The University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law’s government law program was ranked No. 3 in the nation by preLaw Magazine, rising eight spots from last year’s No. 11 ranking.

McGeorge School of Law is home to the Capital Center for Law & Policy and is located in Sacramento, California’s diverse capital city. McGeorge’s proximity to the State Capitol, combined with the skills, experience, and networking opportunities available in our Capital Lawyering Concentration, provide students with an unparalleled opportunity to impact critical government and public policy issues while completing a JD degree.

“McGeorge's Capital Center for Law & Policy takes maximum advantage of our location in the government hub of the nation's largest state and the world's fifth largest economy,” said Leslie Gielow Jacobs, executive director of the Capital Center for Law & Policy and Justice Anthony M. Kennedy Professor at McGeorge School of Law. “Students benefit from Capital Lawyering courses led by McGeorge professors and prominent adjunct faculty seasoned in public service and government lawyering.”

The Capital Center for Law & Policy — which is located three miles away from the Capitol — is dedicated to studying issues of federalism and government structure and aiding government policymakers who must navigate their complexities. Faculty and students produce relevant scholarship and analysis to enhance government functioning and the administration of justice, and provide legal and public service to government and the community. The Center connects students to jobs, internships, networking, and exclusive Capital Center events that can only be found in Sacramento, California’s capital city.

“The opportunity to not only study the law, but also be a part of shaping public policy going forward, is the focal point of McGeorge’s Capital Lawyering Concentration,” said Erin O'Neal Muilenburg, director of the Capital Center for Law & Policy and Capital Lawyering Concentration. “Our students are able to obtain hands-on experience through our Legislative & Public Policy Clinic, which provides the opportunity to influence California law and policy while still in law school.”

Capital Lawyering courses are taught by some of the most respected lawyers, lobbyists, and political consultants in the capital arena. Accomplished scholars and respected policy advocates teach lawmaking, public policy development, and the art of negotiation and persuasion.

16 percent of McGeorge’s Class of 2020 are employed in government jobs, with an additional 14 percent working in public interest positions. Additionally, 100 percent of 2020 Capital Lawyering Concentration students were employed within 10 months of graduation.

“I chose McGeorge because of the Capital Lawyering Concentration and its proximity to the Capitol. I have found that all of my experiences at McGeorge have motivated me to continue pursuing my passion for public service,” said second-year law student Brooke Hill.

McGeorge’s unique Legislative and Public Policy Clinic provides an opportunity for students to represent clients to develop legislative, regulatory, and public policy changes. Students interact with clients, elected and appointed officials in state government, their staff, lobbyists, and public affairs professionals. They also develop a network of Capitol area contacts.

Built on the foundations of our excellent Capital Lawyering program, McGeorge offers a fully online Master of Science in Law (MSL) in Government Law & Policy degree that enables students to enhance their potential for career advancement with specialized knowledge in government law and policy. The MSL program makes McGeorge’s tradition of excellence accessible to working professionals.

The news of McGeorge’s government law program being ranked No. 3 in the nation comes on the heels of McGeorge School of Law celebrating its highest California bar exam pass rate in 25 years, its best job placement rate in the school’s history, four consecutive years of increasingly strong entrance credentials for its students, and the law school’s faculty having one of its most successful years in publishing its scholarly work.