In a significant legal setback for those fighting to preserve Golden Gate University School of Law, a San Francisco judge has ruled against students and alumni seeking to halt the institution’s closure. The judge dismissed their lawsuit and rejected their request for an injunction to keep the school open for the upcoming fall semester.
Judge Richard Ulmer found that the plaintiffs had not provided adequate evidence to support their claims. However, he allowed the possibility for the case to be revised and resubmitted. Despite this setback, the plaintiffs, represented by Golden Gate Law alum Ryan Griffith, remain undeterred. Griffith plans to submit an amended complaint soon and will request another injunction.
Golden Gate University, which announced the discontinuation of its J.D. program in May due to declining enrollment, poor employment outcomes, and low bar passage rates, stated that many affected students have already secured spots at other law schools, including the University of San Francisco and Mitchell Hamline.
The plaintiffs’ lawsuit, filed in February, alleges that the university failed to disclose its financial troubles and did not provide adequate transfer options for its students. They also proposed that a court-appointed receiver could potentially salvage the law school, but this notion was deemed premature by Judge Ulmer.
