Welcome to the McGeorge School of Law community!

We are excited you’ll be joining us for Orientation.

Your law school experience at McGeorge begins with Orientation. Throughout Orientation, you will be given training on foundational law school study strategies. You will have opportunities to connect with faculty, administration, staff, and most importantly, your peers. All incoming JD students (and any LLM or Exchange Students taking Torts) will meet with your 1L Structured Study Groups and take your first official Torts class. Not to mention, there will also be some fun!

If you have questions, do not hesitate to reach out. See you soon!

Leah Adams

Assistant Dean of Students, Community, and Belonging
Office of Student Services
Email: sacstudentaffairs@pacific.edu
Phone: 916.739.7089

Daniel Croxall

Associate Dean of Admissions
Office of JD Admissions
Email: mcgeorge@pacific.edu
Phone: 916.739.7105

Clémence Kucera

Assistant Dean for the Graduate, Online, and International Programs
Office of Graduate, Online, and International Programs
Email: graduatelaw@pacific.edu
Phone: 916.739.7109

Oath of Professionalism

Having completed Orientation, on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025 at 5:30 p.m., the incoming students of McGeorge School of Law, will participate in an Oath of Professionalism and Pinning Ceremony on the McGeorge School of Law campus. The Oath of Professionalism is a pledge taken by students to act ethically and with integrity in law school and in their legal careers (full text below). After taking the Oath, students will be “pinned” with a label pin bearing the seal of the law school. This is a pivotal moment in the life of a law student, which is meant to be shared with family and friends.


Incoming JD Students

Full-Time JD Student Orientation: Monday, Aug. 11 through Friday, Aug. 15, 2025

Part-Time JD Student Orientation: Monday, Aug. 11 through Friday, Aug. 15, 2025

* Orientation schedule is subject to change.

 

Monday, August 11 – Welcome Day

9:00 – 10:00 AM | Check-In | Quad

10:00 – 10:10 AM | Dean’s Welcome | Lecture Hall | Dean Michael Colatrella

10:10 – 10:20 AM | Admissions Team Thank Yous | Lecture Hall | Associate Dean Dan Croxall

10:20 – 10:50 AM | Orientation Overview | Lecture Hall | Assistant Director of Student and Academic Services

10:50 – 12:00 PM | Introductions to Key Staff & Departments | Lecture Hall | Department Heads

12:00 – 1:20 PM | Picnic Lunch | Quad

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

1:30– 2:00 PM | McGeorge's 100th Anniversary Documentary | Lecture Hall | Assistant Dean Ashley Golledge

2:00 – 2:20 PM | 1L Academic Overview | Lecture Hall | Professor Antoinette Pierre-Louis & Assistant Director of Student and Academic Services

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

2:30 – 3:30 PM | Small Study Group Session #1 (Meet Your Study Group) | Various | Torts Fellows

 

Tuesday, August 12 – Academic Day

9:00 – 9:10 AM | Announcements | Lecture Hall | Assistant Director of Student and Academic Services

9:10 – 10:00 PM | Introduction to Digital Resources | Lecture Hall | Associate Director of the Library Monica Sharum & Assistant Director of Student and Academic Services

10:00 – 11:00 AM | How to Read and Brief Cases | Lecture Hall | Professor Antoinette Pierre-Louis

11:00 – 11:10 AM | Break

11:10 AM - 12:00 PM | How to Read and Brief Cases (continued) | Lecture Hall | Professor Antoinette Pierre-Louis

(Note: 20-minute pick up lunch and walk to next session)

12:20 – 1:20 PM | Working Lunch: Study Group Session #2 (Mock Class Preparation) | Various | Torts Fellows

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

1:30 – 2:00 PM | Title IX Training | Lecture Hall | TBD

2:00– 3:30 PM | Campus Tours | Various | Student Volunteers

(Note: No walk window since the tours will end into a social/free period)

3:30 – 4:30 PM | Social

 

Wednesday, August 13 – Campus Culture

9:00 – 9:10 AM | Announcements | Lecture Hall | Assistant Director of Student and Academic Services

9:10 – 10:00 AM | Entrance Counseling & Financial Aid Info | Lecture Hall | Director of Financial Aid Joe Pinkas

10:00 – 10:50 AM | Community Standards for Civil Discourse Presentation | Lecture Hall | TBD

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Community Standards for Civil Discourse Breakout Sessions | Various | Faculty

(Note: No walk window since the session will end into a lunch/free period)

