Intellectual Life
California Western boasts two student-edited law reviews and a vibrant and distinguished faculty whose members commit to the dual missions of advancing knowledge and developing students into practice-ready attorneys. Through our symposia and endowed speakerships, we welcome renowned scholars, practitioners, and jurists from around the globe. These many interactions help us shape and impact contemporary legal debates while we support and educate our community.
Academic Journals
The California Western Law Review and the California Western International Law Journal are student-edited publications that publish scholarly writings by professors, judges, practitioners, and current California Western students.
The California Western Law Review was established in 1965 and features legal scholarship covering all areas of law.
The California Western International Law Journal was founded in 1970 and includes legal scholarship in the areas of international law.
Workshops, Conferences, and Symposia
View all eventsOur professors frequently participate in national and international conferences, lectures, workshops, and symposia. CWSL also welcomes renowned scholars and speakers from around the globe. Together with our students and faculty, our many visitors help us shape legal debates, further intellectual inquiry, and educate our community.
Featured
California Western School of Law’s International Law Journal and Law Review hosted a joint Fall Symposium to highlight six outstanding student articles recently published or forthcoming in each journal. The event provided students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to engage with cutting-edge legal scholarship and hear directly from student authors about their research and writing process.
California Western School of Law welcomed the Honorable Devon Lomayesva ’99, the first Native American appointed to the San Diego County Superior Court. She was joined by Dwight (Kala) Lomayesva, Executive Director of American Indian Recruitment Programs, and Angela Medrano, Esq. on a panel discussing “The Intersection Between Federal Indian Law, Tribal Law and State Law: A Spotlight on Child Welfare & the Intertribal Youth Court.”
California Western School of Law Constitutional Faculty, Chief Justice Traynor Professor of Law William Aceves, Clara Shortridge Foltz Professor of Law Jessica Fink, and Professor of Law Lisa Shaw Roy, previewed several upcoming U.S. Supreme Court cases for the 2025–2026 term. Dean and President Miriam H. Baer moderated the panel.
Advancing Knowledge While Sharing Our Expertise
Meet our expertsCalifornia Western boasts a distinguished faculty that regularly produces high-impact, influential scholarly works. Our faculty have published scholarship in many of the top law journals in the country, and our professors have been cited by regulators, legislators, and jurists at all levels, including those on the United States Supreme Court. Our faculty’s scholarship draws on a diverse array of methodologies, addresses a myriad of legal and social problems, and reflects the school's contributions to numerous academic and legal fields.
View Faculty High-Impact Scholarship, Top Publications
View all the latest and forthcoming publications by California Western faculty
You might not guess from an everyday interaction with CWSL’s Chief Justice Roger Traynor Professor of Law William J. Aceves—who carries himself with an easy and effervescent smile—that he is one of California Western’s fiercest advocates for civil and human rights. Yet in a law school career that spans 26 years, his commitment to social justice and the rule of law can be found throughout his teaching, scholarship, and service. His commitment to helping others is something that started early in his life. It began when he first experienced the consequences of being different.
You might not guess from an everyday interaction with CWSL’s Chief Justice Roger Traynor Professor of Law William J. Aceves—who carries himself with an easy and effervescent smile—that he is one of California Western’s fiercest advocates for civil and human rights. Yet in a law school career that spans 26 years, his commitment to social justice and the rule of law can be found throughout his teaching, scholarship, and service. His commitment to helping others is something that started early in his life. It began when he first experienced the consequences of being different.
The California Western Weekly
SubscribeThe California Western Weekly is a highlight of recent faculty scholarship, activities, media and service to the community.