Southwestern Law School

What is the history of Southwestern Law School?

Southwestern Law School is a private law school founded in Los Angeles in 1911. Its early purpose was to make legal education accessible to people who could not follow the conventional full-time path into the profession, including working students and women.

Originally known as Southwestern College of Law, the school developed from an evening-law-school model into an institution offering several routes to a law degree. A defining campus change was its restoration of the former Bullocks Wilshire department store, an Art Deco landmark that now houses law school facilities. That history remains relevant to applicants comparing Southwestern's full-time and alternative J.D. schedules.

What are the faculties and departments at Southwestern Law School?

Southwestern is a specialized law school, not a university with undergraduate colleges or a broad range of majors. Its principal credential is the Juris Doctor (J.D.); it also offers postgraduate legal study, including Master of Laws (LL.M.) options.

J.D. students can compare the traditional full-time route with part-time study and Southwestern's accelerated SCALE program. Academic opportunities include clinics, externships, advocacy training and courses connected to the Biederman Entertainment and Media Law Institute. Availability and eligibility differ by program. A prospective student interested in a particular field should compare the current course schedule and experiential-learning requirements, rather than assume every elective or clinic runs every term.

What is the location of Southwestern Law School?

Southwestern Law School is in Los Angeles, California, near Wilshire Boulevard in the Koreatown area. Its urban setting puts students within reach of courts, law firms, government offices and nonprofit organizations across the Los Angeles region.

The campus includes the restored Bullocks Wilshire building and other nearby school facilities. Wilshire-area bus service and Metro rail connections provide transit options, although the practical commute depends heavily on where a student lives and where classes or placements take place. Applicants considering an externship should account for travel between campus and the placement site, not just the trip to class.

What is the mission and vision of Southwestern Law School?

Southwestern describes its mission in terms of providing a rigorous legal education and expanding access to the legal profession. Its longstanding emphasis on varied schedules and practice-oriented learning reflects that stated purpose.

The school is independent and is not presented as a religiously affiliated institution. Its mission is a statement of institutional priorities, not evidence that any particular student will obtain a job or pass the bar. Applicants can assess how those priorities operate in practice by comparing program schedules, clinic access, bar-passage disclosures and employment reports.