Transfer J.D. Admissions

TRANSFER ADMISSION STANDARDS

UF Law invites transfer applications from law students who have successfully completed the first-year, full-time required curriculum at their ABA-accredited institution while maintaining good standing. Transfer applications are accepted for fall entry only.

The transfer admission process at UF Law is highly competitive. While the Admissions Committee conducts a holistic review of your transfer application, your 1L performance, as evidenced by your class rank, plays a very significant role in their consideration. The most competitive transfer applicants will rank in the top third of their 1L class. An exception may be made for applicants from highly competitive law schools.

The maximum number of credits that UF Law will accept for transfer is 29. As such, applying for transfer after completing coursework beyond the first-year, full-time required curriculum will not be considered favorably by the Admissions Committee.

FALL 2024 TRANSFER CLASS STATISTICS

Transfer class size	27
Median class rank at prior law school	Top 19%
Median law school GPA at prior law school	3.51
25th-75th percentile law school GPA at prior law school	3.44-3.71
# of law schools represented	20
# of states represented by these law schools	10
# of #1 students in their 1L class	3
% of transfers who chose to participate in the transfer writing competition	70%
% of those participating in the writing competition who were invited onto a journal	100%

Riley Fitzpatrick, 3L

Florida Law Review, Executive Board member
Student Bar Association, 2L Representative
Law Transfer Student Organization (LTSO), Vice President
Greenspoon Marder LLP, Fort Lauderdale, Summer Associate 2024 and post-graduation 2025

“Transferring to UF Law [from Pepperdine Law] has opened more doors for me than I could have imagined. From the moment of acceptance, transfers like myself were provided with opportunities to join any of the school’s organizations—from Moot Court to Trial Team to each of UF’s five legal journals. …[The transfer students] quickly formed a tight-knit community that has truly enhanced my law school experience as a whole. Thanks to the kindness and hospitality I’ve received from students and faculty here, getting involved and making friends outside LTSO was a breeze. I could not picture a better place to meet incredible students, learn from enthusiastic professors, and develop a network that will extend well into my professional career.”

TRANSFER FAQS

Where can I learn more about transferring to UF Law?

We hold an annual Transfer Virtual Open House each spring. Please view the latest recording here.

How many of my credits will transfer to UF Law?

If you are admitted as a transfer, you will have the opportunity to meet with an advisor to discuss your transfer credit evaluation and your remaining graduation requirements at UF Law. Questions about which credits will transfer in cannot be answered prior to that point in the process. As a general rule, a maximum of 29 credits will transfer in, and credits where a grade of C- or below was earned will not transfer.

You may review our course offerings here.

Will my GPA and class rank from my prior law school transfer to UF Law?

No. You will begin your career at UF Law with a 0.0 GPA. After your first semester at UF Law, you will receive your first UF Law GPA and an unofficial class rank. After your second semester, you will be ranked alongside the other UF Law 2L students.

May I participate in Early Interview Week (EIW) and/or On-Campus Interviews (OCI) as an incoming transfer student?

UF Law’s EIW has historically taken place prior to the transfer admission process, so our transfers do not participate in EIW. However, UF Law strives to allow transfers to participate in OCI, which begins in mid-July. Your ability to participate may be impacted by the date your application becomes complete and/or the date of your admission. This information is subject to change for those transferring in fall 2025.

May I participate in the writing competition as an incoming transfer student?

UF Law holds a transfer-specific writing competition. Only admitted transfers who have committed to attend UF Law may participate. Your ability to participate may be impacted by the date your application becomes complete and/or the date of your admission. Transfer students are not automatically eligible for membership on a journal based on their class rank at another law school, a journal membership invitation from another law school, or journal membership at another law school.

The dates for the fall 2025 transfer writing competition will be July 25-August 8, with decisions released on August 15.

May I try out for the Florida Moot Court team as an incoming transfer student?

UF Law holds a transfer-specific tryout for the Florida Moot Court team. Only admitted transfers who have committed to attend UF Law may participate. Your ability to participate may be impacted by the date your application becomes complete and/or the date of your admission. Transfer students are not automatically eligible for membership on the Florida Moot Court team based on their class rank at another law school, a moot court membership invitation from another law school, or moot court team membership at another law school.

