Message from the Dean
USC Gould School of Law

Welcome to USC Gould.

As one of the nation's preeminent law schools, USC Gould School of Law not only provides top-notch training in the profession and all its specialties but also a culture of collegiality and tight-knit collaboration. Our small class size and low faculty-student ratio enable our students to form strong bonds with classmates and professors that continue long after graduation.

USC Gould students also benefit from becoming part of a larger university community that offers both depth and breadth. Scholars at USC can take advantage of a broad range of professional schools across the entire university — including the Marshall School of Business, the School of Cinematic Arts, the Viterbi School of Engineering, the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, the Keck School of Medicine, the Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and the Price School of Public Policy. This offers unparalleled opportunities for interprofessional collaboration and dual-degree studies.

Our faculty features leading legal minds from diverse disciplines that all share a profound commitment to the law and to training the next generation of lawyers to the highest standards. Combine this with high-caliber students from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences, and you get a law school that fosters a unique blend of perspectives and ideas. USC Gould is recognized as one of the most diverse top law schools in the country.

Our location in the heart of Los Angeles is another key benefit. Our students are uniquely positioned to take advantage of everything the city has to offer — unmatched opportunities in one of the top legal markets and the busiest court systems in the nation. From Silicon Beach to downtown L.A., our students have access to clerkships, externships and career options with law and business firms, public interest agencies, and entertainment, media and technology firms.

We continue to adapt and respond to an ever-changing legal landscape, ensuring that USC Gould students always gain a balanced, up-to-date range of scholarly and experiential learning. Our highly acclaimed clinics provide students with opportunities to work with actual clients and real cases. And, from day one, our students become part of the powerful Trojan Family network, which includes more than 10,000 law alumni all deeply committed to the success of our graduates. This community opens doors to internship and externship opportunities, career advisement, mentoring and employment. The network's reach is worldwide, and the relationships built are lifelong. Understandably, Business Insider ranked USC Gould as one of the top 10 law schools for networking in 2015.

More than a network, though, it is truly a family. So, on a personal note, I am immensely grateful for the ongoing generosity of our alumni and friends, parents, students, faculty and staff who share our vision for excellence. All levels of support are welcome and appreciated, and make possible student scholarships, our ability to attract and retain exemplary faculty, and the myriad innovative programs that make USC Gould a global leader in legal education. Our robust, prestigious and welcoming community of donors helps our students succeed in law school and beyond.

I am proud to serve as the dean of this outstanding law school. I encourage you to come for a visit and see for yourself. Thank you for your interest in USC Gould.

Andrew T. Guzman
Co-Dean and Carl Mason Franklin Chair in Law, and Professor of Law and Political Science

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