Thinking Big

Prior to his appointment in 2017, the school had four deans or acting deans over the previous four years.

“That made it hard to do more than tread water,” says Professor Holly Doremus ’91, recalling the suboptimal atmosphere — and the transformation Chemerinsky quickly set in motion. “One of the most important things Erwin brought is stability. The school has become more cohesive and collaborative, and we have clear momentum in a common mission to be the best public law school in the country.”

Last spring, UC Berkeley extended Chemerinsky’s tenure as dean by two years, through June 30, 2029. He had planned to finish in June 2027 following his second five-year term.

“I will do all that I can to advance us even further in our excellence, our public mission, and our warm and vibrant community,” Chemerinsky says. The extended time, he adds, offers a valuable chance to think big about how the school can “truly make a difference in legal education, the legal system, and society.”

Improved fundraising since Dean Erwin Chemerinsky arrived, capped by this year’s school record, has helped Berkeley Law provide more financial aid — a pivotal element of its public mission.

* Berkeley Law spent $15.2 million on financial aid the year before Chemerinsky’s appointment

“Erwin is uniquely positioned to lead Berkeley Law through this period, not only because of the trust and credibility he has built across the legal community, but because the work he has set in motion needs sustained attention to reach its full potential,” says Berkeley Law Alumni Association President Yury Kapgan ’01. “The continuity of his leadership right now is critical.”

Highlighting growing challenges to the rule of law, Kapgan says Berkeley Law must remain a leader in the public discourse on how to uphold democracy. He joined former Alumni Association president John Kuo ’88, Professor Katerina Linos, and Assistant Dean for Development Veronica Alexander in co-writing a letter to Chemerinsky urging him to extend his term.

In talking with faculty and alumni, Kuo saw that “Erwin’s leadership and voice are vitally important in today’s world, where our democratic institutions are under assault and the rule of law is being disregarded. Erwin and the law school faculty are actively pushing back against these abuses and winning.”

Chemerinsky has argued several cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, served as the Association of American Law Schools president in 2022, and is a leading voice in urging law schools and lawyers to protect democracy and America’s constitutional guardrails.

He calls further strengthening Berkeley Law’s robust role in defending the rule of law — while training its fledgling lawyers to do the same — a major priority that made staying on two additional years an easy decision.

“Our public mission was crucial to my wanting to be dean here,” Chemerinsky says. “It is about a commitment to use the law to make our community, our society, and our world better. Especially at this moment, the work of Berkeley Law’s faculty, students, staff, and alumni is tremendously important.”

Chemerinsky recently worked on a legal team with Clinical Professor and Environmental Law Clinic Director Claudia Polsky ’96 and star plaintiffs’ lawyer Elizabeth Cabraser ‘78, propelling a class action suit to stop the cancellation of federal research grants to University of California scientists.

With Cabraser’s firm Lieff Cabraser and Farella Braun + Martel taking the case pro bono, the suit has resulted in the temporary or preliminary restoration of over 1,000 research grants worth nearly $1 billion, with six federal agencies now barred from terminating additional financial awards to UC researchers.

While known for his mild manner, Chemerinsky has taken an increasingly indignant tone lamenting the capitulation of law schools and law firms amid growing federal attacks on fundamental constitutional principles.

In March 2025, President Donald Trump signed executive orders targeting prominent Big Law firms over their past political connections, diversity initiatives, or representation of clients and causes opposed by his administration — revoking attorney security clearances, barring firm members from federal buildings, and threatening federal contracts held by the firms’ clients.

When Chemerinsky drafted a simple three-paragraph statement that the government should not punish lawyers based on their clients’ identities, only 79 out of 197 law school deans signed it. He also questioned the silence from managing partners of law firms, many of which settled lawsuits filed by the Trump administration rather than fight them, warning that “such actions erode democracy’s structural guardrails.”

While Kuo believes Chemerinsky will continue in this vein after stepping down as dean, he says extending his term was necessary because “his voice and actions are amplified and made more effective with the podium of being dean of a major law school.”

While Berkeley Law has long attracted standout applicants, Chemerinsky’s tenure has made it even more appealing. This year’s 1L class came in with a median 3.93 GPA and a median LSAT score of 171 — both school records since Berkeley Law began tracking such data.

