LAW PORTAL
- About
About USC Gould
USC Gould is a top-ranked law school with a 115-year history and reputation for academic excellence. We are located on the beautiful 228-acre USC University Park Campus, just south of downtown Los Angeles.
- Academics
Academics
Learn about our rigorous and interdisciplinary curriculum, our invaluable experiential learning opportunities, and the breadth and depth of our specialized areas of concentration and certificate offerings.
- Admissions
Admissions
USC Gould helps prepare you for a stellar legal career. You can pursue a JD degree, one of our numerous graduate and international offerings, or an online degree or certificate.
- Student Life
Student Life
Participate in an unparalleled learning experience with diversity of people and thought. Get involved in the law school community and participate in activities that enhance your studies.
- Careers
Careers
We work closely with students, graduates and employers to support successful career goals and outcomes. Our overall placement rate is consistently strong, with 94 percent of our JD class employed within 10 months after graduation.
- Faculty
Faculty
Our faculty is distinguished for its scholarship, as well as for its commitment to teaching. Our 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio creates an intimate and collegial learning environment.
- Alumni and Giving
Alumni and Giving
The global Trojan network of more than 10,000 law alumni and donors include recognized leaders in numerous fields who are deeply committed to supporting student and law school success.
Experiential Learning
- DEGREES
- CERTIFICATES
- + AREAS OF CONCENTRATION
- ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
- BUSINESS LAW
- MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT AND TECHNOLOGY LAW
- PUBLIC INTEREST LAW
- + EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
- UNDERGRADUATE COURSES AND PROGRAMS
- CORPORATE AND CUSTOM EDUCATION
- + NON-DEGREE PROGRAMS
- ACADEMIC CALENDAR
- COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
- BAR ADMISSIONS
At USC Gould, we believe students learn best when classroom work is linked to experiential learning opportunities. In some classes you will have direct engagement with clients; in others you will participate in simulations or go on field trips that provide relevant experiences. You'll also learn from guest speakers and lecturers in law who are active practitioners in their fields.
Clinics and Practicums
Clinical Perspectives
Our six clinics provide JD students with a priceless educational experience. You will work on actual cases, represent real clients, and provide solutions and practical recommendations to resolve their issues. Our practicums allow you to gain hands-on experience with clients while exploring a substantive legal issue in depth. These clinics and practicums create a vital link between classroom and practice by enhancing listening and critical thinking skills necessary for success.
- Immigration Clinic
- Intellectual Property and Technology Clinic (IPTLC)
- International Human Rights Clinic (IHRC)
- Mediation Clinic
- Post-Conviction Justice Project (PCJP)
- Small Business Clinic (SBC)
Externships
Our wide range of externships provide you with the opportunity to work for a legal employer, under the supervision of a licensed attorney, engage with real clients, gain hands-on practical experience and earn academic credit. They include such diverse field placements as judicial externships, including the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and other federal, state, municipality and military courts; nonprofit and public interest organizations; state attorneys' general offices, federal and state public defenders' and U.S. attorneys' offices; in-house counsels' office, government agencies and other federal offices in Washington, D.C.
I was interested in criminal law, international law, and the intersection of law and race, so I took a seminar course with Professor Jody Armour on Stereotypes, Prejudice and the Rule of Law. I participated in presentations ranging from mock trial arguments on issues of race to a mock town hall meeting, where I played a resident of the Ninth Ward after Hurricane Katrina hit. Experiences like these are what makes USC Gould a unique law school — not just casebook after casebook, but truly engaging and innovative approaches to learning about law and the issues the law affects.
Douglas Hewlett, JD 2013
RECENT NEWS
In Memoriam: Cory Montelus
August 18, 2019
A message from Dean Andrew T. Guzman to the USC Gould School of Law community
Externships transform classroom lessons into career skills
August 6, 2019
Externships help students acquire practical experience and formulate career paths.
Justice Advocates
August 3, 2019
Led by Prof. Clare Pastore, practicum students work with nonprofits on civil rights, poverty, disability and access.
