IRVINE, Calif. (March 11, 2025) — The University of California, Irvine School of Law and the Korea Law Center announce the launch of the Korea Law Center Scholars Program. The pioneering, first-of-its-kind scholarship initiative is designed to attract exceptional students who are passionate about exploring legal issues facing the Korean American community and who wish to give back and make a difference in their communities.
The program will be hosted by UC Irvine School of Law and the Korea Law Center in collaboration with program partners, including the Orange County Korean American Bar Association (OCKABA), leaders in the Korean American community, and the local judiciary.
UC Irvine School of Law — with the Korea Law Center; world-leading faculty, staff, alumni, visiting scholars, and research fellows with deep connections to the Korean and Korean American communities; and the support of the Irvine, Orange County, and Southern California legal, business, and philanthropic communities — has become the premier place in the world for scholars interested in the intersection of U.S. and Korean law, culture, and society. UC Irvine Law’s engagements with the Korean legal community — including forging one-of-a-kind partnership initiatives with top law schools in Korea and sending delegations to South Korea — underscore the Law School’s reputation as an intellectual powerhouse with tremendous support and opportunities for Korean lawyers and scholars.
The Korea Law Center Scholars Program builds on that strength by offering a unique, innovative opportunity for students to engage with issues impacting the Korean American community and U.S.-Korean relations.
“The Korea Law Center Scholars Program is designed to empower a group of talented students with significant opportunities for mentorship, international exposure, and hands-on legal research,” said Dean and Chancellor’s Professor of Law Austen Parrish. “Investing in these future leaders not only reinforces our commitment to academic excellence but also strengthens the vital ties between U.S. and Korean communities. We look forward to witnessing the impact our scholars will undoubtedly have on their communities and beyond.”
“From the outset, our students have been the most important stakeholders of the Korea Law Center. We are very excited to launch this program which will attract to our law school exceptional students whose talents and vision align with the mission of the Korea Law Center,” said Faculty Director and Professor of Law Sung Eun (Summer) Kim. “The Korea Law Center just celebrated its 15th anniversary, and we look forward to inviting a new generation of students to co-build with us the next brilliant chapter of the Korea Law Center.”
The Korea Law Center Scholars Program is designed to empower a group of talented students with significant opportunities for mentorship, international exposure, and hands-on legal research. Investing in these future leaders not only reinforces our commitment to academic excellence but also strengthens the vital ties between U.S. and Korean communities.
Austen Parrish
Dean and Chancellor’s Professor of Law
Program Highlights and Benefits
Each year, up to five outstanding scholars will be selected based on:
- Scholarly Achievement & Leadership Potential: Demonstrated academic excellence and the promise of leadership in the legal field.
- Passion for U.S. and Korean Relations: A strong interest in addressing legal issues affecting the Korean American community or navigating the complex dynamics between U.S. and Korean law.
- Character and Commitment: High standards of integrity, community commitment, and a dedication to serving others, with a particular preference for first-generation law students and those from low-income backgrounds with a commitment to public service.
The program has been designed to be the most distinguished academic scholarship of its kind, providing unparalleled support and mentorship. Key benefits of the program include:
- Guaranteed Scholarship. Admitted students who meet or exceed prior year LSAT/UGPA medians will receive a minimum scholarship of $90,000 (i.e., $30,000 per year over three years). Students not meeting the median thresholds are still encouraged to apply and may receive partial funding.
- Mentorship. Each student designated as a UC Irvine Korea Law Center Scholar will be paired with: (1) an upper-division student mentor and (2) an attorney mentor. In addition, the selected student will have the privilege to be introduced to prominent local and national leaders in the Korean and Korean American legal communities.
- 1L Summer Position. Korea Law Center Scholars will receive support to find a 1L summer position working with some of the nation’s foremost leaders and trailblazers in the Korean and Korean American legal, business and civic communities.
- Visit to South Korea. Korea Law Center Scholars will be invited in their 1L summer to spend a week in South Korea (with flight, accommodation, and meals covered by the Korea Law Center) to visit the Korea Law Center’s partners.
- 2L & 3L Research Fellow Position. Members of the Korea Law Center Scholars Program, in their second and third years, will serve as Korea Law Center Research Fellows. Students in the program will assist the Korea Law Center in its important work, including the Korean Lawyers in America Project (KLAP) research initiative, and serve as mentors to new incoming 1L scholars.
- Networking and Other Benefits. Korea Law Center Scholars will: (1) be members of the Orange County Korean American Bar Association and be invited to their events in the Orange County Legal Community; (2) be invited to attend talks by speakers, visiting scholar roundtables, conferences, networking and other events hosted by the Korea Law Center, including invitations to special campus Lunar New Year and Chuseok holiday celebrations; (3) be invited to attend various national conferences and events organized by the Korea Law Center’s international and domestic partners. The expectation is that Korea Law Center Scholars, after graduation, would stay connected with the Korea Law Center and would be invited to the Center and UC Irvine Law alumni events.
For more information about the Korea Law Center Scholars Program, contact the Korea Law Center’s Program Director Grace Lee: glee@law.uci.edu
Application Process
Prospective scholars must apply to UC Irvine School of Law through the regular admissions process and submit a one-page essay outlining their interest in the Korea Law Center Scholars Program, addressing the selection criteria. The inaugural pilot for the 2025-26 academic year aims to recruit one to three students, with subsequent classes expanding to up to five scholars per year.
About the Korea Law Center at the University of California, Irvine School of Law
The Korea Law Center is one of only three Korea Law Centers in the United States. The mission of the Korea Law Center is to study and promote solutions to issues arising at the intersection of U.S. and Korean Law. The Korea Law Center was established in 2009 to serve as a platform for exchange, collaboration, and the sharing of knowledge between students, legal scholars, judges, lawyers, and policymakers from South Korea and the United States. The Korea Law Center hosts 20-30 visiting scholars from South Korea each semester, one to two visiting faculty from Korea each year, and several Research Fellows, who are members of the UC Irvine Law J.D. and LL.M. class with research and career interests related to South Korea. The Korea Law Center has long-standing relationships with the Supreme Court of Korea, the Constitutional Court of Korea, and the top law schools in South Korea as well as strong community connections with the Orange County Korean American Bar Association and the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles. The Center engages in significant programming throughout the year, including a bi-annual Visiting Scholar Roundtable, Distinguished Public Lecture and Speaker Series, Conferences, Career Panels, and a summer curricular program.
About the University of California, Irvine School of Law
The University of California, Irvine School of Law is a visionary law school that provides an innovative and comprehensive curriculum, prioritizes public service, and demonstrates a commitment to equity within the legal profession. At UC Irvine Law, we are driven to improve our local, national, and global communities by grappling with important issues as scholars, as practitioners, and as teachers who are preparing the next generation of leaders. The collaborative and interdisciplinary community at UC Irvine Law includes extraordinary students, world-renowned faculty, dedicated staff, engaged alumni, and enthusiastic supporters. Connect with us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Threads, and sign up for our monthly newsletter for the latest news and events at UC Irvine Law.