1155 Island Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: 619.297.9700; 800.956.5070; Fax: 619.961.1300
E-mail: admissions@tjsl.edu; Website: www.tjsl.edu
Thomas Jefferson School of Law (TJSL) is a private, nonprofit, and independent law school. Accredited by the ABA and a member of AALS, the law school emphasizes an individualized approach to learning by integrating the cognitive sciences and learning theory into its curriculum.
The flexible curriculum allows students to begin their studies in either August or January. Also, students can pursue a law degree in a full- or part-time (day or evening) program and accelerate graduation by attending classes in the summer. This multitrack approach, traceable to the school's roots as a longtime supporter of military personnel and working adults, gives students the option of pursuing a law degree full or part time while continuing their employment.
Thomas Jefferson utilizes a rolling admission process under which applicants are considered when their applications are complete. While there is no deadline for the fall or spring term, applications are accepted through July for the fall term and through December for the spring term. However, due to the large applicant pool, early applications are encouraged. The Admissions Committee functions with a holistic approach, which includes considering the applicant's LSAT score, undergraduate record, extracurricular activities, work ethic and experience, and demonstrated ability to overcome adversity. Decisions are made and sent out on a rolling basis.
The law school recently moved into a new eight-story, high-rise building in Downtown San Diego. The law school expects to earn Gold Level certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System of the US Green Building Council. The $70-million campus features a state-of-the-art library, in-house legal clinics, and a café. The location places students within walking distance from many law firms, major businesses, and the state and federal courts. Student housing is available within one block of the law school.
The mission of the Thomas Jefferson School of Law is to provide an outstanding legal education for a nationally based, diverse student body in a collegial and supportive environment. The law school lives up to that mission in every way. The TJSL campus truly reflects its commitment to diversity: the student body is gender-balanced, 20 percent of the students are the first in their family to attend law school, students of color consistently represent between 30–35 percent of the student body, many students are openly GLBT, at least 20 percent are multilingual, and they represent more than 23 countries.
San Diego is uniquely situated and has major advantages for the study of law, professional development, and personal fulfillment. Its mild Mediterranean climate promises nearly 265 days of sunshine annually and moderate temperatures throughout the year. As the border city to Tijuana, Mexico, and just 120 miles south of Los Angeles, San Diego is a training ground for everything from international law to entertainment law. Also, as the second largest city in California and the eighth largest city in the United States, it is a vibrant social and economic center.
TJSL is proud to have a first-rate faculty consisting of distinguished practitioners and scholars. Our professors have structured business transactions at both the international and the domestic levels and have litigated before the World Court at The Hague, the US Supreme Court, and federal and state trial and appellate courts. Their clients have ranged from the largest multinational corporations to the most impoverished members of society.
All 44 members of our faculty pride themselves on providing quality instruction and being accessible to students outside the classroom. First-year students are assigned faculty advisors, but all members of the faculty emphasize being available to students outside of class.
Our academic resources consist of a writing lab, student organization-led study sessions, and individual feedback from professors. However, the anchor of our academic resources is the highly effective academic success program, the SUMMIT Series, which is a part of the first-year curriculum and continues until preparation for the bar exam. The series brings scientific principles in psychology, neuroscience, and cognitive science to the study of law and equips students with a personal and succinct methodology for acquiring the fundamental skills to succeed in law school and on the bar exam. Our Bar Secrets course is a continuation of these principles and is a proven means of preparing for the California bar exam.
The academic program at Thomas Jefferson School of Law has been carefully designed to ensure a balanced and comprehensive curriculum that will prepare students to practice in any area of the law. During their first semester, entering students have the opportunity, in all their courses, to receive feedback from the faculty on their written legal analytical skills in order to enhance their understanding of the course material and hone their performance prior to final exams.
Academic Centers. A growing faculty has allowed the school to acquire special strengths in the areas of law that most reflect our changing world; that is, those relating to technological change, globalization, and the transformation of our social order. To provide an institutional framework for the study of these embryonic areas of law, the school has established four Academic Centers:
The Externship Program. Rated as one of the top law schools in the United States for externships, TJSL offers a large number of courses that train students in professional skills, supplemented by a variety of field-placement programs. Our externship coordinator works with students to place them in an endless number and type of for-credit legal positions. Past placements consist of public legal agencies, private law firms, corporations, and sports teams. Students may earn up to 10 credits from externship placements.
In eight semesters, students can earn a Juris Doctor degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law and a Master of Business Administration degree from San Diego State University (SDSU). The objective of the concurrent degree program is to prepare students who are competent in both law and business for career opportunities in areas where the two fields converge.
Applicants must adhere to the application process for each institution, including taking both the LSAT for law school admission and GMAT for business school admission. The curricular sequence requires students to attend their first two semesters as a full-time student at TJSL. Students take classes at both campuses the following semesters.
Thomas Jefferson School of Law offers three LLM (Master of Laws) programs and a JSD (Scientiae Juridicae Doctor) via residence, web and videoconferencing, and a combination thereof. Two of the LLMs—International Trade and Investment and International Tax and Financial Services—create practice-ready graduates set to engage with globally oriented firms and clients. The third LLM is for foreign law graduates to obtain a working knowledge of the US legal system, and obtain eligibility for certain state bar exams. The JSD is the interchangeable equivalent to a PhD in the social sciences, requiring a publicly defended, substantial dissertation and postgraduate coursework.
Thomas Jefferson School of Law has more than 30 student organizations that provide a source of mutual support for various groups of students, including the Student Bar Association, Black Law Students Association, Student Veterans of America, and the Criminal Law Society. Student organizations are also formed as a result of heightened student interest in substantive areas of law practice, such as the International Law Society, the Entertainment and Sports Law Societies, and the Public Interest Law Foundation. These organizations promote leadership within the community, as well as programming on various areas of the law. Student leaders serve as members of law school committees and provide a student voice to decision making. Student managed and edited publications include the Thomas Jefferson Law Review and the iPlog, which focuses on intellectual property. Cocurricular programs include the Moot Court, Mock Trial, and Alternative Dispute Resolution teams.
Currently staffed by four diverse lawyers, the Career Services team members work closely with the Externship Office to provide individual counseling to every student. Starting in the first semester, the staff works to develop a personal relationship with each student to assess interests and preferences, and develop strategies for securing internships. From there, the staff continues to engage and work closely with each student in every phase of the student's law school career, from developing a legal résumé and cover letter to helping the student negotiate a salary for the first postgraduate legal position. With an active on-campus recruiting program, the Career Services Office uses cutting-edge technology to assist students with securing internships and postgraduate positions. This includes providing every student with access to Symplicity, a comprehensive, web-based legal recruiting tool through which a student applies for internships and postgraduate legal positions. Communication with students about job postings and career-related topics is done through the school's website and with the help of most social media outlets including Twitter and Facebook.
TJSL commits more than $5 million annually in scholarship assistance. Over 40 percent of first-year students receive awards that range from $4,000 to full-tuition scholarships. Offering both need- and merit-based scholarships, TJSL uses its funds for both recruitment as well as retention. Initial awards are based on information accessible through the application. Applicants who have significant financial need and would like to be considered for financial aid may submit a separate request for scholarship consideration. All scholarship recipients receive a detailed offer letter containing the terms of the award and any criteria for renewal.
The law school also makes awards from all available federal sources, including the work-study program, Direct Loan programs, Perkins Loans, and Veterans benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Approximately 95 percent of the student body receives some form of federal assistance. Applicants should submit the FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov. Our school code is 013780.