University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law is a private, American Bar Association (ABA)-approved

law school A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction. Law degrees Argentina In Argentina, ...

in the Oak Park neighborhood of the city of

Sacramento, California ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento C ...

. It is part of the University of the Pacific and is located on the University's Sacramento campus.

History

The school that eventually became McGeorge began in 1921 when

University of Chicago Law School The University of Chicago Law School is the law school of the University of Chicago, a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. It is consistently ranked among the best and most prestigious law schools in the world, and has many dist ...

graduate and

Standard Oil Standard Oil Company, Inc., was an American oil production, transportation, refining, and marketing company that operated from 1870 to 1911. At its height, Standard Oil was the largest petroleum company in the world, and its success made its co-f ...

executive Verne Adrian McGeorge began teaching law students at night in downtown Sacramento, California. After its formal establishment as a school in 1924, this Sacramento Law School, subsequently renamed in Professor McGeorge's honor as the "McGeorge School of Law," merged with the University of the Pacific in 1966 and came to be known as "Pacific McGeorge." McGeorge became an integral part of the University of the Pacific in 1991. The current

dean Dean may refer to: People * Dean (given name) * Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin * Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk * Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean Titles * ...

of McGeorge School of Law is Michael Hunter Schwartz, formerly the dean of the William H. Bowen School of Law at

University of Arkansas at Little Rock The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA Little Rock) is a public research university in Little Rock, Arkansas. Established as Little Rock Junior College by the Little Rock School District in 1927, the institution became a private four-year ...

from 2013–2017.

Accreditation, memberships, rankings

McGeorge has been approved by the

American Bar Association The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. Founded in 1878, the ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of acad ...

(ABA) since 1969. As an ABA approved law school, McGeorge graduates are eligible to sit for the

bar examination A bar examination is an examination administered by the bar association of a jurisdiction that a lawyer must pass in order to be admitted to the bar of that jurisdiction. Australia Administering bar exams is the responsibility of the bar associa ...

in any American jurisdiction.

Memberships

McGeorge joined the

Association of American Law Schools The Association of American Law Schools (AALS), formed in 1900, is a non-profit organization of 176 law schools in the United States. An additional 19 schools pay a fee to receive services but are not members. AALS incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non ...

(AALS) in 1974. It has a chapter of the

Order of the Coif The Order of the Coif is an honor society for United States law school graduates. The name is a reference to the ancient English order of advocates, the serjeants-at-law, whose courtroom attire included a coif—a white lawn or silk skullcap, whi ...

, a national law school honorary society founded for the purposes of encouraging legal scholarship and advancing the ethical standards of the legal profession.

Rankings and bar exam passage rate

In the 2023 U.S. News & World Report law school rankings, McGeorge School of Law was ranked 133. Of the McGeorge alumni who took the California bar for the first time in October 2020, 86% passed, vs. a statewide average of 84% for graduates of ABA-accredited law schools.

Tuition costs

McGeorge's tuition and fees for full-time students during the 2019–2020 academic year cost $56,776 per year, while tuition and fees for part-time students was $42,418-47,824 per year.

Academic programs

McGeorge offers

degree Degree may refer to: As a unit of measurement * Degree (angle), a unit of angle measurement ** Degree of geographical latitude ** Degree of geographical longitude * Degree symbol (°), a notation used in science, engineering, and mathematics ...

programs leading to the award of the J.D. (

Juris Doctor The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice law ...

), the LL.M. (

Master of Laws A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is an advanced postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in a related subject. In mos ...

), the M.P.A. (

Master of Public Administration The Master of Public Administration (M.P.Adm., M.P.A., or MPA) is a specialized higher professional post graduate degree in public administration, similar/ equivalent to the Master of Business Administration but with an emphasis on the issues of ...

), the M.P.P. (

Master of Public Policy The Master of Public Policy (MPP), is one of several public policy degrees. An MPP is a master's-level professional degree that provides training in policy analysis and program evaluation at public policy schools. The MPP program places a focus o ...

) and the J.S.D. (

Doctor of Juridical Science A Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD; ), or a Doctor of Science of Law (JSD; ), is a research doctorate in law equivalent to the more commonly awarded Doctor of Philosophy degree. Australia The S.J.D. is offered by the Australian National Unive ...

) degrees. McGeorge offers both a three-year day division program and four-year evening division program. The first year curriculum at McGeorge consists of 27 units. McGeorge law students must also complete 29 units of upper-level required curriculum. Therefore, 56 units out of the 88 units to graduate are required courses. All students take the same required courses.

Location

The McGeorge School of Law is located on University of the Pacific's Sacramento campus at 3200 Fifth Avenue in the Oak Park area of Sacramento, the capital of California.

