NorCal Collaborative

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A Traditional Residential Law School Program with the Flexibility of Zoom Classroom Participation

Empire College School of Law takes an innovative approach to legal education. For almost 50 years, we have offered rigorous evening courses to future lawyers and other professionals throughout the Redwood Empire who live and work from Marin County to the Oregon border. We believe the value of a legal education extends further than a career as an attorney.

For more information about Empire College School of Law's residential programs, visit: https://law.empcol.edu/

High-Quality Residential Classroom Program Serving Students from Sacramento to the Oregon Border

Cal Northern School of Law is the only residential law school between Sacramento and the Oregon border. Students earn a J.D. degree in four years of night study, which fulfills the educational requirements for admission to the State Bar of California. In addition to the traditional J.D. Degree program, Cal Northern offers a two-year (36-unit) Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.) degree.

For more information about Cal Northern School of Law's residential programs, visit: http://calnorthern.edu/

Hybrid Online Zoom Classroom Law School Program in a Small-Class Setting

Monterey College of Law is one of the first two residential California Accredited Law Schools approved to offer a separate hybrid online JD/MLS program, not as an emergency reaction to the Coronavirus crisis but initiated more than five years ago as part of our planned law school program expansion. All hybrid online required bar-tested courses are limited in size to 20 students.

For more information about Monterey College of Law's Hybrid Online programs, visit: https://montereylaw.edu/index-hybrid.html

Calnorthern logo Oldest Degree-Granting Online Distance Education Law School in the Country

Northwestern California University School of Law (NWCULaw®) was founded 40 years ago as an external degree-granting law school and is now the oldest degree-granting online distance education law school in the country. The school offers a fully online J.D. degree program that is developed so that economic obstacles, family commitments, remoteness of location, and other hardships will not prevent deserving individuals from studying law.

For more information about Northwestern California University School of Law's online programs, visit: https://nwculaw.edu/

Practicing Law in States Other than California

Study at, or graduation from California Accredited Law Schools may not qualify a student to take the bar examination or be admitted to practice law in jurisdictions other than California. A student who intends to seek admission to practice outside of California should contact the admitting authority in that jurisdiction for information regarding its education and admission requirements.

2021 Minimum Cumulative Five-Year Bar Examination Pass Rates for California Accredited Law Schools

California Accredited Law Schools (CALS) must “maintain a minimum, [five-year] cumulative bar examination pass rate [MPR]” of 40 percent or more, as calculated under Guideline 12.1 of the Guidelines for Accredited Law School Rules. Schools report their MPR on July 1 and the State Bar posts these figures each year in August. For information related to each law school’s graduates bar examination pass rates, visit: https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/admissions/Education/MinimumPassRateStandardCumulativePassRates.pdf

California Accredited Law Schools (CALS)

California Accredited Law Schools (CALS) are accredited through the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California. In recognition of the integrity of our educational programs, the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California grants California Accredited Law Schools the authority to operate law schools and grant law degrees. To become accredited, a law school must establish that its paramount objective is to provide a sound legal education. An accredited law school is also one that meets specific standards set by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California. Graduates from California accredited law schools are eligible to sit for the California Bar Examination.

For more information about California Accredited Law Schools, go to calawschools.org.