Established in 1924, California Western School of Law stands as San Diego’s oldest law school. It started as Balboa Law College. Leland Ghent Stanford chartered it as a private graduate institution. His brother Dwight Stanford was one of the first deans. Notice Leland Ghent Stanford is not related to the founder of Stanford University.
Balboa Law College expanded. It included undergraduate studies and changed its name to Balboa University. The law school closed in 1946. In 1952, Balboa University became affiliated with the Southern California Methodist Conference. It changed its name to California Western University. The law school reopened downtown.
Fast forward to 1960. The law school had six full-time faculty members and 23 students. In 1962, it received approval from the American Bar Association. Later in 1968, California Western University changed its name again. This time to United States International University. The law school retained the name California Western.
By 1973, California Western School of Law relocated. It moved to its current downtown campus at 350 Cedar Street. Two years later in 1975, it became an independent secular law school. A new trimester system arrived in 1980. This allowed two entering classes per academic year. It also reduced individual class sizes. Students could graduate in two years instead of three.
In January 2000, California Western opened a new law library. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy dedicated it. The California Western School of Law is committed to using the law to solve human problems. Its mission is to train ethical lawyers. These lawyers should be competent and compassionate. They should reflect our diverse society. They can use the law effectively and creatively.
Today, California Western is near San Diego courts. It has convenient access to shopping and restaurants. It is less than a mile from Balboa Park. Balboa Park includes museums and the San Diego Zoo.
Approximately 660 students attend California Western. Women comprise about 60% of the student body. About 42% of students are from marginalized communities. The average age at admission is 26. Degrees offered include Juris Doctor and Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration. The latter is in conjunction with San Diego State University.
California Western boasts several legal clinics. These include the California Western Innocence and Justice Clinic. There is also the New Media Rights clinic and the Community Law Project. Do not forget the Trademark Clinic.
California Western has made significant contributions to legal scholarship. It participates in public deliberations about legal matters. It serves as a community legal education resource. It has two major publications. These are the California Western Law Review and the California Western International Law Journal.
California Western School of Law remains a vital institution. It prepares students for the ever-evolving legal landscape.