From Dream to Reality: UC Law SF's Winning Formula for Student Success

Nearly 100 recent graduates of UC Law San Francisco take the attorney’s oath on Dec. 2. They are just a fraction of the more than 300 grads who passed the notoriously challenging California Bar Exam in July — and their achievements reflect the College’s commitment to student success.
Growing up in the innovation hub of the Bay Area, Angelica Lee ’24 had long dreamed of working with cutting-edge companies that develop new technologies that change lives. This past summer, that vision became reality when she passed the bar exam and joined the firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, which represents some of Silicon Valley’s leading tech and biotech companies.
“I’ve always been interested in innovation, so I knew I wanted to go to a firm that did a lot of work with innovative companies,” Lee said.
Her success is no outlier. UC Law San Francisco graduates are known to quickly embark on thriving legal careers.
Over the past two years, at least 90% of UC Law SF grads secured jobs in the legal field within 10 months of graduation, with more than half receiving offers before commencement. In 2024, graduates posted an 84% pass rate on the California bar exam—exceeding the statewide average of 81% for ABA-accredited law schools in California.
These graduates also enter the profession with a powerful advantage: the largest alumni network of practicing attorneys in California. Recent data from the California Bar Association show that 18,456 members—6.21% of all attorneys in the state—are UC Law SF alumni. That’s more than any other law school in the nation. This gives graduates a distinct edge in building professional connections and advancing their careers.
These achievements result from hard work by students paired with a comprehensive transformation of the College’s curriculum, bar exam support, and career development programs.
Revolutionizing Student Success Strategies

Provost & Academic Dean Morris Ratner says the College’s investments in bar preparation and student success over the last decade are unparalleled.
UC Law SF has rewritten the playbook for nurturing student success in law school and on the bar exam. It creates a level playing field that equips all students with the tools to succeed from day one.
“We have an equity-based approach to legal education,” said Provost & Academic Dean Morris Ratner. “There’s no secret to success that only some students are lucky enough to figure out. We make sure all students receive the information, training, and resources they need to succeed.”
A major part of this effort is the Sack Program, launched as a pilot in 2015, which adds an extra layer of skills training to core first-year classes. Professors for these courses teach not only the law, but academic success skills, including rule synthesis, legal analysis, course and exam outlining, and exam writing.
“I found it helpful in my first semester, just learning what a law school exam is,” said Rafi Bortnick ’24, who now works for the U.S. Department of Labor. “It was valuable to get detailed feedback on my writing and essay organization.”

Jennifer Freeland ’14 leads the College’s Office of Academic Skills Instruction & Support. She says the office focuses on “skills needed to pass exams and do well in law school — but also to practice law.”
The program is named after Jerome Sack ’48, who used to tutor UC Law SF students. His former pupils created a teaching assistant fund in his memory. As part of the program, upper-division students serve as Sack Teaching Fellows, giving oral and written feedback on writing assignments and helping teach essential skills to 1L students.
“We’re laying an early foundation in these classes,” said Associate Dean for Academic Skills Jennifer Freeland ’14, who leads the program. “These are the skills needed to pass exams and do well in law school, but also to practice law.”
The curriculum now includes Advanced Sack classes, providing extra writing instruction and practice for upper-division bar-related subjects. It also includes “Law & Process” courses, which strengthen academic skills in bar-tested subjects with smaller-sized classes that offer students frequent individualized feedback. Additionally, the College introduced for-credit Critical Studies courses that focus on bar-specific skills like essay writing and multiple-choice test-taking strategies.
“UC Law SF definitely prepared me for the bar with in-depth courses on bar exam topics and programs that provided extra support,” Lee said.
Comprehensive Bar Exam Support from Faculty and Alumni
UC Law SF’s bar support doesn’t stop at the classroom door. It includes mentorship programs, personalized essay feedback, counseling, and mental health resources.

