ADMITTED
STUDENT
GUIDE
GOLDEN GATE UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF LAW
WELCOME TO GGU LAW
Please allow me to join the chorus of voices wishing you congratulations on your
acceptance to Golden Gate University School of Law. As a first-year student at
GGU Law, you will join a talented group of classmates at a law school whose
faculty and staff are committed to your success.
Indeed, since its very beginnings over 120 years ago, Golden Gate has been a
law school grounded in welcoming and supporting law students from every walk
of life. We are a law school where everyone – regardless of race, creed, gender
identity, socio-economic status, or mental or physical disability – can find an
environment that will welcome them and guide them into the legal profession.
This is why last year GGU Law announced a dramatic transformation that makes
law school affordable for most new full-time students and offers a flexible
scheduling option for those whose lives do not permit full-time law study. This is
what GGU Law is all about: providing access and opportunity to a legal career.
The law can be a powerful tool to change lives and requires focused dedication
to master. The road ahead will be challenging, but we are on it with you.
I encourage you to remain in close contact with our Admissions office, and to
work with them in connecting with other members of our community – alumni,
current students, faculty members and more. We are very excited to welcome
you to campus and to start this exciting journey with you.
Between now and the beginning of the Fall semester, please do not hesitate to
contact me. My office email is [email protected] and my office phone is
415.442.6641
I look forward to welcoming you here in August!
Colin Crawford
Dean & Professor of Law
law.ggu.edu
STUDENT PROGRAMS & SERVICES
Themis Bar Prep Partnership Center for Student Success
GGU Law has developed a first-of-its-kind At Golden Gate University School of Law, we
partnership with Themis Bar Review. This believe that many of the core skills needed to be
groundbreaking and innovative partnership successful in law school and in the practice of
is designed to fully support student success law are the same skills essential for passing the
from orientation through the bar exam. It is bar. That’s why our Center for Student Success
one of the most comprehensive bar (CSS) combines our Academic Achievement
preparation and academic achievement Program and our Bar Exam Services. Your
programs in the country. You will also gain success is about more than just grades and
practical skills and training to pass the bar tests. Your success is achieved with the skills you
through structured learning as well as on- master to flourish in school, on the bar exam,
campus access to the GGU Bar Services Team and in your career. The CSS is staffed by a
and an on-campus Themis representative. This team of experts with significant professional
support continues after graduation when every experience helping students succeed. This
student receives the Themis Bar Review Course team provides you and your classmates with
for free! In addition, GGU offers wellness extensive support which is integrated across our
resources to help our students optimize their curriculum focusing heavily on demonstration,
well-being and academic performance as they practice, and feedback.
work toward personal and career goals.
law.ggu.edu
Summer Trial and Evidence Program GGU Law
features
GGU Law’s nationally recognized Summer Trial & outstanding
Evidence Program (STEP) lets top-tier students train as opportunities
litigators in the summer after their first year in law for academic
school. STEP rigorously hones the students’ success and
courtroom techniques and provides an early professional
advantage in today’s competitive job market. development.
During the nine-week, eleven-unit program, students
take Evidence, Motion Practice, Trial Evidence &
Advocacy, and a unique Litigation Center course called
“Evidence in the Courtroom.” This offers the
experience and skills needed to give them the
confidence to appear in court on behalf of clients, as
they spend their 2L fall semester working in law firms,
government internships, legal clinics, and other legal
settings.
The Litigation Center
GGU Law's Litigation Center is nationally recognized
for its excellence and innovative approach to building
critical lawyering skills. The Center delivers integrated
doctrinal and practical courses specifically designed to
build the skills necessary for a successful litigation
career. Our litigation students enjoy access to to
performance coaching and mentoring from world-
class litigators, including those who have won
recent arguments in front of SCOTUS, empowering
our students to grow into effective and persuasive
legal advocates.
STUDENT WELLNESS SERVICES
A student’s success isn’t just about grades and tests. GGU's Wellness Resources helps you
optimize your performance and well-being in your academic, social, relational and career roles.
These services provide both academic and personal guidance to students and acts as a liaison
between students, faculty, and other administrators. Our student support services include: access
to confidential counseling, stress management tools designed to help you cope with stress to
thrive in law school, and accessible education to support students with disabilities to achieve full
access to all aspects of life at GGU Law.
law.ggu.edu
LAW FACULTY SPOTLIGHTS
Professor Jyoti Nanda
BA, University of California, Berkeley
JD, Northwestern University School of Law
GGU Courses Taught: Criminal Law, Juvenile Law,
Professional Responsibility, Youth & Justice, Rebellious
Lawyering
About: Professor Nanda is interested in the intersections of
criminal law and social hierarchies shaped by race, age,
gender, dis/ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and
immigration. Her research draws on her background in
Ethnic Studies and her experience as a youth advocate and
civil rights lawyer to provide a better understanding of the
contemporary legal practices within the historical context of
racial and economic inequality in the United States. She
started her career as a Skadden Fellow and civil rights
attorney at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund,
Inc.
