75 Things We Love About UCLA Law
UCLA Law Magazine | Summer 2025 | Volume 47
01. ALUMS WHO SHOW THEIR PRIDE
“I believe this photo shows that UCLA alums are establishing beachheads everywhere in the U.S.”
Greg Smith ’89 proudly displays his personalized Alabama license plate.
02. THE LAW SCHOOL MUSICAL
For 20 years, Professor Kenneth Graham wrote and produced the annual law school musical, performed by students, staff, and faculty. Arnold Wuhrman ’85 reminisced, “I participated in two of Ken Graham’s law school musicals—1984 and 1985. Among the greatest experiences I ever had— such camaraderie, so much laughter. I even learned a few things about law in the process (my personal line from a scene about law review article titles being not stuffy enough: “Upjohn, and up yours!”). Law school is hard, but UCLA Law was about the most pleasant place to study law that I’ve ever heard of.”
03. SCALES OF JUSTICE
Donated in 1952 by Erle Stanley Gardner, lawyer and author of the Perry Mason mystery series, this symbol of fairness and impartiality has inspired generations of students.
04. ALUMNI WHO RETURN AS FACULTY
These elite UCLA Law faculty members, who also happen to be alumni, are experts in diverse areas of the law, including election law, First Amendment law, and tribal sovereignty and federal Indian law.
05. COMPETING AGAINST USC
A rivalry steeped in tradition, sports competitions between UCLA Law and USC Law, including the Battle for the Gavel soccer game and the Supreme Court basketball game, are hosted by UCLA Law’s Student Bar Association (SBA).
06. STUDY BREAKS THAT GET US MOVING
UCLA Law’s “Thrive: Mind/Body/Heart Initiative” focuses on student well-being and community support. The program includes activities like UCLA LAWn Yoga, wellness resources, and campus events designed to help students maintain balance during their law school experience.
07. LEARNING IN D.C.
Through the UCDC program, students get an amazing chance to live, learn, and work in the nation’s capital for a semester.
08. BENCHES FOR SLEEP, STUDY AND SUN
09. 38 UCLA DISTINGUISHED TEACHING AWARDS…AND COUNTING
UCLA’s Distinguished Teaching Award is one of the many ways the university shines a spotlight on amazing educators. It’s all about recognizing the instructors and professors — including Hiroshi Motomura (pictured) — whose teaching makes a real difference in students’ lives.
10. THE ANNUAL BARRISTERS’ BALL
“Law school prom,” or the Barristers’ Ball, is a yearly excuse for law students to get fancy and cut loose!
11. BEING ON THE SEMESTER SYSTEM
UCLA moved to a quarter-based calendar in 1966. In 1978, UCLA Law switched back to a two-semester academic year.
12. UNIQUE BUILDING LANDMARKS
The Abraham Lincoln bust in our hallway was created by Dr. Emil Seletz, a former UCLA neurosurgeon, and has been standing strong within the law school since 2001. Fun fact: There are multiple designs of Lincoln’s bust designed by the same artist. One is even in Ford’s Theatre!
13. IMPROMPTU PARTIES
It hasn’t always been about books and studying at UCLA Law. Sometimes — as this photo from the 1970s shows — students break out in dance!
14. DECADES OF STUDYING IN THE LAW LIBRARY
15. THE LIBRARY ADDITION
In 1993, Dean Susan Westerberg Prager announced a campaign to build a new library, and the project broke ground three years later. The library construction was completed in 1998, and a formal dedication followed in 2000. Since then, the Hugh and Hazel Darling Law Library has grown from a collection of 21,000 volumes to a collection of over 600,000 bound volumes and approximately 97,000 microforms, complemented by over 100,000 electronic titles.
16. OUR EMBRACE OF TECHNOLOGY
From our use of a magnetic chalkboard — a gift from the Class of 1957 — to our embrace of the internet, UCLA Law has always been ahead of the curve.
17. WHEN A FORMER PRESIDENT STOPS BY
Then-former President Gerald Ford visited the law school in 1978.
18. SQUIRRELS
Oh wow. They’re everywhere. Talk about an attractive nuisance! But we love them — even if they can’t tell us the holding of International Shoe.
19. 10 YEARS OF WOMEN LEAD
For 10 years, UCLA Law Women LEAD has brought together powerful alumnae who network with each other and collaborate to make a difference in the lives of female law students and lawyers everywhere.
20. STUDYING AT THE BEACH
21. CLASSMATES WHO BECOME FAMILY
“Falling in love during 1L year may hurt your GPA, but it will be 100% worth it!”
Steve and Tami Holsten ’93 are among the many couples who have found love at UCLA Law.
22. PUBLIC INTEREST LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE
UCLA Law’s prominent position in public interest law— led by the David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy— is among our proudest traditions, providing training, skills, and opportunities for students to become leaders in public service and social justice. Each year, for Public Sector Career Day, more than 130 nonprofit organizations, public interest firms, and government agencies gather to recruit law students. The annual Public Service Challenge brings the Bruin law community together to volunteer. Through the Judge Rand Schrader Pro Bono Program, students offer legal help to low-income communities. They assisted Angelenos impacted by the January 2025 fires through partnerships with local public interest legal organizations. (Photo courtesy of LAFLA.)
23. SHAPIRO COURTYARD
The Ralph and Shirley Shapiro Courtyard is a beautiful place to study. The courtyard is named in recognition of the Shapiros’ generous and significant philanthropic contributions to the law school.
24. LIFE-CHANGING PROFESSORS
“Get a couple of years of trial experience. It will be invaluable with whatever path you take as a lawyer.”
The most valuable advice that Barbara Motz ’75 received in law school, from Professor Arthur Rosett. She joined the California Attorney General’s office as a litigation attorney and never left.
25. GREENBERG COMMONS
Arthur N. Greenberg ’52 and Audrey Greenberg Student Commons is the perfect place to hit the books. Funded by a donation from Arthur Greenberg the study space underwent a major renovation and expansion project in 2018.
The list of our favorite things about UCLA Law continues on the next page.