For reference, the dates of the fall 2024 Florida Moot Court tryouts for transfers were July 26 – mid-August. This information is subject to change for those transferring in fall 2025.

May I try out for Trial Team as an incoming transfer student?

UF Law allows incoming transfer students to try out alongside all rising 2Ls for the Trial Team. Only admitted transfers who have committed to attend UF Law may participate. Transfer students are not automatically eligible for membership on the UF Law Trial Team based on their class rank at another law school, a Trial Team membership invitation from another law school, or Trial Team membership at another law school.

For reference, the dates for the fall 2024 Trial Team tryouts were August 12-August 16. This information is subject to change for those transferring in fall 2025.

May I try out for the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Team as an incoming transfer student?

UF Law allows incoming transfer students to try out alongside all rising 2Ls for the ADR Team. Only admitted transfers who have placed their seat deposit may participate. Your ability to participate may be impacted by the date your application becomes complete and/or the date of your admission. Only admitted transfers who have placed their seat deposit may participate. Transfer students are not automatically eligible for membership on the ADR Team based on their class rank at another law school, an ADR Team membership invitation from another law school, or ADR Team membership at another law school.

For reference, the dates for the fall 2024 ADR Team tryouts were July 31-August 10. This information is subject to change for those transferring in fall 2025.

How do I meet other transfer students?

Incoming transfer students have their own Orientation in mid-August. There is also a Law Transfer Student Organization with the mission of helping transfers effectively transition to UF Law.

Is there scholarship funding available for incoming transfer students?

Incoming transfer students are not eligible for institutional scholarship funding. However, we encourage you to apply for financial aid and external scholarships.

TRANSFER APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

Transfer Application Requirements

The Admissions Committee cannot render a decision on an application that does not contain all required elements.

1. UF Law Transfer Application and $30 application fee
Submit your application electronically via LSAC.org. Please note that the $30 application fee will be waived only for LSAC fee-waived candidates upon submission of the LSAC online application. Your personal statement, resume, Summer Plans and Career Goals statement should be submitted via the LSAC online application.

2. Personal Statement
Your personal statement is different from your incoming 1L personal statement. It should tell us about you, focusing primarily on your law school academic experience and career goals, and explain why you wish to transfer to UF Law. Please also indicate whether you have an interest in our 7-Semester JD/Tax LLM program. The statement should not exceed two, double-spaced pages and should be in a font no smaller than 12 points.

3. Resume
Please ensure that your resume contains specific information about your education, awards, extracurricular and community activities (including hours per week), and employment.

4. Summer Plans and Career Goals Statement
Please submit a statement sharing your plans for your post-1L summer as well as your career goals after graduation. Your stated career goals should include your desired practice area and geographic location. The suggested length for this statement is no more than one half page, double-spaced.

5. Transfer Certification Form
A Transfer Certification Form must be completed by your current law school and received by UF no later than July 15. Your current law school may send the form via email to admissions@law.ufl.edu or mail (please see address below). To be considered complete, the answer to Questions 1 and 2 must be yes. If your law school provides class ranking at the end of the 1L year, the form must include the rank. If not, the form must include a comment from the Registrar explaining the school’s ranking policy.

6. Official Transcript
An official transcript showing completion of the full-time, 1L curriculum required by your current law school must be received by UF Law no later than July 15.

The preferred method for transcript submission is via the LSAC CAS. The LSAC can take several weeks to process and send your transcript to us, so you are encouraged to plan your transcript submission method accordingly to meet our application completion deadline.

You may also request that your current law school send us your transcript directly, either electronically or by mail. UF Law only accepts transcripts transmitted electronically via eSCRIPT-SAFE, AVOW (Parchment), or National Student Clearinghouse transcript services. The contact email address for these transmissions is admissions@law.ufl.edu. Alternatively, your law school may send your official transcript via mail to:

University of Florida Levin College of Law
Office of Admissions
PO Box 117622 (309 Village Dr.)
Gainesville, FL 32611

7. Letter(s) of Recommendation (Optional)

Although a letter of recommendation is not required for transfer admission, you are welcome to submit up to four letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation from current law school faculty are preferred.