Professor Spencer Williams
BS, Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
JD, Stanford Law School
GGU Courses Taught: Contracts, Business Associations
About: Professor Williams researches and teaches at the
intersection of business law and innovation. He writes on
topics such as quantitatively modeling contracts using
complex systems theory, algorithmic price gouging,
predictive contracting using AI, and the design of VC
financing agreements. Prior to teaching at GGU, Professor
Williams was a fellow at Stanford Law School in the Program
on Corporate Governance and Practice. Earlier in his career,
he practiced corporate and securities law in Silicon Valley and
served as the General Counsel of a YC-backed tech startup.
Professor Veryl Pow
BA, University of Washington
JD, University of California, Los Angeles
GGU Courses Taught: Property, Critical Race Theory, Law-
Organizing-and Social Changes
About: Professor Pow's teaching and scholarly interests are
informed by the lenses of racial capitalism, Critical Race
Theory, and Rebellious Lawyering. Prior to joining GGU, Pow
taught in the Community Development Clinic at the
University of Baltimore School of Law. Professor Pow also
served as a Skadden fellow challenging the bail bonds
industry in Baltimore. His ctivities in Baltimore also included
formal movement lawyering spaces, such as the Baltimore
Action Legal Team and the National Lawyers Guild.
law.ggu.edu
CLINICS
Environmental Law & Justice Clinic Veterans Legal Advocacy Center
Students learn about environmental law, VLAC, the first veterans' clinic on a law
policy issues, and how lawyers can school campus in Northern California,
effectively work to achieve justice. They helps underserved veterans gain access
also work on real-world cases to to legal representation that assist in
provide critical legal services to getting them the medical care and
underserved communities and to disability benefits that they have earned
protect the environmental conditions of by serving our country.
where they live, work, and play.
Women's Employment Rights Clinic Pro Bono Tax Clinic
The Women's Employment Rights Clinic The Pro Bono Tax Clinic provides
(WERC) advocates for the rights of low- students the opportunity to gain real-
wage and immigrant workers through life experience representing clients
direct service, impact litigation, and with the help and direct supervision of
public policy work on a variety of experienced California Board of
employment-related matters. Equalization (BOE) attorneys.
law.ggu.edu
EXTERNSHIPS
Externships- Civil & Criminal Litigation Judicial Externships
GGU Law students practice civil litigation Our students gain the experience
or transactional work at private or needed to understand the inner
nonprofit law offices, government workings of the judiciary, allowing them
agencies, or in the legal departments of to build their professional skills while
businesses. The overarching goal is to enhancing their critical perspective of
help students become accomplished the issues confronting lawyers and legal
and reflective practitioners of law, institutions in modern society.
through hands-on experience.
Immigration Clinic Cannabis Law Clinic
The Clinic includes classroom and field GGU students engage in a clinical
work components. In class, students experience with attorney supervision, as
learn the intricacies of immigration law they advise clients on how to obtain
practice. In the field, students engage in a cannabis operator licenses through
clinical experience with attorney the Equity Program. Students also will
supervision as they work with clients advise clients on all aspects of the
who are seeking relief in the form of cannabis industry, including regulatory,
asylum, U-visas, and other humanitarian tax, contract, and IP issues.
relief.
law.ggu.edu
law.ggu.edu Centers of Excellence
Center for Intellectual Property and Privacy Law
Our Center for Intellectual Property and Privacy
Law (CIPPL) and expert faculty -- many of whom are
leading practitioners in the Bay Area -- make up
one of the largest and most robust IP and
Privacy Law programs in the country.
Additionally, an Advisory Board comprised of
prominent attorneys from Bay Area law firms, in-
house counsel, and lawyers at the US Patent and
Trademark Office assists the Center. These vast
connections give our students a wide-ranging
network of respected industry professionals, which
can lead to exciting internships and job
opportunities, all while learning the latest in the
fast-changing world of IP Law.
Center on Urban Environmental Law
With a special focus on water, air, and climate,
researchers at The Center on Urban Environmental
Law (CUEL) produce white papers that focus on
legal and regulatory strategies to improve
environmental conditions in and caused by cities.
