UC Irvine Law elected to Order of the Coif

The University of California, Irvine School of Law has earned one of the nation's highest academic honors, becoming the newest member of the Order of the Coif, an invitation-only legal honor society that recognizes excellence in legal education and scholarship.

UC Irvine Law was elected as the society's 88th member school, earning admission at the earliest point permitted under Order rules. It was the only law school admitted this year to the organization, which was founded in 1912 to recognize institutions that meet the highest standards of legal scholarship and academic rigor.

The designation allows the law school to establish an Order of the Coif chapter and induct the top 10% of each graduating class. UC Irvine Law also will retroactively induct eligible graduates from the classes of 2024 and 2025.

All UC Irvine Law faculty become charter members of the chapter. Its faculty officers are President Swethaa Ballakrishnen, Vice President Katie Tinto and Secretary Rachel Croskery-Roberts.

"From the outset, our goal has been to build a premier law school that achieves the highest levels of academic and professional distinction," Dean Austen Parrish said. "I am proud of this milestone that is based on, and a reflection of, the scholarly excellence of our faculty, the quality of our curricular program, the excellence of our students and alumni, and the achievements of our administrators, staff, and supporters."

The Order of the Coif limits membership to graduates who rank in the top 10% of their law school class and grants chapter status only to schools that satisfy rigorous standards for scholarship and institutional excellence.

Before admitting a law school, the society evaluates faculty scholarship, curriculum, bar passage rates and the school's broader contributions to the legal profession. Election is widely regarded as one of the highest academic distinctions a U.S. law school can receive.

UC Irvine Law also announced that Professor Tinto will join Professor Michael Robinson-Dorn as co-associate dean for experiential education, effective July 1, overseeing the school's clinical, pro bono and externship programs.

Professor Annie Lai is stepping down from the co-associate dean role she has held since 2021 and will continue directing and teaching the Immigrant & Racial Justice Solidarity Clinic.