Transfer Application Deadlines

Application opens: May 15, 2025

Submission Deadline: July 1, 2025

Completion Deadline: July 15, 2025

This deadline means all required application components as detailed above must be received by this date to be considered for transfer admission.

You will receive an email from UF Law acknowledging receipt of your application. After receipt of your application is acknowledged, you may check the status of your application via the Applicant Status Online (ASO).

You will receive a separate email from the University Admissions Office with instructions to create a MyAdmissions account and complete the Florida Residency Declaration for tuition purposes. Although failing to submit the residency declaration and/or required supporting documentation will not affect your admissions decision, it will affect billed tuition amounts if you are admitted and ultimately matriculate as a transfer student.

The Florida Constitutional Law Endowment in memory of Justice Ben F. Overton was created by Judge Karen Miller in 2013. This fund supports lectures and presentations by Justices of the Florida Supreme Court at the Fredric G. Levin College of Law.

HISTORY

Justice Overton, who earned his B.S. in 1951 and his Juris Doctor in 1952 from the University of Florida, was the first merit appointment to the Florida Supreme Court. Throughout his career he was active in legal education and served as an Adjunct Professor at the Levin College of Law through December 2012, the month of his death. Although he resided at Oak Hammock at the University of Florida, a continuing care retirement community developed in cooperation with UF, he also considered the Florida Supreme Court “home.” Among the high points of his later years was hosting Justices of the Florida Supreme Court in Gainesville and taking his class to Tallahassee to hear oral arguments at the Florida Supreme Court.
Judge Miller, who earned her B.S. cum laude from New York University in 1974 and her Juris Doctor from New York Law School in 1977, served as Chief Administrative Law Judge of the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, New York City’s business regulatory agency, before she retired to Oak Hammock at the University of Florida. Having accompanied Justice Overton on his excursions to Tallahassee and joined him in welcoming guests to Oak Hammock at the University of Florida, she created the endowment in memory of Justice Overton to ensure that the Levin College of Law continues to have the funding necessary to continue and enhance the interaction between its students and the Florida Supreme Court.

Judge Miller remembered the event that motivated the endowment.

Prior to a dinner at the home of Dean Robert Jerry and Lisa Jerry shortly after Justice Overton’s death, Justice Barbara Pariente and I were discussing a suitable memorial. Justice Pariente, who had been Justice Overton’s colleague on the Florida Supreme Court and who understood the importance to him of the interaction between his students and the Court, suggested the outline of what has become the Overton lectures. Dean Jerry, who has since retired, as has Dean Emeritus Jon Mills, who assumed responsibility for implementing the Overton lectures, were very supportive from the beginning. Since Dean Mills’ retirement, Professor Timothy McClendon, who assisted both Justice Overton and Dean Mills teaching Florida Constitutional Law and who co-authored the recent Florida Constitutional Law casebook, has continued the Overton lectures with the support of Interim Dean Merritt McAlister and CGR director, Professor Danaya Wright.

Justice Overton was a devoted jurist, educator, and ethical leader of the Florida legal profession. The Overton Lecture Series brings Florida Supreme Court Justices to the University of Florida, Levin College of Law, and serves to introduce students to the inner workings of the Court. CGR and the students of the College of Law extend our deepest gratitude to Judge Karen Miller for making the Overton Lectures possible in perpetuity.

You can watch an interview for the Florida Historical Society by Mary Adkins, professor emeritus of the UF Levin College of Law, with Justice Overton here.

Justice Overton was also interviewed for the Samuel Proctor Oral History Project and a transcript of his interview is available at the Smathers Library, and here.
Justice Overton sat on the Constitution Revision Commission of 1977-78 that proposed a right to privacy in the Florida Constitution. Although it failed as part of the Constitution Revision Commission recommendations, it passed in 1980 when proposed by the legislature. The bill was co-sponsored by our very own Jon Mills. The privacy provision prevailed by greater than 60%. Justice Overton then wrote a concurrence in a critical reproductive rights case in 1989 affirming that the privacy provision of the Florida Constitution included the right to obtain an abortion. That decision was overruled in Planned Parenthood of SW and Central Florida v. Florida. You can read about the role of Justice Overton, Jon Mills – director emeritus of CGR, and the history of the 1989 case here.