The Litigation Center
The Litigation Center provides students with a clear
path to acquiring the skills necessary for successful
legal careers. The Litigation Center also hosts
numerous seminar series events each semester
featuring seasoned practitioners in the field of
litigation. Panelists present on cutting edge legal
hot topics such as police-worn body cameras, the
link between animal abuse and domestic violence,
cryptocurrency related to cannabis, and homemade
firearms.
The Sompong Sucharitkul Center
The Sompong Sucharitkul Center for Advanced
International Legal Studies at Golden Gate
University School of Law brings together scholars
and students from around the world interested
in international legal studies.
law.ggu.edu CAREERS
Our Office of Career Services (OCS) provides
comprehensive support for students and graduates in
their transition from law school into professional life. Our
innovative programs and personalized attention help you
become practice ready, and our OCS staff helps you
market those skills. Students receive individualized
guidance and coaching from the Career Center team as
well as detailed resume and cover letter reviews, mock-
interview preparation, and more.
Our OCS counselors are attorneys who remain connected
to their professional networks, working in close
collaboration with the law school’s externship program and
faculty experts to help you stand out in the job market.
GGU Law's OCS also partners with our business school’s
careers services office, capitalizing on the many
relationships with businesses and companies in the Bay
Area and around the world.
Where our grads work (a small sampling):
AIDS Legal Referral Panel
Airbnb
Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps
Alameda County, Office of the District Attorney
Bayview/Hunters Point Community Legal
California Office of the Attorney General. DOJ
California Rural Assistance Program
City and County of San Francisco
Consumer Law Center
Google
La Raza Centro Legal, Inc.
Law Foundation of Silicon Valley
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights
Live Nation
Meta
San Francisco Housing Authority
Santa Barbara County, Office of the District Attorney
Social Justice Collaborative
Sony
Squire Patton Boggs
Superior Court of California
Thomson Reuters
US Department of Homeland Security
US Department of Housing and Urban Development
US Department of Justice, Tax Division
US Department of Labor
US Patent and Trademark Office
Recent Graduate Profiles
Holly Graves (JD 19)
Undergraduate Institution: Ohio Northern University
Degree(s): Chemistry, B.S.
Law Activities: President, Student Bar Association;
Member, Intellectual Property Law Society; Member, Pride
Law; Member, Asian Pacific American Law Student
Association; Externship, The United States
Attorney’s Office, Civil Division; Externship, Peretz &
Associates; Intern, Marin County Office of the Public
Administrator
Why GGU Law? I was blown away by all the services GGU
Law offers students during school, in bar exam
preparation, and in job searches before and after
graduation.
Bacilio Mendez III (JD/MBA 20, HLP)
Undergraduate Institution: Undergrad, Oberlin College;
Grad School, Pratt Institute
Degree(s): Ballet & Modern Dance, B.A; Library &
Information Science, M.A.
Law Activities: Honors Lawyering Program; Pro Bono
Honors Society; Chair, Pride Law; GGU Law Representative,
American Bar Association; Summer Law and Policy Fellow,
California Reinvestment Coalition; Summer Law Clerk, AIDS
Legal Referral Panel; Certified Law Clerk, Gang Homicide
Unit of the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office
Why GGU Law? I like the unique ability to pursue a
JD/MBA, as well as the Honors Lawyering Program with the
option of earning credits toward an LLM while I’m still a JD
student.
Cesilia Fernandez (JD 16)
Undergraduate Institution: CSU Chico
Degree(s): International Relations, B.A.; Spanish, B.A.
Law Activities: Vice President, Student Bar Association;
Community Outreach Chair, LA RAZA Law Student
Association; 2016 Participant, Summer Trial & Evidence
Program (1ST STEP); Law Clerk, San Francis-
co Public Defender’s Office; Law Clerk, Alameda County
Public Defender’s Office
Why GGU Law? I chose GGU Law because of the small
classroom sizes and accessibility to professors. GGU Law
made me feel safe and part of a community from day one.
law.ggu.edu
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
GGU Law students take an active role in shaping our close-knit campus community. A
diverse array of more than 30 student organizations offers our students the chance to build
both their social and professional networks.
