Bar Review Program
California Western is committed to setting you up for success upon graduation. That’s why we start preparing students for the Bar Exam from the first day of law school.
Preparing for the Bar Exam
Our Academic Achievement and Bar preparation programs contain the following components:
Foundations of Law I and II
This course, provided to all 1L students, helps students develop the analytical skills and study habits required for success in law school and on the Bar Exam. The three-credit second-term course supports students in their multiple-choice testing and essay-writing skills.
Advanced Legal Analysis
Designed for 2L students, this is an eight-week course designed to improve students’ test-taking skills, their grades in law school, and their ability to pass the Bar Exam.
Bar Exam Fundamentals
This course is designed to introduce 3L students to the California Bar Exam. The course focuses on refining students’ essay and multiple-choice exam-taking skills. It also provides students the opportunity to become familiar with the performance test component of the exam.
California Bar Review Course
All qualifying JD graduates who are taking the Bar for the first time are eligible for California Western’s Bar review course. The course provides a complete review of all subjects tested on the California Bar Exam. It also offers essays, multiple-choice questions, and performance exam workshops. Simulated exams and group and individual tutoring are also available through the course. The course is offered at a heavily discounted rate to JD graduates who meet the eligibility requirements.
Bar Examination Information and State Bar Information
National Conference of Bar Examiners
Student Disclosure Obligations and the Bar
Most states, including California, require bar applicants to complete a moral character certification process. Certification is required as a condition for licensing. In California, bar applicants must be of good moral character, which includes but is not limited to "qualities of honesty, fairness, candor, trustworthiness, observance of fiduciary responsibility, respect for and obedience to the law, and respect for the rights of others and the judicial process."
Applicants must address potential issues involving moral character prior to completing the certification process. A common issue that arises during certification is non-disclosure.
California Western students do have an ongoing obligation to disclose certain matters to the administration. You can find more information on disclosure in the CWSL Student Handbook.
Students have an obligation to notify the law school immediately if any of the following events occur:
- You are apprehended, cited, arrested, taken into custody for, charged with, indicted, or tried for, or plead guilty or no contest (nolo contendere) to the commission of any felony or misdemeanor or the violation of any law, except for minor traffic violations unrelated to the use of intoxicants.
- You are found guilty of an honor code violation at any institution of higher learning.
- You become a plaintiff or defendant in a civil lawsuit.
- You receive an order of expungement or similar order for a criminal conviction.
- You are subject to disciplinary action by any educational institution, governmental, or administrative agency (including any branch of the Armed Forces), or employer.
Failure to provide notification to the law school may constitute an Honor Code violation.
In addition, please consider whether there are any matters you should have disclosed on your original Application for Admission to California Western but failed to disclose. If you failed to disclose relevant matters on your Application for Admission, you will need to amend your application.
Please note that failure to disclose relevant matters to the law school may constitute an Honor Code violation.
If you have questions about what needs to be disclosed to the State Bar or California Western, contact Academic Affairs Director, Laurie Farid.
Academic Achievement
The Academic Achievement Department oversees the CWSL Bar Review Program.
For questions about what needs to be disclosed to the State Bar or California Western,
please contact Academic Affairs Associate Director, JavaScript Required.
For information about the program, please contact Associate Director of Academic Achievement,
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San Diego, CA 92101