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 2026 Commencement Ceremony will take place at 11:00 am on Friday, May 8, 2026.  The location will be Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park, 2125 Pan American E Rd, San Diego, CA 92101. The ceremony will last approximately 90 minutes.

Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026 graduates are eligible to participate. Those students will be notified via email regarding commencement headshot photos, registering for commencement, and other related information. Graduates will be provided with commencement regalia free of charge. Issuance of diplomas is handled through the Registrar's Office (see below).

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. 

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. 

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. 

To download a copy of the 2025 CWSL Commencement program, click here.

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 2025 commencement ceremony is now available for viewing 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 (11"x14")
  •     Return Address Labels
Class ring

Class Rings

Visit the Balfour CWSL site for more information.