CWSL Viewbook

The Future-Focused LAW SCHOOL

Society is constantly in flux, socially, economically, and politically. The law adapts to these changes. So, too, should your law school.

California Western takes a unique approach to preparing lawyers who can navigate the ever-changing legal landscape.

Our students are immersed in a curriculum that follows a logical progression. We teach basic legal skills in the first year, before advancing in the second year to key competencies, such as negotiation and counseling in a simulated law firm setting. During the third year, students can hone these skills working with real clients in the field.

These hands-on opportunities range from our award-winning moot court teams to externing with organizations such as the San Diego Public Defender Office or the San Diego County District Attorney. Our clinics offer experience with impact, such as helping free wrongly convicted individuals with the California Innocence Project, assisting entrepreneurs and content creators through our New Media Rights clinic, or providing legal services to under-served populations through the Community Law Project.

This impact adds up to a major investment in our community, as our students provide thousands of hours of pro bono and public service work for organizations throughout San Diego.

California Western also stays on top of emerging trends in the legal industry to prepare students for the future. In the last two years, we have made a multi-million-dollar investment in forming a Law, Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Center and this fall, we will be launching a Law, Justice, and Technology initiative, both of which will make the school a hub for research and advocacy on the pressing legal questions of the day.

Join us to start the journey to a career of meaning and impact.

Sean M. Scott President and Dean

1. 2.

TOP 5 REASONS TO CHOOSE CALIFORNIA WESTERN

Dynamic San Diego

San Diego offers a unique mix of features that make it a global destination.

• Home to nearly 1.4 million residents yet enjoys the feel of a smaller urban area.

• Fourth largest economy in California, thanks to a mix of industries including defense, tourism, biotechnology, and biopharmaceutical.

• Big brands like Qualcomm and elite institutions like the Salk Institute are headquartered in San Diego, and it’s also known as a top location for startups.

The Art and Science of Lawyering

In your legal career, you will become a counselor, a negotiator, and an advocate for your clients. California Western will provide you with the education and research experience to perform these roles ethically and competently.

Our unique experiential learning programs will give you the practical experience you need to become an effective lawyer. Such programs include the nationally renowned California Innocence Project and the award-winning Competitive Advocacy Program.

3.

A School that Represents Society

California Western welcomes students from all backgrounds and creates an intellectual environment that challenges future lawyers to think about how best to pursue justice.

The law school has been lauded for its diversity by US News and World Report and the National Jurist. In 2022 we launched a $4M Endowed Fund for Law, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, including student scholarships.

4. 5.

Blending Legal Theory and Practice

California Western builds legal skills with a logical, intentional progression. Students are taught to translate theoretical concepts into daily application, and then given numerous opportunities to hone those skills through externships or clinics like New Media Rights, which helps creators and entrepreneurs scale their businesses.

Throughout the program, students are prepared for success in the job search process and in the workplace with services such as mock interviews and career counseling, along with training in negotiation and ethics.

Expert Faculty

FACULTY IN THE MEDIA

William Aceves | Constitutional and International Law

Nancy Marcus | Legal issues surrounding Gender and Sexuality

Erin Sheley | White Collar Crime and Criminal Law

Susan Bisom-Rapp | Employment Law

Richard Oppong | Contracts

Emily Behzadi | Art Law and NFTs

Pooja Dadhania | Immigration, Asylum, and Refugee Law

Hannah Brenner Johnson | Gender and Law, the Supreme Court

PROGRAMS

THREE-YEAR PROGRAM

Students traditionally complete the JD program in six full-time trimesters taken over 3 years.

Students can take summers off to complete an internship, engage in research, or supplement their academic studies in other ways.

YOUR FIRST YEAR AT A GLANCE

PART-TIME OPTION

This option is designed for students seeking additional time and flexibility due to outside responsibilities.

Students take an established sequence of required courses over their first three trimesters part-time.

Below is a list of the classes you will take in your first year of law school:

FIRST TRIMESTER

Civil Procedure I (3 units)

Contracts I (3 units)

Criminal Law (3 units)

Legal Skills I (3 units)

Property I (3 units)

SECOND TRIMESTER

Civil Procedure II (3 units)

Contracts II (3 units)

Legal Skills II (3 units)

Property II (3 units)

Torts I (3 units)

“I know from personal experience that justice is not always served if people don’t have the resources and help they need to navigate the legal system. As a staff fellow working for the California Innocence Project, I now have the power to help guide our clients through that process.

I also know that by becoming a lawyer, I can show other first-generation Latina women—especially those from humble backgrounds like mine—that this is a dream they can truly achieve.”

CLAUDIA SALINAS, ’21

STAFF ATTORNEY FELLOW, CALIFOR NIA INNOCENCE PROJECT

Our Commitment to DIV ERSITY

At California Western, you’ll find an inclusive and diverse community that welcomes and accepts people for who they are. We view diversity in the broadest meaning of the word and understand that our strengths come from our differences. We foster a welcoming community for all students, regardless of background or current situation.

LAW, EQUITY, INCLUSION & DIVERSITY

Systemic oppression permeates our society, and it has inhibited social and economic mobility for many. Much of that discrimination is rooted in the American legal system, which means that as lawyers and conscientious citizens, we have the opportunity to create real and lasting change, making society more just and equitable.

Our new Center for Law, Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity (LEID) will be an intellectual hub where the next generation of critical thinkers will challenge systemic oppression, racism, and injustice. By placing traditionally marginalized voices and their experiences at the center of the discussion, we will fulfill our mission to train ethical, competent, and compassionate lawyers representative of our diverse society.

