Aspiring attorneys can attend an ABA-approved law school in California.
The American Bar Association (ABA) is the professional organization for lawyers in the United States. Among its duties is accrediting law schools nationwide. Individuals interested in attending law school in California can choose from a number of programs throughout the state that have met the ABA standards for accreditation, which is granted after a site visit and hearing before an ABA committee.
Pepperdine University
The three-year, ABA-approved Juris Doctor (JD) program at Pepperdine University's School of Law consists of required courses, including civil procedure, legal research and writing and constitutional law. Students have the option of completing a concentration in areas such as criminal practice and dispute resolution. Clinical training is made available to students in their second or third year of study; available programs include family law, child advocacy and criminal law.
Pepperdine University School of Law
24255 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90263
310-506-4611
law.pepperdine.edu
University of San Francisco
Students at the University of San Francisco (USF) School of Law can take advantage of full-time and part-time study options; part-time students attend class on weeknights and some weekends to earn a law degree in four years. All students take core courses in legal research, writing and analysis; concentrations are available in intellectual property, business law, international law and public interest law. USF's Law Clinic gives law students the chance to represent clients pro bono in employment, human rights and intellectual property cases.
University of San Francisco School of Law
2199 Fulton St.
San Francisco, CA 94118
412-422-6586
law.usfca.edu
University of California at Berkeley
Admissions to UC Berkeley's law school is competitive; the program's website notes that one out of 10 applicants is accepted. Berkeley law students can take part in numerous clinics that give them ample real-world experience in areas such as human rights, public policy and domestic violence. After completing core coursework, students can begin work on specialty tracks, such as environmental law or social justice, during their second year of law school.
UC Berkeley School of Law
2778 Bancroft Way
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-642-1741
law.berkeley.edu
Tags: University Francisco, areas such, Francisco School, human rights, intellectual property, legal research, legal research writing