Congratulations
UC Irvine Law Class of 2026
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On May 8, 2026, the University of California, Irvine School of Law held its 15th commencement ceremony, celebrating the graduation of 141 J.D., 28 Global LL.M., and 15 Graduate Tax LL.M. students. The event featured a keynote address from the Honorable Alison J. Nathan, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
The graduating J.D. class participated in nearly 11,000 hours of pro bono work during their three years of law school, and 92 percent of the class participated in pro bono work. We are so proud of our graduates!
Commencement 2026
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Alumni News: Braden Lobb ('26) Joins His Brother Sean ('18) as a UC Irvine Law Alumnus
Eight years after Sean Lobb ('18) walked the commencement stage, his younger brother Braden ('26) followed in his footsteps, making the Lobbs the third sibling pair to call UC Irvine School of Law their alma mater. Braden will continue his UC Irvine Law journey this fall as a student in the Graduate Tax Program. Congratulations, Braden, Sean, and the entire Lobb family on this full-circle moment!
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Faculty News: UC Irvine Law Hosts Retirement Celebration in Honor of Distinguished Professor of Lawyering Skills Grace Tonner
On May 13, the UC Irvine Law community gathered to celebrate founding faculty member Prof. Grace Tonner as she assumes Emeritus status, and her years of tremendous contributions to the Law School since its founding. Pictured: Prof. Tonner (right) with Maria Gonzalez De Toro, Faculty Support Team Lead (left) at the celebration.
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Accolades: UC Irvine Law Recognized in 2026 Rankings Across Employment, Practical Training, and More
UC Irvine Law recently earned a series of strong rankings, garnering national recognition for excellence in graduate employment, practical training, public service and academic quality.
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Accolades: UC Irvine Law Ranked No. 9 in the U.S. for Practical Training by preLaw Magazine
Among the rankings, UC Irvine Law placed No. 9 in the U.S. on The National Jurist's preLaw Magazine list of the "Best Schools for Practical Training." The ranking focuses on key practical training offerings such as clinics, externships, simulation courses, pro bono hours and moot court participation.
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Clinic News: Community and Economic Development Clinic Helped Santa Ana Community Land Trust Secure Its First Property Acquisition
The CED Clinic assisted THRIVE Santa Ana in closing on its acquisition of La Colmena, a cooperative urban farm and community space — marking the community land trust's first real estate purchase and securing a permanent home for its food access, cultural, and small-business programming. Pictured (L-R): Rising 3Ls Ray Zeng and Daisy Rodriguez, Ana Charco of THRIVE, rising 3L Tyler Lowell, and Ricardo Muniz of THRIVE.
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Student News: UC Irvine Law Students Excelled During 2026 Moot Court Competition Finals
Congratulations to all our 2026 Moot Court Competition participants, board and judges! At the oral argument finals, Alex Davis (right) won best advocate and Jared Stone (left) was awarded runner-up best advocate. Thank you to our wonderful panel of federal judges: Hon. Ana de Alba of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Hon. Brian A. Jackson of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, and Hon. Mónica Ramírez Almadani of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Final results
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Student News: UC Irvine Law Hosted Memorable 2026 Admitted Students Weekend
UC Irvine Law welcomed the future UC Irvine Law Class of 2029 to campus April 10-11 where they got to know UC Irvine Law's vibrant community.
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Faculty News: Ascent, Play Co-Produced by Prof. Carrie Menkel-Meadow, Premiered at Skylight Theatre
"Ascent," a new play for which Prof. Carrie Menkel-Meadow (left) and Dr. Robert G. Meadow (right) are producers, premiered at the Skylight Theatre in Los Angeles on May 9 and will complete its run on June 14. Based on the true story of a Chinese aerospace engineer who helped co-found JPL, the play explores how Cold War paranoia and accusations of communism derailed one man's life — and shaped history. "Ascent" is the final work of the late, influential Los Angeles playwright Henry Ong and is co-produced by his sister, Stella Ong (center).
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Faculty News: UC Irvine Law Hosted 2026 Celebration of Books
The 2026 Celebration of Books honored seven books and one book chapter authored, co-authored, edited, or co-edited by UC Irvine Law faculty and academic leaders, including Mehrsa Baradaran, Mary Basick, Elizabeth Loftus, Carrie Menkel-Meadow, Tina Schindler, Kenneth Simons, and Shauhin Talesh.
