four female students at California Western's Spring 2022 commencement ceremony

Commencement

We understand our students don’t get through law school alone. That's why California Western welcomes graduates and their loved ones to our annual commencement. This special celebration is our way of marking this major accomplishment and officially sending you onto the next phase of your journey. 

Information

Please note the format of commencement is subject to change at any time. Event will be held rain or shine, but the law school reserves the right to cancel if required by governmental order.

Two students posing during commencement

In Person Attendance

The 2027 Commencement Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 7th at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, Balboa Park, 2125 Pan American E Rd, San Diego, CA 92101. The ceremony will begin at 11:00 am sharp. The ceremony will last approximately 90 minutes.

Fall 2026, Spring 2027, and Summer 2027 graduates are eligible to participate. Registration for commencement occur during the Spring 2027 semester and graduates will be notified by email when the portal is open. Regalia is free for graduates and will be available in April 2027 (exact date TBD). Issuance of diplomas is handled through the Registrar's Office (see below).

Graduates should arrive at 9:30 am. There will be a step and repeat set up for photo opportunities before and after the ceremony.

There are no tickets required for attendance. This is an open, public venue. There are approximately 2,100 seats. Seats are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. There will be ADA seating sections. Eligible graduates will receive periodic emails with updated information. 

Parking may be a challenge due to the large crowd expected. Balboa Park has a free tram service which services the surrounding parking lots. Please see the Balboa Park website for directions and additional information on parking: https://balboapark.org/park-map-directions. Please consider using a ride-sharing service to get to and from the venue. 

Per City of San Diego regulations, balloons and inflatables are prohibited. Click here for other park regulations. Umbrellas are allowed but we ask that they be folded when the ceremony begins as not to block sight lines.

By entering the event you agree to your image and likeness being used and published without compensation for CWSL’s advertisements and promotional materials, and you release the law school from any liability regarding such publication or use of your image and likeness.  

Any information listed here is subject to change. Please check this page closer to the event date for the latest updates. 

CWSL Merchandise (including alumni gear) is available at our online store! Click here to start shopping now!

California Western employee greeting guests at commencement

Health Protocols

CWSL will follow governmental and venue health protocols in place at the time of the event.

Large screen at commencement

Live Streaming

The 2027 commencement ceremony will be live streamed on the CWSL YouTube Channel. 

Students sitting and smiling during commencement

Graduation Requirement and Diploma Information

Please note that the Registrar maintains your addresses for official school mailings (e.g. your diploma). Please make sure to update your address and any other important identifying information with them directly at JavaScript Required.

The Office of the Registrar handles monitoring graduation requirements and the issuance of diplomas.

Gift bag at commencement

Graduation Materials

Order your CWSL graduation materials from our official vendor Balfour 

  •     Personalized Graduation Announcements
  •     Photo Announcements
  •     Thank You Notes
  •     Envelope Seals
  •     Envelopes
  •     Announcement Covers
  •     Diploma Frames (CWSL diplomas are sized 11"x14")
  •     Return Address Labels
Class ring

Class Rings

Visit the Balfour CWSL site for more information.