    • Eligibility & Admission Standards
    • Application Checklist
    • Admissions Policies
    • Check Application Status
  • Tuition & Financial Aid
  • Admitted Students
    • Visas
    • Housing Resources
    • Cancellation & Refund Policies
  • Join an Event & Connect with LL.M. Staff
    • Recruiting and Informational Events
    • Visit Us!
    • Contact Us
  • Meet Our Students
    • LL.M. Thesis Track Student Profiles
  • Meet Our Partners
  • Questions? Start Here
• Doctoral Programs
  • J.S.D. Program
    • Application & Admission
      • Steps to Apply
      • Application Form & Deadline
      • J.S.D. Tuition and Financial Aid
      • Eligibility & Admission Standards
      • Application Checklist
      • Check Application Status
    • J.S.D. Student Profiles
    • Contact Us
  • Ph.D. Program – Jurisprudence and Social Policy (JSP)
    • JSP Student Awards
    • JSP Student Placements
    • Events Calendar
• Certificates & Honors
• Executive Education
• Schedule of Classes
  • One Year Curriculum Planner
• Current Academic Calendars
  • Academic Calendar
  • 2025 LL.M. Executive Track Calendar
  • Past Academic Calendars
    • Academic Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
  • Future Academic Calendars
    • 2026 LL.M. Executive Track Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
• Registrar
  • Order of the Coif and Dean’s List
  • Academic Rules
    • Supplemental Academic Rules for Traditional Track LL.M. Students
    • Academic Honor Code
    • Academic Rules Petition
    • Academic Rule 3.06 – applies to the Class of 2010 and before
    • Credit Hours
  • Registration
  • Transcripts
  • Verification of Attendance
  • Registrar’s Forms
  • Ordering a Diploma
  • J.D. Academic Guidance
    • 3L Requirements FAQ
    • 3L Degree Worksheet
  • Registrar’s Student FAQ
  • Bar Information
    • State Bar Swearing-In Ceremony Information
      • State Bar Swearing-In Ceremony – Who’s Coming

Areas of Study

The university offers various areas of study, including:

• Criminal Justice
• Environment and Energy
• Social Justice and Public Interest
  • Curriculum
    • J.D. Path
    • LL.M. Path
  • Social Justice+Public Interest Community at Berkeley Law
    • Public Interest and Pro Bono Graduation
• Business and Start-ups
  • Business Law Curriculum
  • Business Law Faculty
• Law and Technology
  • Student Activities
  • Law and Tech Curriculum
  • Law and Tech Faculty
• Environmental Law
• International and Comparative Law
  • Centers, Clinics, and Programs
  • Faculty
  • Student Activities
• Constitutional and Regulatory
• Law and Economics
  • Faculty
  • Prospective Students
  • Visiting Scholars
  • Law and Economics Fellowship

J.D. Path

The J.D. Path is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in law, with a focus on social justice and public interest. The curriculum includes:

• Corporate Responsibility and Liability (Torts)
• Civil Rights and Environmental Litigation (Civil Procedure)
• Foundations of Environmental Law (Property)
• The History of Crime and Incarceration in the United States (Criminal Law)
• Basics of Consumer Rights and Remedies (Contracts)
• Key Debates on States’ Rights, Reproductive Justice, Affirmative Action, Gender Identity, Free Speech, and More (Constitutional Law)
• How to Find Cases That Support Your Position
• How to Write a Winning Brief
• What Makes an Oral Argument Outstanding (Legal Research & Writing and Written & Oral Advocacy)

Social Justice and Public Interest

Social justice and public interest are two related but distinct concepts. Social justice promotes rights, power, and opportunity expressly for people who are chronically deprived of these things, while public interest work serves the common good and protects rights and opportunities that benefit the public. The university offers various programs and courses that focus on social justice and public interest, including:

• Social Justice and Public Interest Curriculum
• Social Justice+Public Interest Community at Berkeley Law
• Public Interest and Pro Bono Graduation

Admissions and Financial Aid

The university offers various admission and financial aid options, including:

• Application & Admission
  • Steps to Apply
  • Application Forms & Deadlines
  • Eligibility & Admission Standards
  • Application Checklist
  • Admissions Policies
  • Check Application Status
• Tuition & Financial Aid
• Financial Aid FAQ & Glossary
• Financial Aid Forms
• Info Sessions & Presentations
• Financial Literacy
• Requesting a Financial Aid Award for a Student (for faculty and staff)
• About Our Team
• Other Financial Aid Resources
  • Financial Aid for Active Military and Veteran Students
  • Financial Aid Information for International Students
  • Financial Aid for Undocumented Students
  • Resources For Bar-Related Expenses
  • Satisfactory Academic Progress
  • Withdrawals and Financial Aid
• Student Loans
• Federal Work-Study Program

Experiential Learning

The university offers various experiential learning opportunities, including:

• Clinical Program
  • Apply to the Clinics
  • Death Penalty Clinic
  • East Bay Community Law Center
  • Environmental Law Clinic
  • Global Rights Innovation Lab Clinic
  • Human Rights Clinic
  • Policy Advocacy Clinic
  • Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic
  • Social Enterprise Clinic
  • Clinical Program Annual Report
  • The Brian M. Sax Prize for Excellence in Clinical Advocacy
• Pro Bono Program
  • The Pro Bono Pledge
  • Log Your Pro Bono Hours
  • Student-Initiated Legal Services Projects (SLPS)
  • Berkeley Law Alternative Service Trips (BLAST)
  • Call for Necessary Engagement in Community & Timely Response (CNECT)
  • Independent Projects
  • Opportunities for LL.M. Students
  • Supervising Attorneys
  • Pro Bono Spotlights
• Professional Skills Program
  • Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing Program
  • Elective Skills Courses
• Advocacy Competitions Program
  • Eligibility by Class Year
  • Internal Competitions
  • External Competitions (BOA)
  • Competition Videos
• Field Placement Program
  • Testimonials
  • How to Apply
  • Judicial Externships
  • Civil Field Placements
  • Criminal Field Placements
  • Away Field Placements
  • For Supervisors and Host Organizations
  • Administrative Rules
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Field Placement Program Evaluation Database
• Startup@BerkeleyLaw
  • Law Students
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Investors
• Veterans Law Practicum
• Ninth Circuit Practicum
• Domestic Violence & Gender-Based Violence Practicum
  • About the Director
  • How to Apply
  • History & Impact

Careers

The university offers various career resources and services, including:

• Careers Home
• About CDO
• For J.D. Students
  • CDO Email Archive
  • JD Appointments and Drop-In Hours
  • Private Sector Careers
  • Public Interest Careers
  • Public Sector Careers
  • Judicial Clerkships
  • Judicial Externships
  • OCI Programs
  • Alternative Careers
• For LL.M. Students
• For Employers
  • UC Berkeley Law Recruiting Policies
  • Non Discrimination and Non Harassment Policies
  • Grading Policy
  • Posting Job Listings
  • OCI Programs
  • Reaching Berkeley Law J.D. Students
  • Employer Resources for Virtual Internship Programs
• For Alumni
  • For Recent Graduate Job-Seekers
  • Enrichment Opportunities for Recent Grads
  • Executive Education
  • CDO Online Resources
• Careers in Law Teaching
  • Alumni Faculty Directory
  • Videos of Academic Placement Committee Programs
• Career Resource Library
• Employment Outcomes
  • Employment Statistics
  • Judicial Clerkship Placement Statistics
• 12twenty for Students & Alumni