It's been a rough few years for Golden Gate University School of Law. If you’re looking into law schools in San Francisco, you’ve probably seen the headlines. They aren’t great. Honestly, it’s a bit of a tragedy for an institution that spent over a century focusing on social justice and part-time learners.
But here is the reality. The school didn't just wake up one day and decide to fail. It was a slow burn of accreditation battles, financial hemorrhaging, and a changing legal market that eventually forced the university’s hand.
The Sudden Pivot to a No-JD Future
The biggest shock came recently. The administration announced it would stop offering its American Bar Association (ABA) accredited Juris Doctor (JD) program. That’s the degree you need to actually become a lawyer. Imagine a law school that doesn't produce lawyers. It sounds like a punchline, but for the students enrolled, it was a nightmare.
Why did this happen? It basically comes down to Bar passage rates. The ABA has this rule, Standard 316, which requires at least 75% of a law school’s graduates who take the bar exam to pass it within two years of graduation. Golden Gate University School of Law struggled with this for years. They were on public notice. They were warned. And yet, the numbers just didn't move fast enough to satisfy the regulators.
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The school tried. They really did. They offered free tuition to the final incoming class of JD students as a last-ditch effort to keep the lights on and help those students finish. It was a bold, kinda desperate move. But even that couldn't save the program's accreditation status in the long run.
Why the ABA Standard 316 Changed Everything
The ABA used to be a bit more relaxed. Not anymore. Now, if you don't hit that 75% mark, you're looking at the end of your program. For a school like GGU Law, which historically admitted students with lower LSAT scores to provide "access" to the legal profession, this was a death sentence.
- The school argued that the bar exam is inherently biased.
- They pointed out that their mission was to serve underrepresented communities.
- Critics, however, argued that saddling students with debt if they couldn't pass the bar was unethical.
You've got to see both sides here. On one hand, GGU was a pioneer in clinical education. They had a top-tier environmental law program. On the other hand, a law degree is functionally useless if you can't practice law. The "access" argument falls apart if the students end up with six-figure debt and no license.
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What’s Left of the School Now?
So, is it gone? Not exactly. But it's a shell of its former self. The university is pivotting toward "legal studies" graduate programs—things like Master of Laws (LLM) and Master of Science in Law. These don't require ABA accreditation in the same way. They are aimed at people who want legal knowledge but don't plan to sit for a bar exam.
It’s a pivot to survive. Whether it works is anyone's guess.
The campus itself—located right in the heart of San Francisco’s financial district—is part of the problem too. Real estate in SF is famously expensive. Running a massive physical campus when your student body is shrinking is a financial suicide mission. The university has been looking at ways to monetize its real estate just to keep the rest of the school afloat.
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The Human Cost: Students and Faculty
The faculty at Golden Gate University School of Law didn't take this lying down. There were lawsuits. Professors sued to stop the closure of the JD program, citing tenure protections and a lack of transparency from the university leadership. It got messy. Very messy.
And then there are the students. Some transferred. Some stayed to finish out the "teach-out" period. It’s a stressful way to learn the law—wondering if your school will even exist by the time you graduate.
Actionable Steps for Prospective Law Students
If you are currently looking at law schools, the GGU situation is a massive cautionary tale. You have to look past the shiny brochures.
- Check the 509 Reports. Every ABA-accredited school has to publish these. They show the real numbers: LSAT scores, bar passage rates, and employment outcomes. If a school’s bar passage rate is hovering near 75%, proceed with extreme caution.
- Understand the Difference in Accreditations. Some schools are only state-accredited (like many in California). These are cheaper but limit where you can practice. GGU's loss of ABA status for its JD is a signal that the "middle ground" of law schools is disappearing.
- Evaluate the Financial Health of the Parent University. GGU Law isn't just a law school; it's part of a larger university. If the university as a whole is struggling with enrollment, the law school is often the first thing on the chopping block because it's so expensive to run.
- Consider the "Legal Studies" Alternative. If you don't want to be a litigator, an MS in Law or an LLM might be fine. But don't let anyone sell you a non-JD degree if your dream is to stand in a courtroom.
The story of Golden Gate University School of Law is still being written, but for now, the lesson is clear: in the modern legal market, mission-driven education isn't enough to satisfy the cold, hard math of the ABA. Keep your eyes on the data, not just the mission statement.
To track the ongoing litigation or find transfer resources, check the latest bulletins from the State Bar of California regarding GGU's current status and the accommodations made for remaining students.