Top 10 Reasons to Submit Your Application
Ask students, alumni, and even faculty why they chose USC Law and they'll list benefits as diverse as their experiences and interests. Some mention small, intimate classes and unforgettable professors and peers. Others cite top-flight reputation and unmatched support getting careers off the ground. (OK, some say it's the Pacific Ocean beaches - a cool antidote to the heated intensity of law school.) Here are our top 10 picks - great reasons to make USC the foundation for your future in law.
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Small Classes
Don't expect to hide in a large lecture hall here. In our small classes, everyone has the chance to join discussions, answer and ask questions, and get to know professors and classmates.We create an intimate learning community by dividing our first-year class into smaller sections for each course. More than one-third of our second- and third-year courses have enrollments of fewer than 15 students; more than 60 percent have enrollments of fewer than 25.
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National Placement Opportunities
As the first law school established in the Southwest, USC Law has been a major feeder for legal employers throughout the region for more than a century. With its large and lucrative legal market and enviable weather, California is a great place to start a career, but expect to be lured by jobs throughout the country. Beyond the West, New York City and Washington D.C. are the most popular placement areas for USC graduates.
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Accessible Faculty
You don't have to navigate a legion of secretaries to speak to a professor. Just knock on the office door! Even our nationally recognized stars, such as Susan Estrich and Elizabeth Garrett, are available to students and work closely with a number each year on independent research projects. If you come to USC Law from a large public institution where the faculty seemed inaccessible, get ready for the college experience you always wanted.
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Trojan Family Connections
Experts estimate that the typical law-school graduate will change jobs eight or nine times over the course of a career. USC's Trojan Family can make those transitions easier to pursue and more pleasant to accomplish. The strength of this alumni network is legendary - and real. Join the Trojan Family and enjoy a lifetime of professional contacts, friends, and support.
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L.A. Resources
If you're looking for the largest U.S. government center outside Washington D.C., look no further than L.A. The Los Angeles Superior Court is the busiest court system in the country, handling more than 600,000 cases per year. And as home to industries as diverse as entertainment and aerospace, this world-class city also offers some of the most exciting work experiences available in the private sector.
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Scene
If you like a dynamic, rich, urban environment, USC Law has what you're looking for. Our campus is located along a major arts-and-education corridor, with plenty of museums, theaters, and other fun-and-culture destinations. And because even seasoned city-dwellers care about security, you'll be pleased to know that, statistically, USC is safer than a host of other urban universities.
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Frank Rothman Scholars Program
The Frank Rothman Scholars Program selects one top applicant each year to receive the Frank Rothman Scholarship, which includes full tuition for three years and a summer position at the Los Angeles office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom during the summer after the student's first year of Law School. The scholarship honors the late Frank Rothman, a 1951 USC Law graduate and one of the nation's most respected litigators. To learn more about the scholarship, visit the Frank Rothman Scholars Program web site.
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National Research University
One of USC Law's top advantages is the University of Southern California, which has climbed to the top ranks among national universities. Time magazine recently named USC "College of the Year," and the university is among the top ten destinations for National Merit Scholars. Don't forget to count the benefits of USC's fully resourced campus: libraries, tree-lined parks, fountains, theaters, art galleries, concert halls, and 18 dual-degree programs.
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Return on Your Investment
No degree from a small, highly ranked, private institution comes without its cost, and USC Law is no exception. Yes, our tuition is high - but so is the return on your investment. Over the course of a career, lawyers in private practice can earn $5 million to $10 million, and USC Law graduates start out with top-rung salaries. Other career choices offer equally generous pay-back in job satisfaction and lasting friendships.
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Summer Fellowships
A unique opportunity to experience the law, explore career options, build relationships, and help fund your legal education. Real experience, a guaranteed position, and a paycheck - what a great way to spend the summer after your first year of law school!
Each spring USC Law's Admissions Office awards top admitted applicants our Summer Fellowships, which provide a guaranteed paid position during the summer following the first year of law school.
The Fellowship is offered in partnership with prestigious law firms, businesses, and public-interest organizations. Fellows spend half the summer at a law firm and half at a business - learning about legal transactions from both sides - or spend the whole summer at a public-interest organization. When they return to their second year of law school, Fellows bring solid work experience to guide the next steps in their education.
Law Firms
- Christensen, Miller, Fink, Jacobs, Glaser, Weiland and Shapiro
- Fulbright & Jaworski
- Greenberg, Glusker, Fields, Claman & Machtinger
- Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp
- Morrison & Foerster
- Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker
- Sidley, Austin, Brown & Wood
- Stoel Rives
Businesses and Public Interest Organizations
- Allbritton Communications
- Disney Studios
- Majestic Realty
- Nike
- Public Counsel
- Warner Brothers Studio
