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McGeorge School of Law recognized as top LGBTQ+ inclusive law school of the year
University of the Pacific at the Sacramento Pride March and Festival in June 2024
University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law is receiving national recognition for its support of LGBTQ+ students as the 2025 recipient of the LGBTQ+ Institutional Inclusive Excellence Award from the Association of American Law Schools Section on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues.
McGeorge is one of only six law schools nationwide to have received this prestigious award, and the second in California to achieve this honor.
The award was announced at a reception Jan. 8, 2025, in San Francisco during the Association of American Law Schools Annual Meeting, which is the largest gathering of law faculty in the world. The award was announced to an enthusiastic ovation.
“Receiving the LGBTQ+ Institutional Inclusive Excellence Award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the McGeorge School of Law faculty, staff and students in fostering a culture of belonging and equity,” said McGeorge Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz. “At McGeorge, we believe that diversity strengthens the legal profession.”
In 2024, 18.5% of the fall incoming class of first-year law students identified as LGBTQ+. More than 15% of the McGeorge faculty is openly LGBTQ+.
The law school boasts one of the largest endowed scholarships in the country specifically for LGBTQ+ law students, demonstrating its commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.
The Jeffrey K. Poilé LGBTQ+ Endowed Memorial Scholarship, a civil rights scholarship established in 2002, helps law students with a passion for the civil rights of members of the LGBTQ+ community minimize their student loan debt.
The scholarship is named after the life partner of Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Larry Levine. Poilé passed away in 1992. The law school has raised more than $1,275,000 for this endowment since its creation 22 years ago, including $49,420 raised this fall that will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Powell Fund.
More than 175 students have received the scholarship since its inception, and it is now the third-largest scholarship fund at the law school.
"It means more to me than words can say that Jeff's memory has been kept alive through this scholarship,” Levine said. “I am so pleased to have played a small role in seeing McGeorge transform into the welcoming and supportive place it is now. This recognition by the Association of American Law Schools Section on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues makes my heart sing.”
The Lambda Law Students Association has become one of the most robust student organizations on the Sacramento Campus. Lambda is composed of LGBTQ+ and allied students who are dedicated to building awareness about LGBTQ+ legal issues, eliminating stereotypes about LGBTQ+ individuals and fostering a supportive LGBTQ+ and ally community throughout the law school.
The Lambda Law Students Association was founded in 1983 by Gael Mueller ’85 and Joel Loquvam ’86 at a time when many students were reluctant to publicly associate with an LGBTQ+ organization.
“I am thrilled that McGeorge is receiving the LGBTQ+ Institutional Inclusive Excellence Award, reflecting our dedication to creating a welcoming, supportive environment for all students,” said Lambda President Meredith Muller ‘26. “Attending a law school that prioritizes LGBTQ+ inclusivity fosters a sense of belonging and encourages students to become more empathetic advocates for social justice. It is inspiring to be part of a community that actively works to make the legal field more equitable through both courses and culture.”
Lambda hosted its 13th Annual Fall Spectacular in November. The Fall Spectacular is a drag show featuring faculty, student and staff performers whose singing, lip-synching and dancing talents help raise money for the law school’s Poilé scholarship.
Additionally, Dean Schwartz founded the Sacramento Campus Center for Inclusion and Diversity in 2018, which is a drop-in space for all students that fosters kinship, support and programming to promote understanding and an atmosphere of inclusion.
“McGeorge has become a law school where students from all backgrounds can feel seen, supported and valued—a truly inclusive community that lifts up every student,” Dean Schwartz said. “This honor reflects McGeorge’s commitment to celebrating diversity and ensuring that every student has the resources they need to thrive.”
