The State of California offers more avenues to the study of law than any other state. For more than 90 years, California has accredited law schools to train lawyers outside the American Bar Association (ABA) system. Law schools accredited by California offer accessible, affordable, and flexible options to those who decide to study law.
Our schools don’t just give law students a great legal education that sets them up for success in a career. They help students discover a passion for law.
The California Accredited Law Schools (CALS) organization is a voluntary association of law schools accredited by the State Bar of California. CALS are accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California. It has been accrediting law schools since 1937.
Law schools accredited and regulated by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California function as ‘opportunity schools’ providing education in law that, without such schools, would not be available to many, because of limitations and hardships such as the remoteness of their locations, financial limitations and other situational adversity involving family commitments, employment, and more.
CALS endeavor to keep legal education accessible and affordable, often for tuition that is considerably less than that of American Bar Association (ABA) law schools. The schools are typically focused on accommodating working adults and parents who cannot attend law school full time.
California Accredited Law Schools (CALS) meet specific standards set by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California. The State Bar of California has responsibility for licensing lawyers, under the auspices of the California Supreme Court. It has been the agency charged with this function since 1927.
Many CALS are additionally accredited by regional or national accrediting agencies recognized by the United States Department of Education (ED). Three DoE-recognized accreditors which accredit CALS or the institutions of which they are a part are the Senior College and University Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), the Higher Learning Commission of the Northcentral Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC) and the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC).
Accreditation represents a stamp of approval by the accrediting agency, and its assurance that its standards have been met and compliance with them has been adequately evidenced by the institution. Students considering legal education should look for accreditation as a measure of quality assurance, financial responsibility, and faculty, curriculum, and services that support student success.
California Accredited Law Schools (CALS) are authorized to award the Juris Doctor (JD) degree. Some offer other professional degrees in addition to the JD degree.
CALS serve students who want to study and practice in their communities. Students can start their law study at some CALS with college credit equivalent to half of a bachelor’s degree – generally 60 credits, or two years of full-time degree work.
‘Special students’ are those who, for one reason or another, did not complete enough college work to qualify for enrollment under ‘Regular student’ status. They, instead, qualified for enrollment by achieving required scores on designated College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams. Special students must pass the California First-Year Law Students’ Examination to qualify for continued law study.
Whether studying online or at one of the many, local CALS campuses, students share a passion for serving others and studying “local”, with the support of family and friends.
The curriculum of California Accredited Law Schools (CALS) is focused on preparing students to later practice law in California. To achieve that, both academic and practical skills must be taught in the curriculum. Together this knowledge and skill makes great preparation for the California Bar Exam.
Conferment of the Juris Doctor (JD) degree requires satisfactory completion of at least 80 semester units, or their equivalent, over not less than 24 and not more than 84 months. The 80 semester units or their equivalent may be satisfied through a combination of any of the following means: (i) student attendance in a classroom-based program; (ii) student participation in a synchronous or asynchronous curriculum offered through distance-learning technology; and (iii) student participation in an experiential or clinical program for up to 12.5 percent of the total time required to earn a JD degree. A “semester unit” includes at least 15 hours of verifiable academic engagement and a total of 45 hours of student activity and engagement. The JD thus requires a minimum of 1,200 hours of verified academic engagement with a law school’s faculty and curriculum, which may be obtained through class attendance, work online in academic and legal research assignments and interactive tutorials, participation in clinical or experiential learning, and other means.
The State Bar of California does not mandate CALS to require Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores. Some of the CALS, however, do require LSAT scores and have admissions standards related to them, while others require that the test be taken for advisory purposes only.
CALS faculty are the best of both worlds: expert academically and experienced in the real world practice of law. CALS emphasize teaching, service, and ethics in practice in their curricula, and faculty members teach because they love interacting with, and mentoring, students.
CALS faculty include practicing lawyers, judges, law firm partners, prosecutors, public defenders, corporate lawyers, public officials and other professionals from every part of the law. There is a good chance the CALS teacher is in the midst of a case in the area she is teaching while conducting the class. CALS teachers become colleagues, mentors, and resources throughout CALS students’ professional lives.
CALS class sizes tend to be small. Local attorneys and judges frequently teach the courses so that students gain insight into the profession and the local legal community.
