Stanford Law Graduation Events

Tickets are not required for graduation. We ask each graduate to keep the number under 6 if at all possible, and to RSVP to let us know how many guests they plan to bring.

We will have COVID protocols in place, though the details of that process are still forthcoming. Check this space later in Spring quarter.

We do not reserve seating except for wheelchair users (see relevant FAQ). We will have plenty of seating for everyone, so there is no need to arrive super early. Most folks arrive about 30-45 minutes early.

The ceremony usually lasts about an hour and a half and no more than two hours. The reception will last another hour and a half, or until the food and champagne run out.

The norm seems to be business or business casual or summer garden party – so dresses or slacks for women and suits or sport coat and slacks for men. We recommend layering as the bay area microclimates are a thing. It can be terribly hot in the afternoon and then drop 15 degrees once the sun goes down.

Parking Structure #6 (the garage under Wilbur Field).

SLS will operate golf carts between the parking garage and the ceremony site to shuttle guests with mobility concerns to the ceremony. Pick up will be located at the corner of Bowdoin Lane and Arguello Way.

FROM HIGHWAY 101 Take the Embarcadero Road (West) exit. Embarcadero turns into Galvez right after El Camino. Turn left on Campus Drive (the first stop sign after the stadium), and proceed toward the Law School. You will see signs directing you to Parking Structure #6/Law School Graduation parking. Turn right into the Wilbur parking lot and follow the signs to Parking Structure #6.

FROM HIGHWAY 280 Take the Alpine Road exit and proceed east. Turn right at the first traffic light (Junipero Serra) and left at the second light (Campus Drive East). Proceed past the Law School to the fourth stop sign. By then you should be seeing SLS signs. Turn left into the Wilbur parking lot and follow the signs to Parking Structure #6.

Yes. Golf carts will be available near Parking Structure #6, at the corner of Bowdoin Lane and Arguello Way, to shuttle guests with mobility concerns to the ceremony. Please let Holly (hparrish@law.stanford.edu) know if anyone in your family will need wheelchair accessible seating. In order to accommodate guests using wheelchairs, or those with other disability-related needs, we request only one companion per seat.

We will have assistive listening devices available, please see a staff person at the program table if you need one.

For other accessibility concerns (sign language or captioning services, alternative materials requests, etc.), please submit a request at least 2 weeks in advance through the commencement webpage: https://commencement.stanford.edu/accessibility

We will have covering for the stage and all the seats that the graduates will be sitting in. The covering will extend and will cover most guests but not everyone. We will try to situate as many of the other seats under the trees and umbrellas as we can; but, unfortunately, some seats will still be in the sun. If the shade is not sufficient for your family member, the upper breezeway will be open. So, people who are feeling too hot are welcome to go to either place to get out of the sun for awhile. The ceremony is amplified, so they should be able to hear.

Also, we will have plenty of water both for graduates and guests. There will be water stations for guests.

Stanford University’s Commencement ceremony is typically in Stanford Stadium (on the corner of El Camino and Galvez). More information is available here: https://commencement.stanford.edu/. .

Communications feels that, in the land of iPhone apps, tech start-ups and social networks, it only seems natural that graduates should end their time here at SLS by tweeting. So, if you use Twitter or Instagram, you and your family can use the hashtag #SLSgrad throughout graduation day and share your thoughts and pictures with the SLS community.  The ceremony will also be videotaped and posted to the website in the near future.

We are exploring the possibility of live-streaming the event, but cannot guarantee that option at this time.

We ask that you remain comfortably in your seat during the ceremony. Staff from Grad Images will take individual photographs of each graduate during the ceremony. After the ceremony, graduates will be able to go on-line, view their photograph and place an order.

If you must get near the stage to take a photo, please do so quickly and do not block any aisles or obstruct the view of others. The area around the stage will be roped off to keep our path clear during the ceremony. Please do not enter the roped-off area, and respect any instructions provided by on-site staff.