The school’s job placement, judicial clerkship, and bar passage figures are soaring, the Clinical Program and Ph.D.-granting Jurisprudence and Social Policy (JSP) Program have expanded significantly, and faculty members regularly earn prestigious honors and coveted appointments [see Study Hall].

CONNECTING: Chemerinsky talks with Chenega Corporation Senior Vice President and General Counsel Siena Caruso ’15 during an alumni reception in Anchorage, Alaska. Photo by Nathaniel Wilder

Thinking ambitiously is on brand for Chemerinsky, the nation’s most-cited constitutional law scholar in recent years who was twice named the most influential person in legal education by National Jurist. He has written 22 books — including leading casebooks in multiple subjects — over 200 law review articles, and countless op-eds. Chemerinsky also regularly explains topical legal issues in Berkeley Law’s popular web series “It’s the Law.”

“The idea that someone can be at all places at once — on the front page of the New York Times, welcoming every guest to the law school, litigating before California courts, replying to every message substantively — and be incredibly wise and generous is simply amazing,” Professor Linos says. “I learn so much simply by being in his orbit.”

Chemerinsky’s call for the law school to “think big” has clearly resonated.

Its Center for Law, Energy & the Environment, a major force in shaping California policy, delivered key guidance for state laws passed in the last legislative session centered on housing, greenhouse gas emissions, and cap-and-trade systems to control carbon emissions. The center also provides research, data, technical assistance, and other expertise needed to defend and advance California’s climate commitments.

Professor David Hausman’s innovative Deportation Data Project collects and posts a public, anonymized U.S. government immigration enforcement dataset used by journalists, researchers, lawyers, and policymakers to understand and assess the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Its findings continue to receive major attention from the news media.

The Edley Center on Law & Democracy, established in 2024 and led by former U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Chair Catherine E. Lhamon, works to defend and strengthen U.S. democratic institutions with research and public leadership. A leading voice articulating constitutional safeguards, it hosted a recent symposium Aug. 28 based on Fight Back: How States Can Counter Authoritarianism, Chemerinsky’s forthcoming book with University of Chicago Law Professor Aziz Huq.

Working to abolish juvenile justice system fines and fees that disproportionately harm low-income people and people of color, the Policy Advocacy Clinic is now a national leader in that movement. It has played a pivotal role in persuading 18 states to abolish the fees — reforms are also on the table in other states — and $61 million has been saved each year with nearly $800 million in total debt discharged.

Faculty members applaud Chemerinsky’s unwavering support for their ambitious research, even when it wades into new terrain and pushes the envelope, and his commitment to hiring not just renowned scholars but talented teachers.

“We’ve made simply terrific hires since Erwin came,” Linos says. “On the junior level we were always strong, but we have gone a step even higher. But it’s on the lateral front where Erwin’s talent really shines. We had areas of law where we’d long tried to hire top people, like tax law, and suddenly we’ve recruited top people who had many competing offers.”

Pointing to Berkeley Law’s pioneering JSP Program as a prime example, Linos describes it as “revitalized” in part by Chemerinsky’s efforts and his appeal to faculty colleagues.

EMPOWERMENT AGENT: Chemerinsky (left) has enabled clinical professors such as Policy Advocacy Clinic Director Jeffrey Selbin (center) and Death Penalty Clinic Director Elisabeth Semel to provide students with hands-on training that advances racial, economic, and social justice. Photo by Mikie Schulz

From a wide range of sources, it seems Dean Erwin Chemerinsky’s emphasis on Berkeley Law becoming a leader across the board — from job placements and faculty scholarship to policy influence and innovative programming — has come to fruition.

Across an array of rankings, the school is regarded as a premier institution with enormous influence across the legal landscape. While fully aware that some rating systems are empirically more sound than others, Chemerinsky still appreciates the flood of affirmations.

“Rankings are always a reflection of the methodology used,” he says. “But what is stunning is that so many studies, with many different methodologies, rank the Berkeley Law faculty as one of the very best in the country and the world.”