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Faculty News: Prof. Susan McMahon Teamed Up with the NACDL and NCSC to Launch an Array of Competency Resources
Prof. Susan McMahon has partnered with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the National Center for State Courts to launch an interactive map comparing competency-to-stand-trial laws across every U.S. state. The free resource is available now at nacdl.org, with an upcoming webinar focused on how advocates can use it to drive reform.
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Prof. Emily Taylor Poppe hosted a Trusts and Estates Career Panel for her class on April 14, welcoming alumna Rebecca France ’24, Judge Julie Palafox of the Orange County Superior Court, and local practitioners Mariah Witt, Jeff Carchidi, and Marc Sallus.
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Faculty News: McGeorge Featured UC Irvine Law Lecturer Judge Julie Swain
UC Irvine Law lecturer and Orange County Superior Court Judge Julie Swain was recently featured by her alma mater, McGeorge School of Law, highlighting her path from public defender to the bench to the classroom.
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Faculty News: UC Irvine Law Faculty Showcased Latest Clinical Insights at AALS Conference on Clinical Legal Education
UC Irvine Law faculty joined the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Conference on Clinical Legal Education from May 1-5 in Portland, including (pictured L-R): Profs. Katie Tinto, Michael Robinson-Dorn, Alisa Blair, Sameer Ashar, Adam Cowing, Jane Stoever, and Annie Lai. Prof. Lai presented on “Resilience in Action: Clinical Responses to ICE Raids and Democratic Backsliding,” and Prof. Stoever presented on “Disability Supports in Experiential Learning: Inclusion In and Out of the Classroom.”
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Clinic News: Defending Democracy Clinic Director Paul Hoffman Delivered Oral Argument at the U.S. Supreme Court
Students in the Law School’s Defending Democracy Clinic joined Paul Hoffman for his oral argument on April 28 in Cisco Systems, Inc. v. Doe, a case about whether U.S. corporations can be held liable for helping foreign governments commit human rights abuses. “The students in the Defending Democracy Clinic have provided invaluable assistance since the Court accepted the case in January,” said Paul Hoffman. “They have been an integral part of the litigation team.” Pictured: Paul Hoffman and clinic students in Washington, D.C. post-argument.
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Center News: Korea Law Center Hosts Second Annual Spring Symposium
On May 9, the Korea Law Center brought together scholars, practitioners, and students to explore the legal intersections of emerging technology and cross-border U.S.-Korea commerce. Expert panels examined current trade issues and career pathways bridging the two countries' legal systems, with closing celebrations honoring KLC's graduating Class of 2026.
Learn about the center
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Faculty Roundup: Pathbreaking Scholarship and Intellectual Community
Read this month's compilation of UC Irvine Law faculty's groundbreaking work, including recent scholarship, conferences and influential leadership.
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Program News: Register for UC Irvine's New In-House Counsel Certificate Program, From Lawyer to Leader: Road to the GC Seat
Registration is open for UC Irvine Law and the Division of Continuing Education's new in-house counsel program launching in August. The 12-week online certificate program is designed for junior and mid-level law firm attorneys seeking in-house positions, and in-house attorneys seeking to advance into senior in-house leadership roles. Through live sessions and expert instruction from seasoned general counsel and corporate executives across industries, participants will build the strategic, managerial, and business skills needed to compete for — and succeed in — the general counsel seat. An application for California MCLE credit is pending approval.