Navy JAG Officer-in-training Jeffery Bohórquez ’24 says the College’s bar mentorship and essay tutoring programs helped him improve his performance on the bar exam.
The College’s ability to offer these wide-ranging programs is made possible by a strong institutional commitment and the invaluable contributions of alumni who offer mentorship and financial support.
Margaret Greer, the Director of Bar Passage Support, understands the high-pressure environment of bar prep. Having graduated from UC Law SF in 2015, she vividly remembers the challenges of studying for the exam.
“Studying for the bar exam can be a very isolating experience and when I joined the UC Law SF faculty in 2016, I wanted to help create programming that supported graduates both academically and emotionally, during what can be a challenging time,” she said.
Greer launched new faculty and alumni bar mentor programs in 2017, which continue to expand with more volunteer mentors.
Graduates like Jeffrey Bohórquez ’24, who will join the Navy JAG Corps next year, found the mentorship invaluable. He had biweekly check-ins with Professor Stefano Moscato, who offered guidance and support. Moscato also hosted group sessions with other grads preparing for the bar.
“You would get advice from the professor and sometimes from fellow graduates, who might have a better technique or study strategy to share,” Bohórquez said.
For the last four years, Kenny Gutiérrez ’20 has volunteered as a mentor to recent grads preparing for the bar exam. Gutiérrez, who specializes in intellectual property, data privacy, and artificial intelligence at Stoel Rives, said he often tells bar takers to practice self-care and shares tips on study techniques, like whittling down mountains of information into one-page “magic sheets.”

Kenny Gutiérrez ’20 is one of 100 alumni mentors helping recent UC Law SF grads prepare for the bar exam. He shares advice on self-care and study techniques, and says he finds it rewarding to see his mentees succeed.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding to watch my mentees grow in their knowledge and self-assurance and even more fulfilling to see them achieving their goals, passing the bar, and starting their legal careers,” Gutiérrez said.
The College also launched the Bar Exam Supplemental Tutor (BEST) program, where graduates can submit up to 10 essays or performance test answers for grading and personalized feedback from dedicated tutors.
Professor Richard Sakai ’77 serves as a BEST tutor for students in the Legal Education Opportunity Program (LEOP), which makes law school accessible to those who have overcome significant disadvantages. As Associate Dean of LEOP Academic and Bar Support, Sakai also teaches a course that prepares third-year LEOP students for bar exam essays. Bohórquez, a LEOP alum, credited Sakai’s guidance for helping him improve his writing and confidence over 10 weeks of bar prep.
“I’m a very visual learner, and Professor Sakai was able to show me how to do it and explain where to improve,” Bohórquez said. “When you compare when I first started writing the papers to the end, it’s a 20-point difference.”
A Transformative Commitment to Students
Bar prep at UC Law SF extends beyond academics. The College’s comprehensive approach includes one-on-one coaching, mental health support groups, and guidance for those seeking disability accommodations. Greer and other bar prep counselors work closely with grads to develop customized study schedules and identify areas for improvement.
Greer emphasized that the College’s resources remain available to repeat test-takers, a factor that helped UC Law SF last year achieve a 45% pass rate among bar repeaters—far above the state average of 34%.
Ratner called these efforts transformative.
“From a resource vantage point, I cannot think of a single school that has done more than we have over the past decade to promote student success,” Ratner said.
Data-Driven Strategies for Success

Professor Stefano Moscato exemplifies UC Law SF’s commitment to bar exam success, combining personalized mentoring with innovative, data-driven strategies that prepare students for success on the bar exam and in their legal careers.
On top of serving as a bar mentor and celebrated teacher, Moscato also mines data to uncover what makes students more likely to pass the bar. The data mining is part of his duties as UC Law SF’s Bar Success Analyst and Strategist.
“Completing the commercial bar prep program, or at least substantial completion of it, is a high predictor of success,” he said.
His findings also show that students who start active essay and multiple-choice practice early, in addition to doctrinal review lessons, see significant score improvements over the bar prep period.
Recognizing the time-intensive nature of bar prep—roughly 400 hours over 10 weeks—UC Law SF now urges students to start early, even before graduation.
“An early start helps,” Greer said. “It allows people to build in breaks and gives them that head start.”