12:00 – 1:20 PM | Picnic Lunch | Quad

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

1:30 – 1:50 PM | Know Your Acronyms Belonging Edition: CID, SBA, UC | Lecture Hall | Student Leaders

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

2:00 – 3:30 PM | Mock Class & Debrief | Classrooms A, B, and G | Faculty

(Note: No walk window since the session will end into a social/free period)

3:30 – 4:30 PM | Social

 

Thursday, August 14 - Wellness

9:00 – 10:30 AM | Stress Relief Activities | Various | TBD

10:30 – 10:40 AM | Announcements | Lecture Hall | Assistant Director of Student and Academic Services

10:40 – 11:15 AM | Know Your Acronyms Wellness Edition: CAPS, SHIP, SHS, SSD | Lecture Hall | Program Directors

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM | Dean’s Session: Balancing Life & Law | Lecture Hall | Associate Dean Jeff Proske

(Note: 20-minute pick up lunch and walk to next session)

12:20 – 1:20 PM | Working Lunch: Balancing Life & Law Breakout Sessions | Various | Faculty

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

1:30 – 2:20 PM | Some Assembly Required - Cultivating Your PASS Attitude | Lecture Hall | Professor Lindsay Harrington

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

2:30 – 3:30 PM | Study Group Session #3 (First Class Preparation) | Various | Torts Fellows

3:30 – 4:30 PM | Social

 

Friday, August 15 – Oath of Professionalism

ALL DAY | OPTIONAL: Oak Park Community Service Activity

4:00 – 5:00 PM | OPTIONAL: How to Support your McGeorge Student* | Classrooms A & B | Students

5:30 – 7:00 PM | Oath of Professionalism and Pinning Ceremony* | Students: Lecture Hall; Family and Friends: Classrooms A & B

7:00 – 8:00 PM | Family & Friends Reception* | Quad

*Friends and family welcome 

* Orientation schedule is subject to change.

 

Monday, August 11 – Welcome Day

5:30 – 6:00 PM | Check-In | Quad

6:00 – 6:05 PM | Dean’s Welcome | Classroom D | Dean Michael Colatrella

6:05 – 6:15 PM | Orientation Overview | Classroom D | Assistant Director of Student and Academic Services

6:15 – 7:00 PM | Introductions to Key Staff & Departments | Classroom D | Department Heads

7:00 – 7:15 PM | Break (Get dinner)

7:15 – 8:00 PM | Working Dinner: Introduction to Digital Resources | Classroom D | Associate Director of the Library Monica Sharum

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

8:10 – 9:00 PM | Small Study Group Session #1 (Meet Your Study Group) | Various | Torts Fellows

 

Tuesday, August 12 – Academic Day

5:30 – 5:40 PM | Announcements | Classroom D | Assistant Director of Student and Academic Services

5:40 – 7:00 PM | How to Read and Brief Cases | Classroom D | Professor Antoinette Pierre-Louis

7:00 – 7:15 PM | Break(Get dinner)

7:15 – 8:00 PM | Working Dinner: Entrance Counseling & Financial Aid Info | Classroom D | Director of Financial Aid Joe Pinkas

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

8:10 – 9:00 PM | Study Group Session #2 (Mock Class Preparation) | Various | Torts Fellows

 

Wednesday, August 13 – Campus Culture

5:30 – 5:40 PM | Announcements | Classroom D | Assistant Director of Student and Academic Services

5:40 – 5:50 PM | Know Your Acronyms Belonging Edition: CID, SBA, UC | Classroom D | Student Leaders

5:50 – 6:30 PM | Community Standards for Civil Discourse Presentation | Classroom D | TBD

6:30 – 6:45 PM | Break (Get dinner)

6:45 – 7:30 PM | Working Dinner: Community Standards for Civil Discourse Breakout Sessions | Classrooms D & E | Faculty

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

7:40 - 8:40 PM | Mock Class & Debrief | Classrooms D | Faculty

8:40 – 9:00 PM | Title IX Training | Classroom D | TBD

 

Thursday, August 14 - Wellness

5:30 – 5:40 PM | Announcements | Classroom D | Assistant Director of Student and Academic Services

5:40 – 6:00 PM | Know Your Acronyms Wellness Edition: CAPS, SHIP, SHS, SSD | Classroom D | Program Directors

6:00 – 6:30 PM | Some Assembly Required - Cultivating Your PASS Attitude | Classroom D | Professor Lindsay Harrington

6:30 – 6:45 PM | Break (Get dinner)

6:45 – 7:45 PM | Working Dinner & Dean’s Session: Balancing Life & Law | Classroom D | Associate Dean Jeff Proske

(Note: 10-minute walking window)

8:10 – 9:00 PM | Study Group Session #3 (First Class Preparation) | Various | Torts Fellows 

 

Friday, August 15 – Oath of Professionalism

ALL DAY | OPTIONAL: Oak Park Community Service Activity

4:00 – 5:00 PM | OPTIONAL: How to Support your McGeorge Student* | Classrooms A & B | Students

5:30 – 7:00 PM | Oath of Professionalism and Pinning Ceremony* | Students: Classroom D; Family and Friends: Classrooms A & B

7:00 – 8:00 PM | Family & Friends Reception* | Quad

* Friends and family welcome. 

