California Western School of Law

Why California Western?

You will become a lawyer. You have known, perhaps for a long time, that is what you want to be. Now you are at this threshold—where will you study? Who will prepare you? At California Western School of Law, we view these next three years as a joint venture. A partnership. You bring your raw potential, your intellect, your individuality—complemented by an undeniable degree of grit and drive.

We will meet you, support you, and push you to become what you want to be.

What you’ll find here is that we recognize your potential—like an employer will one day, or a future client in need of your skills—and we’ll tailor a law school experience that is unique to you. Engage fully, dig deeply, and you will tap your potential here. You will become what you were born to be.

Curriculum

You are on a path of mastery. Every course you choose, every experience you seek out accumulates as you push yourself to become a lawyer. The environment, the culture, the professors, and the team who help you to prepare must be a good match.

We think you need to know this about us: We value justice—not just as an ideal, but as a societal issue to wrestle with every day. We have just one of 16 innocence projects in the nation—the California Innocence Project—that fights injustice every day. Our Community Law Project serves the underserved in our community. Our New Media Rights clinic serves artists and emerging Internet entrepreneurs. And our Immigration Clinic serves a vital role in a city just 20 miles from the border with Mexico. While you are here, these clinics and other experiences are available to you because you cannot simply learn the law in your head. You must—and will—learn to embody the practice of being a lawyer while you’re here.

We also want you to respect what it means to be a JD in society. For years, California Western has been honored by the President’s Community Service Honor Roll. We have an ethos of doing good—of serving others, of making society better.

Diversity of Identities

California is widely acknowledged for the diverse makeup of its population, as no single racial or ethnic group comprises a majority in the state. However, this model represents just one expression of diversity.

We believe the practice of law must be accessible to all. To us, diversity is not just a number to represent on our class profile stats. It must reflect our society. When we say that nearly half of our recent incoming classes self-identify as racial or ethnic minorities, it is because our metric is to mirror society.

Don’t Just Pass the Bar, Raise It

Ultimately, the proof of your experience here at California Western is whether you pass the bar. That is pass-go—your ticket to becoming the lawyer you wish to be. Our first-time test takers consistently pass the California bar at or above the California state average. Why is that impressive? The California bar exam is regarded as the most difficult to pass.

It’s Always Sunny in San Diego

Yes, the weather is essentially perfect and the craft beer is world-renowned.

But there’s a lot more to San Diego, especially for law students and attorneys who can choose to work in one of the city’s burgeoning industries.

San Diego is a hub of innovation—known for thriving biotech, health care, telecommunications, and action sports conglomerates. It’s also home to many national and international law firms, right in Cal Western’s backyard.

Our downtown location at the heart of the region’s legal and political community allows students to walk, bike, or take public transit to nearby internship, public service, and clinical learning opportunities—all of which can be built in to your personalized JD curriculum. California Western alumni are well positioned in both the private and public sectors of San Diego’s legal community, many of whom secure positions with the District Attorney’s and Public Defender’s offices.

With the US-Mexico border only 20 miles away, our students can literally choose to be on the front lines of immigration reform, and take advantage of the law school’s many international ties.

Of course, we would be remiss not to mention that San Diego’s average daily temperature ranges from 65 degrees in January to 77 degrees in August.

The Trimester System: More Options to Meet Your Needs

At California Western, we value the unique interests, professional background, and myriad individual demands that dictate how much time you can devote to your legal education.

Our versatile trimester system allows you to begin school in either fall (August) or spring (January). After the first two full-time trimesters, students can choose which trimester(s) to take off, participate in an internship, study abroad, or accommodate family and personal obligations.

Not everyone can go to law school full-time. As such, we also offer part-time and two-year programs to meet the needs of more students in pursuit of their JD.

Financial Support

We recognize that law school is an investment in your future, and that most students are not able to afford law school without some form of financial assistance. The Financial Aid Office at California Western offers help navigating the process from the very beginning, administers student loans and work-study programs, and coordinates scholarships awarded by other departments.

At Cal Western, we choose to invest in you—in your time, your career, and your passion for justice. We will prepare you to pass the bar and land a job, but we’ll also partner with you to use your education for good.

Come to California Western. Apply yourself. Become what you want to be.