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October 12, 2022
Dear Berkeley Law Alumni,
In many respects, this is a worrisome time. Fundamental human rights are in danger, from recent Supreme Court decisions here in the United States to the rise of authoritarian regimes around the world. Whereas democracies were emerging in many nations three decades ago after the Soviet Union fell, now we’re seeing a jarring turn towards hard-line governments.
During this anxious period, law schools have a vital role to play in upholding democracy and the rule of law. I have the honor of being the president of the Association of American Law Schools this year and have made the theme “How Law Schools Can Make a Difference.” It is also one of the biggest reasons why I’m so proud to be the dean of Berkeley Law, as our deep commitment on this front is visible throughout the school. Just one telling example: roughly 95% of our first-year law students engage in pro bono work. Be it within our Pro Bono Program, or our clinics, centers, or initiatives, the drive of our students to protect people’s rights and advance equality is continually inspiring and a heartwarming reflection of our public mission.
I’m delighted that in many respects, the start of the school year looks more “normal” than at any time since the pandemic emerged in March 2020, with in-person instruction, lunch talks, and other programming taking place here every day. We of course are keeping a close eye on public health developments, and the campus is strongly recommending that all students, faculty, and staff receive a flu shot and the COVID-19 bivalent booster before December.
It gives me great pleasure to provide this quarterly update on some of the many terrific things happening at Berkeley Law.
Entering Class
Our new 1L class has the highest credentials of any Berkeley Law class, with a median LSAT score of 170 and a median undergraduate GPA of 3.83. It is also wonderfully diverse with 54% of our 1Ls identifying as students of color, including 13 Native American students, and 20% of the class are the first in their family to graduate from college. The continual increase in the credentials of our students and our diversity is a direct result of our increases in financial aid. Since 2017, we have expanded our annual scholarship budget from $15 million to over $27 million. This is because of the support from our alumni who support student scholarships.
Faculty
We recently hired six stellar new professors, five of whom began teaching at the law school this year: Andrew Baker (teaching in the business law area), Stephanie Campos-Bui ’14 (teaching in our Policy Advocacy Clinic), David Hausman (teaching Civil Procedure and Immigration Law), Sharon Jacobs (teaching Energy Law and Administrative Law), and Emily Rong Zhang (teaching Civil Procedure and Voting Rights). Professor Hanoch Dagan (specializing in private law theory) will begin teaching here next year.
Faculty Scholarship
One of Berkeley Law’s greatest strengths is the scholarship of our faculty. The 2022 Recent Faculty Scholarship brochure has just been published, showcasing the newest articles and books from our professors as well as highlights from our research centers and institutes and brief profiles of our newest faculty members.
Transcript Magazine
The latest issue of Transcript, our biannual magazine, was mailed to alumni and friends a couple weeks ago. You can also read the digital version here. The cover feature focuses on some of the many efforts occurring at Berkeley Law to protect and advance our rights, in the U.S. and across the world. It describes the work of our students, faculty, clinics, and centers on a number of important issues, ranging from reproductive justice and evidentiary fairness in criminal trials to privacy and international human rights.
Alumni Reunion Weekend
From September 30 - October 2, we celebrated our amazing alumni community at Alumni Reunion Weekend. This year we honored graduates in reunion milestone years for classes ending with 2 or 7. The weekend included engaging CLE programming, a BBQ, an affinity group mixer, and class dinners. I was delighted to speak with you and to hear about your experiences as law students and your lives since attending Berkeley Law. Thank you for being such an important part of our vibrant law school community! Please enjoy photos from the weekend>>
California State Bar Swearing-In Ceremony
We will host our annual California State Bar Swearing-In Ceremony at the International House on Tuesday, December 13, at 4:30 pm. Registration information will be sent to all Class of 2022 graduates in the coming weeks, and will also be available on our alumni webpage in November.
Giving Impact Report
I am delighted to share our 2021-2022 Giving Impact Report. This publication highlights the myriad ways that our amazing donors have affected the lives of our students and faculty, and amplified the impact of our law school. We simply cannot thank you enough for your generosity. Our success as a law school truly depends on the generous support of our alumni community.
Clinical Program Annual Report
Among Berkeley Law students, clinical education has never been more popular or crucial to the mission of a public law school. More than 300 students enrolled in the Clinical Program last year and took advantage of unparalleled opportunities to use the conservative institution of the law in radical and innovative ways, helping with direct services, counseling, litigation, research, and policy advocacy. Clinical education has flourished at Berkeley Law over the last three decades and further growth is on the horizon. Now the robust program — which currently houses six in-house and eight community-based clinics — plans to add three more in-house clinics and four clinical faculty members over the next four years. To learn more about the impact of the Clinical Program, read the annual report here>>
Professor David Lieberman
It is with a heavy heart that I am sharing the news that our beloved colleague David Lieberman died in a hiking accident on September 10. David joined the Berkeley Law faculty in 1984. He was an eminent historian, an excellent teacher, and a terrific colleague. He was the James W. and Isabel Coffroth Professor of Jurisprudence and took emeritus status on July 1. The law school held a memorial on October 10.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me directly with any questions or suggestions at echemerinsky@law.berkeley.edu and 510-642-6483.
Warmly,
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