Incoming LLM, Exchange, JSD, and Visiting Scholar Students

Student Orientation: Wednesday, Aug. 6 through Friday, Aug. 15, 2025

* Orientation schedule is subject to change.

 

Wednesday, August 6

Arrival All Day
Check-in with Graduate Programs Office | Northwest Hall 2nd Floor

Check-in with Housing, if applicable | Student Life Building | sachousing@pacific.edu

IT Day | Northwest Hall Lobby & S4/S5

1:00 PM | Optional Local Shopping Trip | Meet in front of Northwest Hall

 

Thursday, August 7

Sign up for in-person assistance with email, 3rd party authentication, Wifi, MyPacific & Canvas access 1:1 tech support available from 9:00 am - 11:00 am or 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

1:00 PM | Optional Local Shopping Trip | Meet in front of Northwest Hall

 

Friday, August 8

9:00 - 9:45 AM | Welcome | Northwest Hall 2nd Floor Lobby | Light Breakfast Available

9:45 - 10:15 AM | Arc of Your First Semester; How to Brief a Case | Northwest Hall S4/S5 | Graduate & International Programs Team

10:15 - 10:45 AM | U.S. Bar Exam | Northwest Hall S4/S5 | Graduate & International Programs Team

10:45 - 11:00 AM | Break
11:00 - 11:30 AM | Registrar Services, Degree Works and Class Registration Overview | Office of the Registrar

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM | What I Wish I had Known: Alumni & Student Panel | Northwest Hall S4/S5 | Lunch Provided

1:00 - 1:30 PM | Campus Tour and ID cards | Leave from Northwest Hall

1:30 - 2:00 PM | First Assignments | Northwest Hall S4/S5 | Reading assignment for mock class to be distributed | Graduate & International Programs Team

2:15 - 4:00 PM | Drop-in Office Hours | Offices G1, G2, G3 | Graduate & International Programs Team

 

Saturday, August 9

6:30 PM | Social Gathering | The Hop Gardens Taproom | 2904 Franklin Blvd., Sacramento, CA

For those who would like to walk together, please meet in front of Northwest Hall at 6:15 p.m.

 

Monday, August 11

Light grab-and-go snacks, coffee, tea will be available in Northwest Hall 2nd floor lobby

9:00 - 9:45 AM | Electronic Resources | Classroom A | Associate Director of the Library Monica Sharum 

9:45 - 10:30 AM | Housing Introductions and Q & A | Classroom A | Assistant Director for Housing & Residential Life Ihab Saud

10:30 - 10:45 AM | Break
10:45 - 11:45 AM | Mock Class | Classroom A | Associate Dean Larry Levine

12:00 - 1:15 PM | Picnic Lunch | Quad | Join JD Students

1:15 - 1:45 PM | Dessert Reception | Northwest Hall Lobby | Meet Deans, Faculty & Staff

1:45 - 2:20 PM | Student & Scholar Visa Overview for F-1 or J-1 Visas | Northwest Hall S4/S5 | Graduate & International Programs Team

2:30 - 3:30 PM | Meet Your Study Group - Small Study Group Session #1 | Various locations | Torts Fellows

2:30 - 4:00 PM | Drop-in Office Hours & Academic Counseling* | Offices G1, G2, G3 | Graduate & International Programs Team

*For those not enrolled in Torts small group study sessions.