Advocates for Community Engagement Law Wellness Club
American Constitution Society National Lawyers Guild
Asian Pacific American Law Student Association Pilipino American Law Society
Black Law Student Association Phi Alpha Delta
Business Law Association OUTLaw (Formerly Pride Law)
Criminal Law Society Public Interest Law Foundation
Environmental Law Society Society of Litigators
Estate Planning Society Sports and Entertainment Law Society
Health Law Student Association Student Animal Legal Defense Fund
Immigration Coalition Group Student Bar Association
Intellectual Property Law Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy
International Law Society Student Veteran Law Association
Jewish Law Student Association Women’s Law Association
Labor & Employment Law Association Youth and Family Law Society
La Raza Law Student Association
law.ggu.edu
THE CITY IS YOUR CAMPUS
Study Midday Break
The Law Library, the largest law collection in The GGU Student Café offers a place to eat,
the San Francisco financial district, offers a study, and socialize with classmates.
quiet space to study. For others, the lobbies on Students may also enjoy eating in the plaza
each floor of the campus may be better suited level of the courtyard. Student
for their study environment. Students may also Organizations usually hold their meetings
reserve classrooms, if available, to read and during lunchtime so students are able to
study, either individually or in groups. get involved or attend meetings without
missing a lecture.
Around the City Time for You
You can supplement classroom study and Law school is a challenging experience. Some
clinical experience with cable car rides to days you need to step away from the
nearby historic, cultural, and culinary classroom to relax and recharge. SF Giants
centers of Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf, the and the Golden State Warriors games are a
Mission District, and North Beach. World- short walk or a short BART ride away from
renowned fine arts venues and the magnificent campus. Or take a day trip into the natural
Golden Gate Park are all accessible from campus beauty of Northern California coast or the
by public transportation. stunning Redwood forests.
law.ggu.edu
law.ggu.edu LOCATED IN THE HEART OF SAN
FRANCISCO, GGU LAW OFFERS A
PERSONALIZED LEARNING EXPERIENCE
FOR THE LAWYERS OF TOMORROW.
San Francisco has long been the heart of
California's culture of innovation and social
justice. Studying law in our international city will
immerse you in a myriad of rich cultures as you
study at one of the most diverse law schools in
the nation.
Our students are just steps away from the
global hub of the legal, business, and
technology industries. With direct access to
courts, law firms, advocacy organizations, and
government agencies.
The biggest tech companies in the industry –
Google, Meta, LinkedIn, Salesforce, and many
more – surround our campus, giving students
unparalleled access to the ever-expanding tech
industry and an unbeatable edge as they begin
their legal career.
SAN FRANCISCO'S LAW
SCHOOL SINCE 1901
DID YOU KNOW?
The first degree-conferring program at Golden
Gate University started in 1901, with the
formation of California's first evening law school.
By offering classes at night, Golden Gate made
legal studies available to the common person.
Four students comprised the law school's first
graduating class!
law.ggu.edu BAY AREA LIVING
Welcome to San Francisco! The Bay Area is a
unique and vibrant region, enriched by a diversity
of cultural and social influence. Our city is a highly
desirable place to live, so we recommend you
begin your virtual explorations of the city now to
find the unique neighborhood that is right for you!
GGU Law is located in the center of the financial
and legal district of San Francisco. Although
Golden Gate University does not provide student
housing, you can find resources on housing
accommodations in our Housing Resource Guide,
which each admitted student will receive later this
spring. In addition, the staff in the Admissions
Office can offer advice on moving to the Bay Area,
or you can find more information on the Admitted
Student page:
http://law.ggu.edu/admissions/admitted-students
FUN FACT:
SAN FRANCISCO IS JUST
7 MILES LONG BY
7 MILES WIDE
As a rough planning guide, monthly rent for a
one-bedroom Bay Area apartment falls within
these ranges:
Low rent $1,900 to $2,300
Moderate rent $2,400 to $2,800
High rent $2,900 to $3,200
Very high rent $3,300+
Each area will have variations in pricing and
these figures are simply averages.
HOUSING TIPS
As your schedule allows, we encourage you to visit San Francisco well in advance of
New Student Orientation in August, to explore the city and discover the neighborhood
you decide to call home.
Advanced planning is the key to a successful housing search. Be sure to include
expenses like security deposits, utilities, etc. in your housing budgets. Most Bay
Area landlords will require first and last months' rent, and often a security deposit,
up front.
The application process for apartments can be very competitive and it is not
unusual for applicants to attend initial apartment viewings ready to sign a rental
contract on the spot. It is helpful to be well prepared for housing appointments and
ready to act quickly if necessary.
Landlords may request a tenant resume that includes basic financial information,
rental history, and landlord references. You may find it helpful to prepare this prior
to beginning your housing search to expedite the landlord's application process.
The Bay Area's extensive public transportation system makes it possible to live
here without the expense of a personal vehicle. It also allows you to consider
neighborhoods outside of San Francisco.