Journals and publications

* ''The University of the Pacific Law Review'' (formerly titled "McGeorge Law Review" and "The Pacific Law Journal"). A student-run, scholarly journal publishing four issues annually. Two issues are published each year containing professional articles and student-authored comments or casenotes; one issue contains the Review of Selected California Legislation, or "Greensheets"; and one issue contains a symposium, focusing on a specific, significant legal topic. * ''California Initiative Review.'' An online analysis of

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

ballot initiatives In political science, an initiative (also known as a popular initiative or citizens' initiative) is a means by which a petition signed by a certain number of registered voters can force a government to choose either to enact a law or hold a pu ...

and related issues. * ''California Water Law Journal.'' A forum for water law research.

Notable people

Notable alumni

Greg Aghazarian Gregory George Aghazarian (born September 10, 1964) is an American lawyer and politician from California. He is a Republican and former California State Assemblyman who represented the 26th district from 2002 until 2008. Prior to his election, ...

–

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The A ...

man, 26th District *

Mark Amodei Mark Eugene Amodei ( ; born June 12, 1958) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Nevada's 2nd congressional district since 2011. The only Republican in Nevada's congressional delegation since 2019, Amodei se ...

– U.S. Congressman from Nevada * Ronald J. Bath –

USAF The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...

, Director of U.S. Air Force Strategic Planning *

Scott Baugh Scott Randall Baugh (born July 4, 1962) is an American attorney and politician who served in the California State Assembly from 1995 to 2000, representing the 67th District in coastal Orange County, which included Huntington Beach, Cypress, Fo ...

– former

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Leader Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets vi ...

, 67th District *

Scott Boras Scott may refer to: Places Canada * Scott, Quebec, municipality in the Nouvelle-Beauce regional municipality in Quebec * Scott, Saskatchewan, a town in the Rural Municipality of Tramping Lake No. 380 * Rural Municipality of Scott No. 98, Saska ...

– sports agent *

Consuelo María Callahan Consuelo María Callahan (born June 9, 1950) is a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Background Consuelo María Callahan was born June 9, 1950 in Palo Alto, California. She was raised in Fre ...

– Judge,

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (in case citations, 9th Cir.) is the U.S. federal court of appeals that has appellate jurisdiction over the U.S. district courts in the following federal judicial districts: * District ...

Lloyd Connelly Lloyd George Connelly, Jr. (born December 31, 1945, in Sacramento, California) is a Sacramento County, California Superior Court Judge. Before his appointment as a judge, Connelly was a Democratic politician, serving as a member of the Califor ...

– Judge, Sacramento County Superior Court * Ellen Corbett –

California State Senator The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature, the lower house being the California State Assembly. The State Senate convenes, along with the State Assembly, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. ...

, 10th District * L. Whitney Clayton –

Presidency of the Seventy A presidency is an administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. Although often the executive branch of government, and often personified by a ...

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

Christine Craft Christine Ann Craft (born December 18, 1944) is an American attorney, radio talk show host and former television news anchor. She became known in the broadcast industry in the 1980s for her age and sexual discrimination lawsuit against a televisio ...

– attorney, radio talk show host, and former television news anchor *

John Doolittle John Taylor Doolittle (born October 30, 1950), is an attorney and an American politician. Elected to Congress in 1990, he served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1991 to 2009, representing (numbered as d ...

– US Congressman 1991–2009 *

Morrison C. England Jr. Morrison Cohen England Jr. (born December 17, 1954) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. Early life and education Born in St. Louis, Missouri, England received a Bac ...

– Judge,

United States District Court for the Eastern District of California The United States District Court for the Eastern District of California (in case citations, E.D. Cal.) is a federal court in the Ninth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appeal ...

Noreen Evans Noreen Marie Evans (born April 22, 1955) is an American lawyer and politician who was a member of the California State Senate. As a Democrat, she represented the 2nd district, encompassing Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake and Napa counties, as well ...

–

woman, 7th District *

Dayvid Figler Dayvid Figler (born August 18, 1967, Chicago, Illinois, United States) is an American performer, author and trial lawyer. He successfully took the Nevada bar exam at age 23. In 2003, he began and served a short term as a Las Vegas municipal court ...

– Former Las Vegas Municipal Court Judge, NPR commentator * Edward J. Garcia – Judge,

* John M. Gerrard – Justice of the

Nebraska Supreme Court The Nebraska Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Nebraska. The court consists of a chief justice and six associate justices. Each justice is initially appointed by the governor of Nebraska; using the Missouri Plan, each just ...

Mikayil Jabbarov Mikayil Chingiz oghlu Jabbarov ( az, Mikayıl Cabbarov Çingiz oğlu born 19 September 1976) is the current Minister of Economу of the Republic of Azerbaijan (since 23 October 2019), Minister of Taxes of the Republic of Azerbaijan (2017–2019) ...