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Prof. Sameer Ashar's interview with Pedro Figueroa-Padilla — a Workers and Tenants Law and Organizing Clinic client and immigration detention labor organizer — was published by Inquest. READ
Prof. Veena Dubal's op-ed, "AI Shouldn’t Be Setting Prices or Wages. States Need to Push Back," was published by Governing. READ
Prof. Paul Hoffman's oral argument before the U.S. Supreme Court in Cisco Systems, Inc. v. Doe 1 was featured in Law360* and JustSecurity. READ
Prof. David Kaye was quoted in the Bloomberg article, "Hungarian ‘Regime Change’ Is Both Dangerous and Necessary." READ*
Prof. Annie Lai was quoted in The Good Men Project article, "Border Patrol Now Targeting Legal Immigrants for ‘Carry Your Papers’ Law in Southern Arizona." READ
Prof. Christopher Leslie was quoted and his article, “Food Deserts, Racism and Antitrust Law” published in the California Law Review, was highlighted in the Boston Globe article, "‘Scorched-earth’ deed restrictions are making food deserts worse." READ*
Prof. Elizabeth F. Loftus was quoted and her research was highlighted in the Longreads article, "The Memory Maker." READ
Prof. Carrie Menkel-Meadow's role as a producer of the play "Ascent" was highlighted in The Hype Magazine article, "'Ascent': The Cold War Story of the 'Father of Chinese Rocketry'." READ
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Dean Austen Parrish was featured in the Joongang Illbo article, "Lawyers are Listeners, Distinct from AI That Only Provides Answers" (Korean). READ
Prof. Shauhin Talesh's article, “A Tarnished (World) Cup: Pervasive Racism in the FIFA Brand,” was published by the ABA Section of Intellectual Property Law. READ*
Prof. Ari Waldman was quoted in the Los Angeles Times article, "Disneyland is now scanning your face at nearly every gate, sparking privacy concerns." READ*
Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law & Equality's amicus work was highlighted in the Daily Journal article, "Charles E. Pell's campaign against Judge Ami S. Sagel is rooted in racism." READ*
Immigrant & Racial Justice Solidarity Clinic and International Justice Clinic's report with the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) was featured in The Good Men Project article, "Decolonizing AI at the U.S. Border." READ
UC Irvine Law's placement at No. 9 on The National Jurist's preLaw Magazine list of "The Best Law Schools for Practical Training" was highlighted in Above the Law. READ
*Requires subscription
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Alumni News: Spring Swearing In Ceremony
We celebrated our most recent California attorneys at our Spring Swearing In Ceremony, administered by the Honorable Karen L. Robinson, Orange County Superior Court. Congratulations to Sarah Celino LL.M. '25, Qiujie Ding LL.M. '26 and HaeRam Kim LLM. '26, pictured here with Judge Robinson and Executive Director of Global Programs Maryam Zomorodian '20.
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Campus News: UC Irvine Law's History Featured in Raising the OC Bar Podcast
In an episode of the Raising the OC Bar Podcast, past Orange County Bar Association President Christina Zabat-Fran '12 and OCBA Board Member Sean Thomas Lobb '18 interview founding Dean Erwin Chemerinsky and board of visitors member Judge Andrew Guilford (Ret.) to discuss the bold origins of UC Irvine Law.
Listen to the episode
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Denny Chan '12 was recognized by the National LGBTQ+ Bar as among 2026’s Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40.
Christina Zabat-Fran '12 was honored by the Association of Corporate Counsel Southern California with its 2026 Pro Bono Justice Award.
Claire-Lise Kutlay '15 was recognized with a 2026 Outstanding Service Award from the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Claire-Lise received the Matthew S. Rae, Jr. Outstanding Section Leader Award for her service as the 2025-26 President of the Barristers/Young Attorneys section.
Nefi Acosta '16 started a new position as Director, Assistant General Counsel (Data Privacy & Product) at LVT (LiveView Technologies).
Maryam Meechka Zomorodian '20 started a new position as the Executive Director of Global Programs at UC Irvine Law.
Cash Standing '22 started a new position as an associate attorney at Bober, Peterson & Koby, LLP.
Maria Fotiadis '24 started a new position as an associate attorney at Larson LLP.
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Center News: Center for Legal Philosophy and University of Notre Dame Law School Program on Private Law Co-Hosted Conference on Agency Relationships
UC Irvine's Center for Legal Philosophy and the University of Notre Dame Law School Program on Private Law recently convened the Conference on the Theory of Agency Relationships. The conference brought together leading scholars from a range of fields to discuss topics, including: theories of representation, the capacity of one party to substitute for another, duties of loyalty, duties of obedience, voluntariness and consent, liability doctrines, and various contexts in which agency relationships are important.
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>> June 7 | 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | UCI Law in NYC | The Frick Collection
>> June 28 | 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | UCI Law in NYC | Tour of the High Line
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>> July 7 | 3:30-5:00 p.m. | 16th Annual Supreme Court Term in Review
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>> July 12 | 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | UCI Law in NYC | NY Historical Society: Democracy Matters
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>> August 29 | Save the date! This year's alumni reunion will celebrate the classes of 2016 and 2021
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