The most recent rankings include the following accolades:

• No. 1 public law school in the United States (Times Higher Education and Quacquarelli Symonds, which provides data, analytics, and insights on international universities)
• Top 6 overall law school in the United States (ranked No. 5 by Times Higher Education and No. 6 by Quacquarelli Symonds)
• Top 10 law school in the world (ranked No. 7 by Times Higher Education and No. 10 by Quacquarelli Symonds)
• No. 1 law school in California (Los Angeles Times)
• No. 10 law school for career prospects (Princeton Review)
• A+ rating for business law, criminal law, environmental law, human rights law, intellectual property law, international law, legal technology, and racial justice (National Jurist/preLaw)
• No. 6 faculty in the U.S. for most citations in the past year (HeinOnline Law Journal Library)
• No. 6 faculty in the U.S. in scholarly impact tracking tenured professor citations (St. Thomas University School of Law study)
• No. 1 most-cited Constitutional Law scholar: Chemerinsky (St. Thomas University School of Law study)
• Six professors listed among the 10 most-cited scholars in their fields: Chemerinsky, Constitutional Law; Steven Davidoff Solomon, Corporate Law & Securities Regulation; Catherine Fisk, Labor & Employment; Jonathan Simon, Law & Social Science; Paul Schwartz, Law & Technology; Christopher Tomlins, Legal History (University of Chicago Professor and law blogger Brian Leiter, using data compiled by St. Thomas researchers)
• No. 4 (tied) for most professors among top 100 legal scholars of 2025: Sonia Katyal, David Singh Grewal, Solomon, Stavros Gadinis (George Mason University research)
• No. 2 and No. 7 for tax law professors with Google Scholar pages: Alan Auerbach and Dhammika Dharmapala (TaxProf Blog)
• No. 2 for faculty publishing in the top three peer-reviewed finance journals, with six professors on the list: Kenneth Ayotte, Ofer Eldar, Dharmapala, Solomon, Frank Partnoy, Andrew C. Baker (Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance)

— Andrew Cohen & Gwyneth K. Shaw

Part of his push for Berkeley Law to think big is enabling students to do the same. Toward that end, Chemerinsky helped establish a multi-layered project that underscores how leadership permeates all sectors and levels of legal work.

“It’s crucial that we help students hone the skills they need to become effective leaders in every area of law,” he says. “That requires strategic training to help them move capably and confidently into wherever their careers take them, both within legal practice and beyond traditional legal roles.”

A group of about 10 first-year students are chosen each year for Berkeley Law’s Leadership Academy, a carefully structured developmental initiative. Cohort members receive direct coaching from people with organizational expertise who offer insights on interpersonal and institutional leadership.

Previously the founding dean at UC Irvine School of Law and a law professor at Duke, Southern California, and DePaul, Chemerinsky incorporates that vast experience into his own leadership style.

Southern California Law Professor Scott Bice, the school’s dean when Chemerinsky taught there, said Berkeley Law “made a superb choice” in hiring him, noting that “it is a rare combination of achievements to excel as scholar, teacher, advocate, and administrator … Erwin is really one of a kind.”

For the school to continue thriving, Chemerinsky says placing it on strong long-term financial footing is essential. External challenges include rising costs, new federal caps on loans for professional school students, visa hurdles and global volatility that impede LL.M. Program enrollment, and a budget that only receives about 7% of its revenue from state funds.

Faith in his leadership is evident through Berkeley Law’s fundraising. Its annual totals have more than doubled since Chemerinsky’s arrival, from $22.2 million in his first year to a school record $49.3 million during the last fiscal year.

Q&A: At the 2024 Herma Hill Kay Memorial Lecture, Chemerinsky interviews U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor before a packed house at Zellerbach Hall. Photo by Philip Pacheco

“I’m thrilled that we had our best fundraising year, but am very much aware that with the challenges we face we are more dependent on philanthropy and the generosity of our alumni than ever,” Chemerinsky says. “This is an innovative law school, and we will continue to pursue innovative ways to secure our financial standing and elevate our success.”

Most gifts are designated for specific purposes rather than allocated to the Berkeley Law Fund, which provides key unrestricted support to immediately address the school’s most urgent needs. This includes life-changing scholarships as well as vital funds for students who secure otherwise unpaid summer public interest jobs, both of which Chemerinsky calls “fundamental to our public mission.”

Kuo urges fellow alumni to help Chemerinsky build structures that ensure long-term financial stability so Berkeley Law can continue to fulfill that mission, attract the brightest minds and scholars, and offer access to exceptional aspiring lawyers.

While Chemerinsky is a towering figure in legal education, renowned scholar, and transformative leader, those he works with marvel at his ability to cultivate an environment built on cooperation and collegiality.