Assistant Dean of LEOP Elizabeth McGriff ’96 advises her students on how to navigate the challenges of bar prep, including financial stress, setting family boundaries, and maintaining mental wellness.
To combat burnout, Greer advises students to stick to routines, prioritize sleep, and schedule breaks. Assistant Dean of LEOP Elizabeth McGriff ’96 encourages her students to “write their why”—a reminder of their motivations and goals.
“I tell them to do something pleasurable,” McGriff said. “Work it into your schedule so it’s not just this one long, arduous thing that’s completely devoid of any kind of pleasure or balance.”
Recent graduate Moushmi Gazula ’24, now an intellectual property attorney at Morgan Lewis, praises UC Law SF’s Critical Studies classes, which give students an advanced preview of commercial bar prep courses. Gazula chose Barbri—one of the two most popular bar review courses—for its visuals and interactive features. She also recommends springing for Critical Pass Flashcards.
“You save hours of time not making your own flashcards,” she said. “And they have spaces where you can write extra notes and reminders.”
Forging Career Paths Through Hands-On Learning

Through UC Law SF’s clinics and strong career support, Rafi Bortnick ’24 developed skills and connections that led him to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Honors Program, where he focuses on holding employers accountable for workplace violations.
From the moment he entered UC Law SF, Bortnick was drawn to employment law. Eager to gain practical experience, he immersed himself in the College’s experiential learning opportunities. In the Individual Representation Clinic, he advocated for clients with pending wage claims against employers. In the Workers’ Rights Clinic, he provided legal advice to employees by collaborating with seasoned attorneys working pro bono at the clinic.
“It gave me a lot of exposure to practicing attorneys who worked in labor and employment law,” Bortnick shared. “That helped me learn about different career paths and figure out what I wanted to do.”
UC Law SF’s Career Development Office played a key role in Bortnick’s journey, helping him polish his resume, connect with practicing lawyers, and refine his interview skills. These efforts paid off when he secured a summer clerkship with a plaintiff-side employment law firm, where he honed his expertise and expanded his professional network.
Now in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Honors Program, Bortnick focuses on holding employers accountable for violating worker protection laws. His work includes enforcing subpoenas, litigating workplace safety violations, safeguarding employees’ retirement funds, and more.
“My client is the government, but my efforts benefit workers,” he said. “I find a lot of value in that.”
A Career Springboard in Corporate and Tech Law

Angelica Lee ’24 leveraged UC Law SF’s academic programs, externship opportunities, and bar preparation resources to set herself up for success. She now works with leading tech companies at Wilson Sonsini.
For Lee, UC Law SF opened doors to a range of career-defining experiences. With guidance from Assistant Dean for Career Development Amy Kimmel ’01, Lee applied for the Corporate Counsel Externship Program, earning a position with a major biotech company. Kimmel also supported Lee’s search for opportunities that aligned with her goals, helping her land positions with the Federal Trade Commission, Google, and its law firm, Wilson Sonsini.
“At the FTC, I became more familiar with the regulatory process that companies must go through,” Lee said. “At Google, I gained exposure to what it’s like being an in-house lawyer and learned about different career paths.”
These experiences helped Lee, a LEOP alum, sharpen her skills and clarify her career ambitions, setting her on a path to success. She now represents some of Silicon Valley’s leading tech and biotech companies as a first-year attorney with Wilson Sonsini.
For Gazula, who studied biochemistry as an undergrad, UC Law SF’s resources were a springboard to her dream of working in intellectual property (IP). Academic advisors and career counselors encouraged her to enroll in the Startup Legal Garage, where she worked with early-stage tech and biotech companies. The program taught her to navigate the complex language of patents and develop a deep understanding of IP law.

Moushmi Gazula ’24 pursued her passion for intellectual property law with UC Law SF’s Startup Legal Garage before landing a role with Morgan Lewis, where she uses her expertise in science and law to tackle cutting-edge patent cases.
“It taught me how to read a patent, something you don’t typically learn in law school,” she said.
A 1L summer position at a local biopharmaceutical company introduced her to a mentor who, along with UC Law SF career counselors, encouraged her to aim for a big law firm with a strong patent practice.
At an IP careers panel on campus, Gazula met a UC Law SF alumna from Morgan Lewis’ Silicon Valley office. Inspired by the firm’s commitment to mentoring junior attorneys and acclaimed IP department, Gazula applied for and secured a 2L summer associate position, eventually joining the firm as a first-year associate.
Now, Gazula thrives at Morgan Lewis, tackling cutting-edge patent issues and leveraging her background in science and law to solve complex legal challenges.
“I love being up close and personal with advanced innovative technologies, and I get to learn something new every day,” she said. “I’m learning about coding languages and different devices that I never knew existed. It’s really fun.”
Through hands-on clinics, bar support, personalized career counseling, and connections with industry leaders, UC Law SF is empowering students like Bortnick, Lee, and Gazula to turn their passions into thriving legal careers.