A national search for a founding dean of the law school recently concluded with the naming of noted law scholar Erwin Chemerinsky, effective July 1, 2008. Faculty, staff and student recruitment will begin after the dean is in place. Printed promotional materials are expected to be available by fall 2008.

The first class of approximately 65 law students will enroll in 2009 and grow to approximately 200 students per entering class, for a total of 600 students within five years of opening its doors.

The School of Law will focus on the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, which prepares students for legal practice. Future offerings are expected to include the Master of Laws (LL.M.) and Doctor of the Science of Law (J.S.D.) degrees, as well as joint degrees and interprofessional opportunities that are expected to include an accelerated J.D./M.B.A. program – one of the most popular joint professional degrees – as well as a four-year J.D./M.P.H.

In addition to offering a strong, traditional legal education, UC Irvine’s program will leverage the campus’s existing strengths to develop specializations in emerging technology, international business, healthcare management, public administration and social policy. Compared to the best private law schools, a UC legal education is affordable to a wider range of the population and also is noted for its excellence – all four existing UC law schools are ranked among the top 50 nationally.

The school will be funded through professional student fees, campus enrollment growth and private gifts.

The school will seek accreditation through formal approval by the American Bar Association as soon as possible.

UC Irvine law graduates will be especially encouraged to pursue careers in public service. As part of their training at UC Irvine, students will provide legal counsel to community members who would otherwise be unable to afford.

In the early years, the law school will be housed in existing buildings on campus, including Berkeley Place. The proposal calls for the establishment of a new building and law library for the school within six years, and several campus sites are currently under consideration for this.

Visit www.law.uci.edu for regular updates about the development of the school. You also can view the entire Proposal for a School of Law at UC Irvine, as it was when approved by the Irvine Division of the Academic Senate in 2001, at www.evc.uci.edu/growth/law/LawProposalRev01-2001.pdf. Printed promotional materials are expected to be available by fall 2008. If you have specific questions about the law school, e-mail law@uci.edu.