Mission and Learning Outcomes
Berkeley Law’s Mission
Berkeley Law advances the University of California’s teaching, research and service mission as follows:
1. Through teaching, the law school provides students with first class training in legal theory, doctrine and practice, exposure to the political, social and economic forces that shape the law, and the opportunity for client service.
2. Through research, the law school supports faculty members who are leaders in their fields of scholarly inquiry, striving to expand and deepen legal and interdisciplinary thought while engaging students in rigorous academic and intellectual work.
3. Through service, the law school tackles some of the most important, challenging and timely problems facing the state, nation and world, harnessing our excellence in teaching and research to improve government, business and society.
The law school’s distinctive public mission includes a commitment to access, affordability and career choice for a diverse range of students from all communities.
Berkeley Law’s Learning Outcomes
Berkeley Law students achieve competency in the following learning outcomes:
1. Knowledge and understanding of substantive and procedural law;
2. Legal analysis and reasoning, legal research, problem-solving, and written and oral communication in the legal context;
3. Exercise of proper professional and ethical responsibilities to clients and the legal system;
4. Other professional skills needed for competent and ethical participation in the legal profession (such as, interviewing, counseling, negotiation, fact development and analysis, trial practice, document drafting, conflict resolution, organization and management of legal work, collaboration, cultural competency, and self-evaluation);
5. Ability to critically assess laws and legal institutions, including the ways in which they shape and are shaped by racism and other forms of systemic inequality; and
6. Using the law to solve real-world problems and to create a more just society.