Criminal Law

Overview

The Criminal Law concentration prepares students for a host of successful careers in the criminal justice field, including as prosecutors, defense attorneys, and policymakers.

The concentration offers a practical and theoretical foundation in the law, along with opportunities to apply that knowledge in the field. Through a broad array of externships and clinics, students can work for judges, federal, state and local government officials, and in defense advocacy, gaining invaluable hands-on experience and making useful connections for the future. For example, as part of the Criminal Practice Clinic students may work in a district attorney’s or public defender’s office for a semester and conduct their own evidentiary hearings in court.

The Criminal Law faculty at UC Law SF is a dedicated, dynamic group whose members’ interests and specialties are broad reaching. They include correctional system reform leaders like Professor Hadar Aviram, writer for the influential California Correctional Crisis blog. Additional anchor faculty include Professor Jon Abel, whose scholarship focuses on informational asymmetries in the criminal justice system; Kate Weisburd, an expert in criminal procedure whose scholarship focuses on the changing dimensions of criminal procedure and how these shifts impact equality and privacy; Prithika Balakrishnan, whose scholarship addresses the intersection of technology and criminal law; and Rory Little, an expert in federal criminal law and ethics.

Students in this concentration often join the UC Law SF Criminal Law Society, creating a strong peer group that they can turn to in work and life after graduating. Our Criminal Law students can also tap into a large network of nearby alumni who hold key positions within the local, state, and federal justice system. These connections can provide future alums with the support and mentorship essential to effect change right from the start.

How to Enroll

To enroll in the Concentration, you must complete a Concentrated Studies Application.  After obtaining the necessary signature(s), submit the form to the Office of the Registrar. To ensure that your concentration is listed in the commencement program, submit the application no later than the first week of classes of the semester in which you plan to graduate.

Please see the Course Catalog for the most updated information about each concentration’s requirements, including required and qualifying classes. If you have questions, please reach out to the Concentration Advisor.

Advisors: Aaron Rappaport