With a $4 million endowed fund, we have created an LEID Chair and a Scholar-inResidence post to attract the best social justice academics in the world; an ongoing lecture series, which will bring in leading scholars and legal professionals to discuss their pioneering work on civil rights; and a scholarship fund to provide direct support to students pursuing social justice, ensuring their success while at California Western, in passing the Bar, and leading meaningful and successful legal careers.

JD/M BA DUAL-DEGREE WITH SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY (SDSU)

Participants must apply separately to CWSL and SDSU. Students must first apply to CWSL and begin the J.D. program before applying to SDSU College of Business. Application to SDSU is to be made before the end of the first year at CWSL, to begin coursework at SDSU after either two or three trimesters at CWSL. The two schools may share transcripts and other information to facilitate admissions.

CWSL

Applicants must take the LSAT or GRE, register for the LSDAS, complete an application (including a personal statement and letters of recommendation), and pay a fee. For the Fall entering class, the priority application deadline is April 1. For more information, see the CWSL website: cwsl.edu/admissions

SDSU

Applicants must complete an online application through CSU Apply and Interfolio and pay a fee. For more information, see the SDSU website: https://business.sdsu.edu/grad/apply SDSU application deadline on CalApply is March 1 and on Interfolio is April 1. Although GMAT or GRE is not required for admission, we recommend that students with a GPA of below 3.2 submit a GMAT or GRE score.

PROGRAM

California Western will accept 9 units from San Diego State University and in turn, San Diego State University will accept 9 units of law courses from California Western. For instance, if you earn 78 units at California Western and 27 credits at San Diego State, you will have earned enough credits to graduate from both programs.

You must complete the requirements for admission and graduation at both institutions in order to earn a JD and MBA.

Degrees are awarded concurrently.

Separate applications and fees must be submitted to California Western and San Diego State University.

ENSURING YOUR ACADEMIC SUCCESS

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAMS

Teaching Fellows Program

• high-performing upper division students help 1Ls succeed

1L Year Program

• How to Succeed in Law School Workshops

• Legal Methods

BAR REVIEW PROGRAM

2L Year Program

• Advanced Legal Analysis (ALA)

3L Year Program

• Pre-Bar Review Program

Post-Graduation

• California Bar Review Course

CLINICS & PROGRAMS

Our goal is to ensure that you graduate with the skills, knowledge, and values necessary for 21st century law practice. To achieve this goal, the California Western JD curriculum has been carefully sequenced with an array of experiential courses, including clinics, externships, and simulation courses.

ACCESS TO LAW INITIATIVE

The Access to Law Initiative brings affordable and pro bono assistance to people who lack access to legal services, while supporting California Western graduates who engage in solo or small firm practice or participate in a nonprofit entity.

COMPETITIVE ADVOCACY PROGRAM

The Competitive Advocacy Program gives students the opportunity to learn real-life courtroom skills from practicing attorneys. Our advocacy teams compete both nationally and locally in Trial, Appellate, and Negotiation competitions. California Western teams have won two National Negotiation Championships in the last three years.

CALIFORNIA INNOCENCE PROJECT

The California Innocence Project is a law school clinical program in which California Western students help identify, investigate, and litigate claims of actual innocence. Since its inception in 1999, the project has helped to free more than 40 wrongly incarcerated individuals.

EXPERIENTIAL COURSES

Experiential courses allow you to learn and practice what lawyers actually do. Our goal is to ensure that you graduate with the skills, knowledge and values necessary for 21st century law practice. To achieve this goal, the California Western J.D. curriculum has been carefully sequenced with an array of experiential courses, including clinics, externships, and simulation courses.

COMMUNITY LAW PROJECT

The Community Law Project provides legal advice to low-income and indigent members of the local community, while developing a commitment to public service in California Western students who work within the clinics. We offer legal clinics in the San Diego communities of City Heights, Downtown, and Solana Beach.

CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIA

California Western regularly hosts conferences and symposia exploring emerging trends in the law and legal education.

NEW MEDIA RIGHTS

New Media Rights is a non-profit program that provides legal services, education, and advocacy for Internet users and creators. California Western students work closely with program staff and clients to analyze policies related to online content creation. Students can help create informational videos, prepare policy briefs, and contribute to the program’s work with the FCC and other agencies.

PRO BONO AND PUBLIC SERVICE HONORS PROGRAMS

The Pro Bono and Public Service Honors Programs provide students the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on legal experience while simultaneously helping to address the unmet legal needs of disadvantaged or underrepresented individuals. During the 2022-2023 academic year, our students contributed more than 13,500 hours of service to government agencies and non-profit organizations and earned marks of distinction on their academic transcripts.

MONICA SHERMAN GHIGLIA ’09

“I really appreciated the school’s focus on practical training. There were a number of programs and clinics that seemed to really prepare law students for real work as an attorney, and that was very attractive to me. They really helped prepare me for the ‘real world.’”

Get Real-Life Experience With Our CLI NICAL EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Through our Clinical Externship Program, you can earn academic credit for legal work in nonprofit agencies, private law offices, courts, corporations or government agencies. Externships are available in almost any area of law with local, national, and international placements. The Clinical Externship Program emphasizes hands-on learning and will allow you to participatein a variety of lawyering activities and acquire valuable legal experience.

“By the time I finished at Cal Western, I had delivered half a dozen opening and closing arguments. This is in addition to more direct and cross-examinations than I can count. That’s the secret ingredient to a Cal Western education—it is the place to be if you want to become a practice-ready attorney.”

RYAN STYGAR ’20

“I WANT YOU TO UNLEASH THE POWER THAT YOU HAVE TO HELP IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OTHERS SO THAT THEY CAN FIND JUSTICE IN THE WORLD.”

Judge Michael Washington ’94, SAN DIEGO SUPERIOR COURT