When searching for the right law school for you to fully take advantage of all that the specially designed combination of practical training and theoretical knowledge has to offer, you probably feel as if information is flying at you from all directions.
It’s true, of course, that although the leading law schools in San Francisco all follow a similar pattern in terms of how the modules are organized and the volume of academic work involved, each law school has its own unique set of values and specialisms. With this in mind, read on to learn all about the top law schools in San Francisco.
1. UC Berkeley School of Law
Located within the University of California, Berkely Law is often ranked within the top four leading law schools in the entire country and offer a selection of different legal qualifications depending on the direction you’re looking for your law career to take.
One of the most popular degree programs that Berkely offer is the Juris Doctorate Law program (JD), which is a three-year, full-time legal qualification covering the following:
- Employment law
- Criminal law
- Family law
- Public law
- Equity & trusts
- Intellectual property
- Philosophy in law
- Administrative law
2. San Francisco Law School
Leading law schools in San Francisco pride themselves on delivering an interdisciplinary and intensive training program, and San Francisco Law School is continually rated, by alumni and legal professionals alike, as one of the absolute best.
With a supportive and highly distinguished faculty and a diverse and inspirational student body, SFLS was established in 1878 and was the very first officially accredited law department within the Californian university system.
SFLS offers a range of certificates of specialism, too, including environmental law, international business and trade, taxation, dispute resolution, human rights, and international law.
3. Golden Gate University School of Law
An ABA-accredited school, Golden Gate Law offer both part-time and full-time degree programs, as well as LLM (Master of Laws), SJD (Doctor of Juridical Science), and the newly launched MLS (Master of Law Studies), making this respected and established law school a good choice for anyone looking to take their academic prowess to the next level.
Golden Gate Law has recently streamlined the selection of law qualifications they offer, axing the Juris Doctor program at the end of 2023, although their graduate law program is still in full swing.
4. Stanford Law School
When looking at the US law school landscape overall, Stanford Law School is widely recognized as being another excellent place to set yourself up with the highest possible chances of succeeding in your chosen legal career.
Founded way back in 1893, Stanford Law School is one of the smaller schools holding their place in the highly regarded top tiers of American law training and academia, and what’s more, Stanford is located within the heart of one of the most highly regarded research universities in the world.
With smaller class sizes than other well-known law schools, Stanford is often said to be fantastic for support and guidance, both in the context of legal studies and in general for students of all ages.
