New Bearcats, Big Dreams: UC Law welcomes the Class of 2028
The University of Cincinnati College of Law is buzzing with new faces this fall as 160 students and attorney-students begin their legal journey at UC Law — 138 first-year JD students plus two transfer students, 18 LLM students, one exchange student to the LLM program, and one Graduate Certificate student joining the Bearcat family.
On paper, the Class of 2028 is impressive. They come in with a median GPA of 3.8 and a median LSAT of 159, a notch higher than the previous class. But stats only tell part of the story.
The average student age is 24, but the range runs from 21 to 66. Some are fresh out of undergrad, while others are bringing decades of life experience. Four students have served in the military.
UC itself continues to be the top undergraduate feeder, with 27 Double Bearcats who stayed to keep building their careers here. Altogether, the entering class comes from 63 different colleges and 40 different majors, demonstrating there’s no single path to law school.
The Class of 2028 takes a photo with the Bearcat. | photo: Joey Yerace
Geographically, UC Law’s reach is growing. While most students come from Ohio and Kentucky, the class represents 24 states and even Ontario, Canada. Places like Arizona, Texas, New Jersey, and Colorado are all on the map. Still, more than half (58%) call Ohio home.
And when asked what areas of law they’re drawn to, the new students overwhelmingly point to criminal law, public interest, and business/corporate law.
It’s a group that’s smart, varied, and ready to dive into their studies. With so many perspectives in the classroom, the UC Law community is looking forward to an exciting year ahead.
Family and friends celebrate with Class of 2028 and the Bearcat. | photo: Joey Yerace
UC Law celebrates 13th LLM cohort
Our incoming class includes 18 LLM students, one exchange student, and one Graduate Certificate student, for a total of 20 students from 12 countries and four continents. A new country represented this year is Haiti. Additionally, the program has 12 students coming from partner universities in Colombia, France, Ecuador, and Italy, as well as one Fulbright student from North Macedonia.
About the University of Cincinnati College of Law
Founded in 1833, the University of Cincinnati College of Law is the fourth-oldest law school in the United States, behind only Harvard, Yale, and the University of Virginia. With a legacy of producing influential leaders in government, the judiciary, major law firms, Fortune 500 companies, and non-governmental organizations, the University of Cincinnati College of Law is also a pioneer in legal education. It was the first law school to establish a center dedicated to the study of international human rights and is home to one of the most successful Innocence Projects globally, working to combat wrongful convictions.
Training lawyers for nearly two centuries, the law college remains steadfast in its mission to provide a top-tier legal education that inspires students to pursue justice and advance the role of law in society.
Tags
Related Stories
Local media highlight completion of Blood Cancer Healing Center fourth and fifth floors
March 16, 2026
Local media including WLWT and the Cincinnati Business Courier highlighted the opening of research laboratories and the UC Osher Wellness Suite and Learning Kitchen at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center’s Blood Cancer Healing Center.
Trial results support weekly buprenorphine treatment of opioid use disorder during pregnancy
March 16, 2026
Supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers led by the University of Cincinnati's John Winhusen published clinical trial results in JAMA Internal Medicine that found administering weekly injectable extended-release buprenorphine for treatment of opioid use disorder during pregnancy led to higher rates of abstinence from illicit opioids than buprenorphine given daily under the tongue, one of the standard methods of treatment.
UC Board of Trustees approves $12 million for building design phase for new welcome gateway
March 13, 2026
The UC Board of Trustees approved $12 million at its Feb. 24 meeting for the design phase of a new Welcome Gateway Building for Uptown campus.