Dean's Welcome
“We are on the cusp of a revolution that will not simply change the way lawyers practice law, but also what it means to be a lawyer,” writes Chancellor & Dean David Faigman. “At UC Law SF, we are prepared for this revolution.”
Setting the Standard Since 1878
...but not stuck there.
When UC Law SF (formerly UC Hastings) was established in 1878 as the original law department of the University of California, it was decided that the College should prepare lawyers for the practice of law within close proximity to the courts, in the heart of the booming city of San Francisco.
Fast-forward to today – our location continues to provide access to every level of the judiciary. UC Law SF continues to redefine legal education, integrating rigorous academics with hands-on practice to prepare our graduates to leverage the opportunities of the 21st century. And San Francisco continues to boom, providing our students with access to the most innovative companies and people on the planet.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at UC Law SF
At UC Law SF, we are committed to ensuring that our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion are infused into every aspect of the College’s operations.
Hastings Legacy: Recognition and Reconciliation
In September 2020, UC Law SF completed a three-year project to examine founder Serranus Clinton Hastings’ involvement in mass killings of Native Americans in California’s Eden and Round valleys during the mid-19th century and to determine how best to address the legacy of the Hastings name with meaningful action.
Building for an Extraordinary Future
The first phase of the UC Law SF campus plan is located at 333 Golden Gate Avenue, a state-of-the-art academic hub featuring smart classrooms, conference rooms, and shared community spaces for students, faculty, and alumni. The rooftop floor of 333 Golden Gate is home to a premier community event space, with views of City Hall and the iconic San Francisco skyline.
Trailblazer Clara Foltz
A pioneer in opening up the California bar to women, Clara Foltz, with the help of Laura D. Gordon, proved instrumental in spearheading an amendment to dismantle the gender limitations of law school admissions in 1878. She then went on to become the first woman admitted to a legal practice in California. Among a multitude of accomplishments, Clara Foltz boasted her own legal practice, the founding of San Diego Bee, and served as the first woman deputy district attorney in Los Angeles.
65 Club
UC Law SF former professor and dean, Ellington Snodgrass, gathered a group of eminent scholars and jurists from the nation’s top law schools. Founded in 1940, the Sixty Five Club pulled from a group of brilliant minds involuntarily retired at 65 to provide UC Law SF with one of the most distinguished faculties of any American law school. Prominent UC Law SF professors included Roger J. Traynor and Raymond L. Sullivan from the California Supreme Court, as well as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg.
Board of Directors
University of California College of the Law, San Francisco was established by statute in 1878 and is governed by a Board of Directors. Access a list of Board of Directors Emeritus, plus Board Bylaws, Standing Orders, Meeting Notices, Agendas and Materials on our Board of Directors page.