Northwestern California University School of Law

Last updated
Northwestern California University School of Law
Logo ns nometallic alt.gif
Motto"Liberty with responsibility"
Established1982
School type Private online correspondence law school
Dean Michael P. Clancey
Location Sacramento, California, US
38°36′21″N121°30′44″W / 38.60583°N 121.51222°W / 38.60583; -121.51222
Enrollment1,085
Faculty3 (FT), 17 (PT) [1]
Bar pass rate63% (July 2021, 1st time takers) [2] 59% Cumulative 5-Year Pass Rate [3]
Website nwculaw.edu

The Northwestern California University School of Law is an online-only law school registered in Sacramento, California, founded in 1982. [4] It is accredited by the State Bar of California, [5] and is approved to award the Juris Doctor degree upon completion and graduation from the program. Although it is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California, it is not accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).

Contents

Online law education

The school delivers courses entirely through a distance education format. The main teaching medium is the internet by means of virtual classrooms, discussion boards, live online audio and video lectures, online study groups, and the use of videoconferencing. NWCU Law offers its courses through eJuris, an online law school platform developed by the school. All students are also provided with access to LexisNexis and to CALI. [6]

NWCU is a part time program spanning four years of continuous study. As a part time program the NWCU Law program is regulated according to the standards set by the State Bar of California, requiring a cumulative 3,600 hours of verified academic engagement and study. Foundational classes are taught in year long blocks requiring a 12-month course of study.

Admissions

For the class entering in 2023, the school accepted 1057 out of 1254 applicants (84.29%), with 569 of those accepted enrolling, a 53.83% yield rate (the percentage of accepted students who enrolled). The school does not require submission of LSAT scores. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.07. Its 25th/75th percentile GPAs were 2.69/3.46. [1]

Degree offered

NWCU offers the Juris Doctor (J.D.) law degree. Graduates receive the J.D. degree after the successful completion of their 4L year. [7]

Accreditation

The Northwestern California University School of Law is approved and accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California. Students to whom the school awards the JD degree are eligible to take the California Bar Examination and become licensed in the State of California. [8] The school is not accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) due to being an online-only institution and the failure to meet the ABA 75% bar passage within two years of earning a diploma. [9] As a result, students are generally not permitted to take the bar exam outside of California [8] immediately after graduation. Currently 23 states allow graduates to take their respective bar exams and be admitted to practice law after passing the bar in California and practicing for a set number of years. [10]

Employment

For 2020 graduates, by 2023 47% of the 35 member graduating class were employed in positions requiring bar passage (i.e. as attorneys) and 53% were employed in JD advantage positions. [1]

Tuition

Per year, NWCU's tuition is $3,900 plus $245 for fees, not inclusive of books or other expenses. The total tuition and fees for the four-year program is $16,580, not inclusive of books or other expenses. [1]

Notable alumni

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "January 2024 Annual Disclosure by California Accredited Law Schools Under California Business & Professions Code Section 6061.7(a)" (PDF). nwculaw.edu. Northwestern California University School of Law. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  2. ↑ "California Bar Statistics" (PDF). calbar.ca.gov.
  3. ↑ "Code Section 6061.7(a) Disclosures" (PDF). nwculaw.edu.
  4. ↑ "History of the School". NWCU Law.
  5. ↑ "Law Schools". State Bar of California.
  6. ↑ "NWCU Student Catalog" (PDF).
  7. ↑ "Degree Requirements".
  8. 1 2 "Accreditation | Northwestern California University School of Law". nwculaw.edu. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  9. ↑ "Council enacts new bar passage standard for law schools". americanbar.org. American Bar Association . Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  10. ↑ "Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements" (PDF). National Conference of Bar Examiners.
  11. ↑ "Muirhead, S. "Whiteacre paid ultimate price" Feedstuffs: The Weekly Newspaper for Agribusiness Vol. 80, No. 22, June 2, 2008" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 26, 2010. Retrieved November 18, 2010.
  12. ↑ IMDb The Informant! (2009)
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