Consider neighborhoods in the East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley, Contra Costa County),
the Peninsula (Daly City, San Bruno, San Mateo), or Marin County (Sausalito, Mill
Valley, San Rafael).
The Bay Area shares the common challenges of large urban areas, including crime,
heavy traffic, and high noise levels in some common areas. Please use common
sense when visiting and making decisions about housing in various neighborhoods
and city districts.
law.ggu.edu
GETTING AROUND
AIRPORTS
SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (SFO)
SFO is located 15 miles south of downtown San Francisco (20-30 minutes by car). BART also
goes directly to SFO and takes about 30 minutes, making it a quick and easy trip.
OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (OAK)
OAK is 21 miles east of downtown San Francisco (about 40 minutes by car). Public
transportation is also available by taking the Dublin/Pleasanton line to the Oakland Coliseum
station and transferring to the Oakland Airport Connector.
SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (SJC)
SJC is 46 miles south of downtown San Francisco (about 90 minutes by car, depending upon
traffic conditions). Public transportation is available via CalTrain and Santa Clara County
Transit.
SF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
BART (www.bart.gov)
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) rail lines link San Francisco with the East Bay and upper
Peninsula communities. In downtown San Francisco, trains run underground along Market
Street. GGU Law is located one block south of the Montgomery Street station.
MUNI (www.sfmuni.com)
The San Francisco Municipal Transit Authority (MUNI) operates the city's buses, trolley cars,
Metro underground and the historic cable cars. There are over 70 public transit lines,
including faster express lines, which run during commute hours only. Again, GGU Law is just
one block from the Montgomery Street Station.
HISTORIC CABLE CARS (www.sfmuni.com
San Francisco's cable cars operate four cable lines (California, Mason, Powell, and Hyde)
seven days a week.
law.ggu.edu
HOTELS NEAR CAMPUS
San Francisco Marriott Marquis Courtyard San Francisco Downtown
780 Mission Street 299 2nd Street
San Francisco, CA 94103 San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: (415) 896-1600 Phone: (415) 947-0700
www.marriott.com/San-Francisco www.marriott.com/courtyard
Palace Hotel Hyatt Regency San Francisco
2 New Montgomery Street 5 Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, CA 94105 San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: (415) 512-1111 Phone: (415) 788-1234
www.sfpalace.com https://tinyurl.com/hyattsf
W San Francisco Grand Hyatt San Francisco
181 3rd Street 345 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94103 San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone: (415) 896-1600 Phone: (415) 398-1234
www.whotels.com www.hilton.com/SanFrancisco
Hilton San Francisco- Financial District Hilton San Francisco
750 Kearny Street 333 O’Farrell Street
San Francisco, CA 94108 San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 433-6600 Phone: (415) 771-1400
https://tinyurl.com/fidihilton https://tinyurl.com/sfunionsqaure
Parc 55 The Clift Hotel
55 Cyril Magnin 496 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94102 San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 392-8000 Phone: (415) 775-4700
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/sfosfh www.clifthotel.com/en-us
h-parc-55-san-francisco/
When checking out hotels in the City, don’t forget to check the web for deals. Websites
such as www.kayak.com, www.orbitz.com, and www.hotels.com offer frequent deals
and discounts for a number of hotels in San Francisco and around the Bay Area.
Additionally, you can research restaurants, doctors, mechanics, and hundreds of other
service providers and businesses (with extensive reviews and comments) at
www.yelp.com.
law.ggu.edu
CONFIRMING
ENROLLMENT
Every admitted student is required to pay two seat deposits totaling $700 as an expression
of intent to enroll at GGU Law. For those admitted students who enroll, seat deposits will
be credited toward first semester tuition costs.
Your first seat deposit of $350 is non-refundable and due no later than April 15, 2023. If
you’re admitted after April 15, 2023, your first deposit is due within two weeks from the
date of your offer of admission, and the due date will be noted in your offer of admission.
Your second seat deposit of $350 is due no later than June 1, 2023.
You may pay your seat deposits via PayPal or check. Instructions for each option are
below:
Pay online with PayPal: http://law.ggu.edu/admissions/admitted-students
Pay by check, payable to “Golden Gate University School of Law” and mail to:
Golden Gate University, Office of Law Admissions
536 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
law.ggu.edu
WHERE INNOVATION AND
JUSTICE MEET
At GGU Law, you will learn to integrate traditional
legal knowledge with practical skills, unparalleled
training, real-world opportunities, and cutting-edge
experience. Join our longstanding tradition, which
spans over a century, of training unrivaled lawyers
and advocates from around the world!
536 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-442-6630
800-GGU-4YOU
[email protected]
law.ggu.edu