Diversity in Law School

Nondiscrimination Policy

The University of California, in accordance with applicable federal and state law and university policy, prohibits discrimination, including harassment, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or status as a Vietnam-era veteran or special disabled veteran. This nondiscrimination policy covers admission, access, and treatment in university programs and activities.

Student Organization Contact Information

• OUTLaw
• The Dukeminier Awards: Best Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law Review Articles
• Williams Institute Annual Moot Court Competition on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law

Faculty Contact Information

Professor Brad Sears
E-mail: sears@law.ucla.edu

Professor Stuart Biegel
E-mail: biegel@ucla.edu

Administrator Contact Information

Randy Bunnao
E-mail: bunnao@law.ucla.edu

Course Titles and/or Descriptions

The faculty is highly regarded for its scholarship and teaching related to gender and sexual orientation courses.

• Law and Sexuality: The landscape regarding issues of law and sexuality is rapidly changing. This course will therefore examine the law's role in regulating, subordinating, protecting, and constructing sexuality ... Learn more about Law and Sexuality.
• LGBT Law and Public Policy Research: This course will explore the relevance of public policy research to LGBT legal issues. The course will feature the scholars and research of the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. Learn more about LGBT Law and Public Policy Research.
• Human Rights and Sexual Politics: Sexual politics cut across issues in human rights, encompassing debates about gender equality, cultural relativism, sexual orientation, human trafficking, and HIV/AIDS. Learn more about Human Rights and Sexual Politics.
• Sexual Orientation Workshop: This course examines and evaluates recent scholarship in the field of sexual orientation and gender identity law. Each week, students will read and discuss several recent law review articles ... Learn more about Sexual Orientation Workshop.
• Special Topics in Family Law—Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Families with Children: This course will examine some of the most cutting-edge legal issues in family law (e.g., Should anonymous sperm and egg donation be prohibited? Can a child have more than two parents?) Learn more about Special Topics in Family Law—Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Families with Children.

In addition to the courses listed above, UCLA School of Law is home to the Williams Institute, the nation's first think tank dedicated to the field of sexual orientation law and public policy. The project supports legal scholarship, legal research, policy analysis, and education regarding sexual orientation discrimination and other legal issues that affect lesbian and gay people.

Domestic Partnership Benefits

The UC Health Plan defines Eligible Family Members as follows: a legal spouse or an adult dependent relative or a same-sex domestic partner.

Additional Information

The LGBT student experience is supported and advanced by numerous academic, cocurricular, and social offerings at UCLA School of Law. These include OUTLaw, an LGBT student organization; The Dukeminier Awards, a legal journal for the best law review articles pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity law; the Williams Institute Moot Court Competition, the only national competition dedicated exclusively to the areas of sexual orientation and gender identity law; the Williams Institute Summer Fellowship program, which provides a stipend to current law students to work for a national lesbian and gay rights organization; and a host of events and activities designed to educate the law school community on LGBT issues within and beyond the legal world. As a prolific source for independent research and scholarship related to sexual orientation law and public policy, the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law is a national think tank widely consulted by judges, legislators, policy makers, and the media for substantive and reliable information on real-world issues. For these and other reasons, UCLA Law is an attractive law school option for many talented and ambitious LGBT students, who seek a legal education that is relevant to their experiences and interests.

Numerous social activities are planned and sponsored by OUTLaw and range from nights out in West Hollywood to community lunches at the law school. A welcome-weekend BBQ is traditionally held to allow new students to meet and interact with returning LGBT students. OUTLaw also sponsors educational activities, such as panel discussions about current legal issues or court cases affecting the LGBT population. UCLA Law enrolls a number of LGBT students each year, who find ample opportunities for involvement and leadership within and beyond the LGBT community.

As for the experience inside the classroom, LGBT issues are brought up in most classes, and both professors and students engage in these discussions. For example, some Constitutional Law classes spend a significant amount of time discussing the constitutional issues surrounding the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy and same-sex marriage. LGBT issues can also come up in classes such as Contracts and Property (e.g., concerning the contractual and property rights of same-sex partners who are not legally married).

At the admission stage, applicants are welcomed to mention their sexual orientation/identity, particularly as it may relate to their potential to make distinctive contributions to the community at UCLA Law. This information also allows our LGBT faculty, staff, and students to play an active role in the law school's recruitment and outreach efforts.

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