University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law Profile

<<Pacific McGeorge currently offers three law degrees: the J.D. (Juris Doctor), the LL.M. (Master of Laws) and the J.S.D. (Doctor of Juridical Science). The school offers five areas of concentration, in addition to the traditional J.D. curriculum.

• International Business
• Governmental Affairs
• Advocacy
• Criminal Justice
• Tax

Students who already have their J.D. may pursue an LL.M. in Government Law and Policy, an LL.M. in Transnational Business, and an LL.M. or J.S.D. in International Water Resources Law. These upper-level degrees take at least one academic year, or two semesters, to complete.

According to Dean Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker, the faculty at Pacific McGeorge is unique among American law schools because, "our faculty cares. Their willingness to become personally involved in your legal education, both now and in the future, distinguishes Pacific McGeorge. It's the best reason to begin your legal career here."


Like most law schools in the United States, Pacific McGeorge has both full- and part-time programs for its students. The full-time division offers classes in the daytime and lasts for three years, while the part-time division offers evening classes and takes four years to complete.

Students are allowed to take the bar exam in any national jurisdiction. Currently, the school boasts of a 73% passage rate for the bar exam. Pacific McGeorge students have consistently performed above the California state average for passing the bar exam.

The school also has a chapter of the Order of the Coif, an honor society for American law school graduates who graduate in the top 10% of their class.

<<For the 2006-2007 entering class, the median LSAT score was 158, with the 25th to 75th percentile scores ranging from 155 to 160. The median GPA was 3.37, with the 25th to 75th percentile GPAs spread from 3.15 to 3.59.

During the 2006-2007 academic year, tuition ran to $32,905, up from $29,275 the previous year. Room and board rates totaled $12,062, also up from the previous year's rate of $11,520. Financial aid is awarded every year to Pacific McGeorge students in the form of loans, work-to-study programs, and scholarships. To be eligible, students must submit a completed FAFSA.

The total number of full-time students in 2006-2007 was 605, representing a decrease of over 100 students from the 721 registered the year before. Male students comprise a slightly larger portion of the student body, making up 57% to the 43% of women. With 21% of the entering students being of minority background, the school is committed to celebrating and building on its diversity. Total enrollment for the school currently stands at 1,104.

A total of 100 professors currently serve at Pacific McGeorge, with 60 with full-time status and 40 adjuncts. The student to faculty ratio is an impressive 1:13.4, down substantially from the 2005-2006 figure of 1:23.9.

The school is also home to a number of legal publications. Its student-reviewed publications and journals include: Experiential Learning, McGeorge Law Review (formerly titled The Pacific Law Journal), Pacific McGeorge Global Business & Development Law Journal (formerly titled The Transnational Lawyer), and the California Initiative Review.

Pacific McGeorge also publishes a faculty-edited journal known as the Journal of National Security Law & Policy, described as "a journal focused on issues of war and terrorism, international relations, democracy, and civil liberties."

The school also boasts of an incredibly high number of its graduates finding employment within nine months of graduation. The 2006 employment figure was 95.7%; in 2004, the school actually reported 99.1% of its graduates finding employment within nine months of graduation.

Graduates of Pacific McGeorge reported an average full-time starting salary of $62,500 in the private sector in 2005, an increase by 2,500 from the previous year. Graduates who entered the public sector averaged $54,600, up considerably from the $37,440 figure in 2004.

Notable alumni include bestselling author of mystery novels Steve Martini, 26th District California State Assemblyman Greg Aghazarian, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Judge Consuelo Maria Callahan, and 7th District California State Assemblywoman Noreen Evans. Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Anthony Kennedy has also served on the university's faculty.