“Erwin has a truly unique combination of intellectual brilliance, integrity, humility, and personal warmth, paired with widespread respect among his colleagues as well as Berkeley Law’s students and alumni,” Kapgan says. “You rarely find a leader who combines that level of intellectual rigor with that depth of character.”

For his final stretch as dean, Chemerinsky says he will continue to confer with all sectors of the school community and ask every unit “to carefully consider what we can do better and how we can accomplish it.”

Toni Mendicino, a Berkeley Law staff member for 30 years who administers its Miller Institute for Global Challenges and the Law, calls such partnering inherent to Chemerinsky’s approach. Having witnessed daily operations under eight deans, she also urged him to extend his term.

“I’ve seen a lot, and Erwin is the best of the best in his acumen, fortitude, and constant responsiveness,” she says. “He brings a rare combination of visionary governance and profound administrative care with a morale-boosting emphasis on accessibility and transparency.”

Even online message boards — hardly known as fertile ground for kind comments — strike a similar note. On a Reddit thread of students who took bar exam prep classes with famous professors, a recent law school grad wrote: “I had bar prep Con Law with Chemerinsky, and he’s as good as you can imagine. Just super engaging and knowledgeable.”

The next commenter wrote: “Had Chemerinsky for Con Law and First Amendment, dude is a walking encyclopedia and the most organized prof I’ve ever known. Also quite possibly the nicest man I’ve ever talked to.” Underneath that one: “Erwin Chemerinsky is easily the most impressive person I’ve ever met, both in terms of kindness and intelligence.”

Vice chair of UC Berkeley’s Academic Senate, Doremus sees a volatile time for higher education and the university. With questions surrounding funding for law schools and law students, AI’s impact on job security, and the rule of law’s stability, she calls Chemerinsky the right leader at the right time.

“Erwin is uniquely capable of pulling law school leaders together to maximize the strength of our voices,” Doremus says. “And he’s able to make our case to alums and others, keeping our fundraising strong in times of deep uncertainty. He really is ideally positioned to guide Berkeley Law forward.”

HONORED GUEST: Chemerinsky speaks after receiving the American Civil Liberties Union Presidential Prize during its biennial awards ceremony July 24 in Washington, D.C. Photo by Paul Morigi

Dean Erwin Chemerinsky was one of five people — including music icon Bruce Springsteen and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick — to be honored at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) biennial awards ceremony July 24.

During the event in Washington, D.C., which featured a performance by Springsteen, Chemerinsky was hailed for his influential scholarship and advocacy that continue to shape the national discourse on federal jurisdiction, the First Amendment, and civil liberties protection.

Former U.S. associate attorney general Vanita Gupta and South Carolina literacy advocate Elizabeth Foster were also honored.

Given the ACLU Presidential Prize, Chemerinsky called for action in the face of growing threats to the rule of law.

“Receiving the award at this moment in American history is especially significant,” he said. “Decades from now, people will look back at us and judge us, as we look back at times like the McCarthy era or other pivotal moments and judge what people did. Will we be condemned for our silence and our capitulation? Or will we be praised for our courage and our resistance?”

No stranger to major honors, Chemerinsky has garnered many other notable recognitions during his career.

• He has twice been named the most influential figure in legal education by National Jurist, in 2017 and 2024.
• Last year, he won the American Bar Foundation Outstanding Scholar Award, which honors stellar, high-impact scholarship in law or government.
• He was elected president of the Association of American Law Schools, serving a one-year term in 2022.
• In 2016, he was inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary societies, in recognition of his preeminent contributions to legal scholarship and education.
• The California Lawyers Association gave him the Ronald M. George Public Lawyer of the Year Award in 2022, which honors high ethical standards and outstanding service to the public and rule of law.
• Also in 2022, he won the Scribes American Society of Legal Writers Book Award for Presumed Guilty: How the Supreme Court Empowered the Police and Subverted Civil Rights.
• For more than a decade, he has been the No. 2 overall most-cited legal scholar in overarching rankings spanning all fields of law.

“Erwin is a living legend,” Berkeley Law Professor Sonia Katyal says. “He exemplifies the very best that the field of law has to offer: brilliant, warm-hearted, thoughtful, open-minded, and deeply engaged in the culture of public service.”

— Andrew Cohen