As the oldest law school in the Southwestern U.S., the Gould School of Law began in 1896 as a series of informal lectures to law apprentices in a judge's courtroom. Today, the key word at Gould is interdisciplinary: USC Law's trademark is its incorporation of the law with other academic areas, particularly the humanities, exemplified by its 16 joint degree offerings. The school also has several lauded clinical programs, including a small business clinic and an immigration clinic. Students can also participate in an exchange program with Caltech, jointly established with the Center for the Study of Law and Politics.

The first-year JD curriculum at USC includes the standard fare, as well as the course on the interaction of law and society called Law, Language, and Ethics. In general, classes tend to focus more on the theory of law than on bar exam material and the nuts-and-bolts of lawyering. USC doesn't rank its students and will only notify them if they are in the top 10 percent of their class. This move serves to ease the competitive atmosphere somewhat.