California Western School of Law

"Cal Western" redirects here. For the other university descended from Cal Western University, see Alliant International University.

California Western School of Law
Established1924 (1924)[1]
School typePrivate law school
DeanMiriam H. Baer[2]
LocationSan Diego, California, United States
32°43′21″N 117°9′42″W / 32.72250°N 117.16167°W / 32.72250; -117.16167
Enrollment827[3]
Faculty71 (25 tenured)[4]
USNWR ranking178th–196th (2024)[1]
Bar pass rate64.2% (first-time bar passage for Winter and Summer 2021)[1]
Websitewww.cwsl.edu
ABA profileCalifornia Western Profile

California Western School of Law is a private law school in San Diego, California. It is one of two successor organizations to California Western University, the other being Alliant International University. The school was founded in 1924, was approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) in 1962,[5] and became a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) in 1967.[6]

History

California Western is San Diego's oldest law school. It was originally chartered in 1924[7] by Leland Ghent Stanford as a private graduate institution called Balboa Law College.[8] Balboa Law College expanded to include undergraduate and other graduate studies, and changed its name to Balboa University.[8]

In 1952, Balboa University became affiliated with the Southern California Methodist Conference and changed its name to California Western University, and the law school was relocated to downtown San Diego. In 1960 California Western received approval from the American Bar Association.[7] In 1973, the law school relocated within downtown San Diego to its current downtown campus at 350 Cedar Street.[7] In 1975, the school ended its affiliation with Cal Western's successor school, US International University, and became an independent secular law school.[7] In 1980, the new trimester system was announced, allowing two entering classes per academic year, reducing individual class size and allowing students the opportunity to graduate in two years rather than the standard three.[7]

In January 2000, California Western opened a new law library building at 290 Cedar Street, dedicated by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.[7]

Miriam H. Baer was named the school's dean and president in August 2025.[9]

Academics

The law school teaches the J.D. curriculum plus a dual-degree option, a J.D./Master of Business Administration with San Diego State University (SDSU).[10][11]

For the Entering Class Fall 2025, California Western accepted 46.5% of applicants, and with Median LSAT score for all program entrants of 155 and a median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants of 3.50.

Clinics and Experiential Learning

Faculty

The law school has 25 tenured faculty members, three faculty members on the tenure track and six legal skills professors. From 2010 to 2014, 28 tenured and tenure-track faculty members published 18 books, 15 book chapters, 55 law review articles and 75 other scholarly publications. Tenure-track or tenured faculty who were members of the faculty in the last seven years wrote 70 additional publications.

Student debt

According to U.S. News & World Report, annual tuition and fees are $58,350 for full-time, and $43,550 for part-time.[12]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ a b c "California Western School of Law". usnews.com.
  2. ^ https://www.cwsl.edu/about/meet_our_dean.html
  3. ^ "California Western School of Law Official ABA Data" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 10, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  4. ^ "California Western School of Law Official ABA Data" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 15, 2010. Retrieved July 17, 2008.
  5. ^ "ABA-Approved Law Schools by Year". ABA website. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
  6. ^ "AALS Member Schools". Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "California Western Mission and History". California Western School of law. Archived from the original on November 26, 2016. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Alliant International University's History". Alliant International University. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  9. ^ https://www.cwsl.edu/about/meet_our_dean.html
  10. ^ https://www.cwsl.edu/academics/juris_doctor_jd_program/index.html
  11. ^ https://www.cwsl.edu/academics/jd_mba_program.html
  12. ^ "California Western School of Law Graduate Programs". usnews.com.
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