Law School in San Diego - California Western School of Law

From Lawyer to Law Professor and Back Again

"Practicing law makes us better teachers because we are conveying to students what it means to be a lawyer."

Latin American Lawyers Laud CWSL’s Spanish Trial Skills Academy

“This program has been a watershed in my professional life.”

Making the Right Choice

“Cal Western really prepares you.”

From Gridiron Glory to Prosecutorial Powerhouse

“I was sold on the idea of being a lawyer.”

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce Speaks at California Western

“Markets tend to be more flexible than regulators are.”

SCOTUS Watch: War Memorial or Religious Display

A case that will remind many San Diegans of the Mt. Soledad cross controversy.

Taming the Toughest Bar Exam in the US

“Nothing brings people together like studying for law school exams.”

In Memoriam: Craig D. Higgs

March 19, 1944 – February 6, 2019

NMR Files Comments with Copyright Office Requesting Registration Modernization

“Our current system benefits large copyright holders.”

Alumna Reveals the Secret to Success

“The toughest things you go through in life really do make you stronger.”

Alumna Holds the Line at the Vanguard of Refugee Crisis

“I see our community members experience a fear of being separated from their family at any moment.”

War and Peace: An LLM Alum’s Incredible Journey

“My strength was positivity and hope.”

The Hypocrisy of Veterinary Lien Laws

“Owners have informally elevated the status of dogs from personal property to ‘members of the family.’”

Reflective Practice: A Critical Habit for Successful Lawyers

“Reflective practice has particular application to teaching legal ethics.”

Seventh and Eighth Graders Get Their First Taste of Law School

“Being happy and passionate about what you do is important."

Experiential Learning Gives CWSL Students the Advantage in Justicia Scholarship Awards

“It is all about what you have experienced, and you can't change that.”

Time to Take Our Digital Sovereignty Seriously

“Sorry doesn’t cut it.”

Estate Planning is ‘essential’ in California Reveals CWSL Alum

“It takes only $150,000 in assets to kick a person’s estate over into the probate court system.”

Prof. James Cooper on the Gathering Pace of ‘AI for Social Good’

“It is time to consider people above profit.”

California Western Community Law Project Receives Grants

“These grants have allowed us to make a tremendous impact on the lives of hundreds of clients.”

Law Change Forces Alum to Switch Focus

“Almost overnight the formation of limited partnerships, drilling and the like ended.”

Alumna Helps Shape the Future of Tax

“It’s an exciting time to be a tax attorney.”

Prof. Kenneth Klein on the Insurance Crisis Facing Camp Fire Victims

“There’s an even higher than normal incidence of people who have no insurance.”

CAP Trial Team Wins 2018 SDDL National Trial Competition

“This is a great start to a new competitive season.”

California Western’s Maestría Program Celebrates Fourth Graduation

“We continue to grow in student applications every year.”

Become Profession Ready

California Western provides a rigorous, traditional legal education with an emphasis on developing problem-solving, communication, writing, and analytical thinking skills. This broad skill-base allows our students to see the big picture, and evaluate the social and economic context behind a wide array of legal problems.

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Be a Champion of Justice

We are dedicated to serving the underrepresented and to doing what the justice system is supposed to do. We believe in using our deep skills and rigorous training for what is right and just. We have a responsibility to our community and we act on it every day. This shows in our many public interest programs, the content of our curriculum and the actions of our people.

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Named to President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll and Honor Roll with Distinction 2009-2014

Commit to Excellence

We expect a lot from our students. We don’t settle for just getting by. Our commitment to excellence is at the center of who we are. This commitment goes beyond just those students with the most impressive academic numbers. At California Western, we know that an incoming student is more than just a set of test scores.

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Find a Supportive Community

While we expect a lot from our students, we also understand that legal education is an active partnership between the school and the student. This is why we go to great lengths to first understand each student’s unique path, personality and goals, then help them establish a clear pathway to successfully fulfill their individual quest.

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