UCI awaits state ruling on law school

UC Irvine is awaiting approval from the UC Board of Regents for its proposed law school, which would be the fifth such school in the University of California system.

Five years ago, UCI made an unsuccessful bid for a law school on its campus. The current proposal must go through the Board of Regents and California Postsecondary Education Commission before seeking approval from the state legislature.

Spokeswoman Susan Menning said that if UCI got the go-ahead for a law school, it would likely house the facilities on its regular campus. The funds for the program, she added, would come out of the campus gross plan rather than state money.

The first class of UCI law students would most likely be admitted in 2009. Menning said the school would start with around 65 students, then expand to around 600 over the next five years.

“There’s been a lot of community support, and obviously, private support will play a role in the evolution of the school,” she said.