–

Minister of Economy A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", ...

of the

Azerbaijan Republic Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...

* Michael A. Lilly –

Attorney General of Hawaii The Attorney General of Hawaii ( haw, Loio Kuhina) is the chief legal officer and chief law enforcement officer of Hawaii. In present-day statehood within the United States, the Attorney General is appointed by the elected governor with the approv ...

(1984–1985) *

Bill Lockyer William Westwood Lockyer (born May 8, 1941) is a retired American politician from California, who held elective office from 1973 to 2015, as State Treasurer of California, California Attorney General, and President Pro Tempore of the California ...

–

California State Treasurer The state treasurer of California is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of California. Thirty-five individuals have held the office of state treasurer since statehood. The incumbent is Fiona Ma, a ...

and former

California Attorney General The attorney general of California is the state attorney general of the Government of California. The officer's duty is to ensure that "the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced" (Constitution of California, Article V, Section ...

Steve Martini Steven Paul "Steve" Martini (born February 28, 1946) is an American writer of legal novels. Early years Born on February 28, 1946, in San Francisco, California, Steve Martini was raised until the age of ten in the Colma area of Daly City jus ...

– attorney and best-selling author of

legal thriller The legal thriller genre is a type of crime fiction genre that focuses on the proceedings of the investigation, with particular reference to the impacts on courtroom proceedings and the lives of characters. The courtroom proceedings and legal a ...

novels *

Deborah Ortiz Deborah V. Ortiz (born March 19, 1957, in Sacramento) is an American politician from Sacramento, California. A Democrat, she served in both chambers of the California State Legislature. A then-member of Sacramento City Council, Ortiz was electe ...

– former

, 6th District * Johnnie B. Rawlinson – Judge,

* Dana Makoto Sabraw – Judge,

United States District Court for the Southern District of California The United States District Court for the Southern District of California (in case citations, S.D. Cal.) is a federal court in the Ninth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appe ...

Robert J. Sandoval Robert J. Sandoval (February 23, 1950 – February 28, 2006) was a judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Early life Sandoval was born on February 23, 1950.A. J. Sass - Youth LGBTQIA+ author. *

Victor Plata Victor Andres Plata (born April 1, 1973) is a triathlete from the United States. He is a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota and his hometown is Santa Cruz, California. Mr. Plata competed at the second Olympic triathlon at the 2004 Summer Olympics. ...

– Olympic athlete in triathlon *

Christian Wellisch Christian Wellisch (born September 13, 1975) is a Hungarian-American former professional mixed martial artist. A professional competitor from 2001 until 2009, he competed for the UFC, WEC, and King of the Cage. Mixed martial arts career Welli ...

– Former professional

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...

combat athlete

Notable faculty

* J. Clark Kelso, Federal Receiver overseeing healthcare reform in California's prison system, former

Insurance Commissioner An insurance commissioner (or commissioner of insurance) is a public official in the executive branch of a state or territory in the United States who, along with his or her office, regulate the insurance industry. The powers granted to the office ...

, former chief information officer of California. *

Anthony Kennedy Anthony McLeod Kennedy (born July 23, 1936) is an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1988 until his retirement in 2018. He was nominated to the court in 1987 by Presid ...

, retired

Associate Justice Associate justice or associate judge (or simply associate) is a judicial panel member who is not the chief justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the Supreme Court of the United States and some state ...

of the

United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

(served from 1988 to 2018), Pacific McGeorge faculty member since 1965.

Present Dean and Dean Emeriti

* Michael Hunter Schwartz, 2017 – present * Francis J. –"Jay" Mootz, 2012–2017 * Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker, 2002–2012, Executive Director and CEO of the

State Bar of California The State Bar of California is California's official attorney licensing agency. It is responsible for managing the admission of lawyers to the practice of law, investigating complaints of professional misconduct, prescribing appropriate disciplin ...

Former

CIA The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian intelligence agency, foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gat ...

General Counsel A general counsel, also known as chief counsel or chief legal officer (CLO), is the chief in-house lawyer for a company or a governmental department. In a company, the person holding the position typically reports directly to the CEO, and their ...

* Gerald Caplan, 1991–2002 * Gordon D. Schaber, 1957–1991 * John Swann, 1946–1957 * Lawrence Dowrety, 1937 – WWII closure * Gilford Rowland, 1933–1937 * Russell Harris, 1930–1933 * Vern Adrian McGeorge, Founder, 1924–1930

References

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/law-rankings

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Macgeorge School Of Law University of the Pacific (United States) ABA-accredited law schools in California Universities and colleges in Sacramento County, California Education in Sacramento, California Educational institutions established in 1924 1924 establishments in California Private universities and colleges in California