 

Tuesday, August 12 – Academic Day

9:00 – 9:10 AM | Announcements | Lecture Hall | Assistant Director of Student and Academic Services

9:10 – 10:00 PM | Introduction to Digital Resources | Lecture Hall | Associate Director of the Library Monica Sharum & Assistant Director of Student and Academic Services

10:00 – 11:00 AM | How to Read and Brief Cases | Lecture Hall | Professor Antoinette Pierre-Louis

11:00 – 11:10 AM | Break

11:10 - 12:00 PM | How to Read and Brief Cases (continued) | Lecture Hall | Professor Antoinette Pierre-Louis

(Note: 20-minute pick up lunch and walk to next session)

12:20 – 1:20 PM | Working Lunch: Study Group Session #2 (Mock Class Preparation) | Various | Torts Fellows

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

1:30 – 2:00 PM | Title IX Training | Lecture Hall | TBD

2:00– 3:30PM | Campus Tours | Various | Student Volunteers

(Note: No walk window since the tours will end into a social/free period)

3:30 – 4:30 PM | Social

 

Wednesday, August 13 – Campus Culture

9:00 – 9:10 AM | Announcements | Lecture Hall | Assistant Director of Student and Academic Services

9:10 – 10:00 AM | Entrance Counseling & Financial Aid Info | Lecture Hall | Director of Financial Aid Joe Pinkas

10:00 – 10:50 AM | Community Standards for Civil Discourse Presentation | Lecture Hall | TBD

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

11:00 – 12:00 PM | Community Standards for Civil Discourse Breakout Sessions | Various | Faculty

(Note: No walk window since the session will end into a lunch/free period)

12:00 – 1:20 PM | Picnic Lunch | Quad

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

1:30 – 1:50 PM | Know Your Acronyms Belonging Edition: CID, SBA, UC | Lecture Hall | Student Leaders

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

2:00 – 3:30 PM | Mock Class & Debrief | Classrooms A, B, and G | Faculty

(Note: No walk window since the session will end into a social/free period)

3:30 – 4:30 PM | Social

 

Thursday, August 14 - Wellness

9:00 – 10:30 AM | Stress Relief Activities | Various | TBD

10:30 – 10:40 AM | Announcements | Lecture Hall | Assistant Director of Student and Academic Services

10:40 – 11:15 AM | Know Your Acronyms Wellness Edition: CAPS, SHIP, SHS, SSD | Lecture Hall | Program Directors

11:15 – 12:00 PM | Dean’s Session: Balancing Life & Law | Lecture Hall | Associate Dean Jeff Proske

(Note: 20-minute pick up lunch and walk to next session)

12:20 – 1:20 PM | Working Lunch: Balancing Life & Law Breakout Sessions | Various | Faculty

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

1:30 – 2:20 PM | Some Assembly Required - Cultivating Your PASS Attitude | Lecture Hall | Professor Lindsay Harrington

(Note: 10-minute walk window)

2:30 – 3:30 PM | Study Group Session #3 (First Class Preparation) | Various | Torts Fellows

3:30 – 4:30 PM | Social

 

Friday, August 15 – Oath of Professionalism

ALL DAY | OPTIONAL: Oak Park Community Service Activity

4:00 – 5:00 PM | OPTIONAL: How to Support your McGeorge Student* | Classrooms A & B | Students

5:30 – 7:00 PM | Oath of Professionalism and Pinning Ceremony* | Students: Lecture Hall; Family and Friends: Classrooms A & B

7:00 – 8:00 PM | Family & Friends Reception* | Quad

*Friends and family welcome 

Incoming MPA and MPP Students

Student Orientation: Thursday, Aug. 14 through Friday, Aug. 15, 2025

* Orientation schedule is subject to change.

 

Thursday, August 14

6:00 – 8:00 PM | MPA and MPP Orientation | Virtual

 

Friday, August 15 – Oath of Professionalism

ALL DAY | OPTIONAL: Oak Park Community Service Activity

4:30 – 5:30 PM | Pick up welcome package and ID card & take a campus tour | Meet on the second floor of Northwest Hall 

5:30 – 7:00 PM | Oath of Professionalism and Pinning Ceremony* | Students: Lecture Hall; Family and Friends: Classrooms A & B

7:00 – 8:00 PM | Family & Friends Reception* | Quad

*Friends and family welcome 

Incoming MSL Students

Your orientation course will be available on the McGeorge Canvas page on August 11, 2025.

 

Use the hashtag #IChooseMcGeorge and tag @PacificMcGeorge to document Orientation experiences on social media!


Questions?

Student Services | Email or call us at 916.739.7089

Admissions | Email or call us at 916.739.7105

Orientation 2024 Booklet

Access the digital copy of the Orientation 2024 booklet, which features a comprehensive campus map, an introduction to the Management Team, and a schedule of the Stress Relief Interludes. The booklet also includes essential information about Cafe Bon Appetit, The Bookstore, and the Law Library, as well as details on the First-Year JD Schedules, the Academic Calendar, and a Contacts Sheet.

Orientation 2024 Booklet