JD Program at California Western
Juris Doctor Degree in San Diego, CA
California Western School of Law's JD program prepares you for the future of law, from your first day in San Diego to the moment you pass the California Bar.
A Juris Doctor (JD) degree is the professional law degree required to practice law in the United States. From day one at California Western, our ABA- accredited, three-year JD program coupled with career advising support gives you an essential foundation in legal analysis and writing, skills-based training through externships and clinics, and bar exam preparation.
Designed for Success
As an independent law school, we have the autonomy to swiftly innovate and offer specialty programs that adapt to trends in the law so that you graduate with the skills employers and clients actually seek.
Why Choose California Western for Your JD?
There are many JD programs in California. Here is what distinguishes California
Western:
-Independent law school: We operate independently, so we’re able to innovate and adapt our curriculum more
quickly than many traditional institutions.
-Downtown San Diego location: Puts you steps from the federal courthouse, top law firms, and one of California's
most dynamic legal markets.
-Practice-first philosophy: 70% of students participate in externships, and bar exam preparation begins on the
first day of class, not the last.
-Flexible paths: Full-time day or part-time evening JD enrollment options for working professionals.
-Real-world concentrations: Choose from Business Law, Criminal Justice, International Law, Labor and Employment
Law, and more.
JD Program Details
Our program is carefully crafted to impart a strong law foundation. In your second year, you'll build on that foundation, honing legal skills through hands-on experience. Explore our course offerings and discover what to expect throughout your journey at California Western.
We offer a part-time evening program designed for students who are fully employed or have other obligations while they are attending law school. Part-time students take a reduced course load per semester and an established sequence of courses in the first year.
Program Highlights
The JD program at California Western School of Law gives you a strong foundation in legal theory and practices, as well as hands-on experiences with clients in the field. Find out more below.
Before you take your courses, you might want to know the details of all the courses
that we offer. After gaining a strong foundation in legal analysis, research, and
writing, you’ll have the chance to explore more electives in years two and three.
As a part of your studies, you can specialize in several areas of law, including:
- Business Law
- Criminal Justice
- Intellectual Property, Privacy and Media Law
- International Law
- Labor and Employment Law
- Social Justice
We offer more than 20 simulation courses through the JD program at California Western
School of Law. Some include:
- Advanced Negotiation
- Culture & the Criminal Justice System
- Law & Lawyers in Pandemic
- Trial Practice
The Clinical Externship Program gives third-year students the opportunity to hone
their practice-ready skills while earning between one to ten academic credits for
legal work in nonprofit agencies, private law offices, courts, corporations, or government
agencies in San Diego and around the world.
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
and continues after graduation.
Upon graduation, you can participate in the California Bar Review Course. All qualifying JD graduates who are taking the Bar for the first time are eligible for the 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Juris Doctor (JD) is the primary professional law degree in the United States and is generally required to take the bar exam and practice law in most jurisdictions. Most JD programs are completed over three years of full-time study and provide training in core legal principles, research, and writing, along with opportunities for hands-on experiential learning.
Full-time JD programs are typically three years. California Western also offers a part-time evening JD program for working professionals, which generally takes four to five years to complete.
Yes. California Western School of Law is fully accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), the accreditation required to sit for bar exams across the United States. The school has held ABA accreditation since 1962.
California Western's JD program offers six areas of concentration, including: Business Law, Criminal Justice, Intellectual Property, Privacy and Media Law, International Law, Labor and Employment Law, and Social Justice. Completed concentrations are formally recognized on your transcript.
As an independent, nonprofit law school in downtown San Diego, California Western can adapt its curriculum faster than university-affiliated schools. With 70% of students participating in the Clinical Externship Program, 20+ simulation courses, and dedicated bar prep from day one, the program emphasizes practice-ready skills over theory alone.