Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law

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Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law are private law schools located in Santa Barbara and Ventura, California. The two colleges are operated together with the same Dean and president. The Ventura campus was founded in 1969 and the Santa Barbara campus was added in 1975 and currently has over 1,600 alumni.[1]

Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law
Logo of Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law
Established 1969
School type Private
Dean Heather Georgakis [2]
Location Santa Barbara & Ventura, CA, U.S.
Enrollment 250 [3]
Faculty 39 [4]
USNWR ranking N/A
Bar pass rate 38% (first time) 24% (overall)[5][6]
Annual tuition $8,035(part-time) $375 (per credit)[7]
Homepage http://www.santabarbaralaw.edu & http://www.venturalaw.edu/
ABA Profile N/A

Contents

[edit] Mission Statement

The Mission of the Colleges is to provide a high quality legal education through an affordable, part-time program, leading to the award of a Juris Doctor degree and academic eligibility to take the California State Bar Examination. Founded in 1969 to provide an opportunity for men and women of all ages, backgrounds, and life experiences to enter the legal profession, the Colleges seek to develop graduates who will be competent practitioners dedicated to the high level of ethics, professional responsibility, and civic duty our society expects of lawyers. Whether your goal is to practice law as a private practitioner or as a government or corporate employee, to advance in your current profession, or to continue your education in an exciting and challenging curriculum, the Administration and Faculty of the Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law are committed to assisting you in reaching your goal. [8]

[edit] Academic Program

The Colleges offer a Juris Doctor degree program for students studying to become attorneys in California. The Colleges are accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California[9]. They are not accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), limiting students bar eligibility to the state of California.

The program is a part-time evening curriculum with classes generally held on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays at the Santa Barbara campus and Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at the Ventura campus. The academic calendar consists of two 15 weeks semester and an additional 10 week summer term. There are four different tracks for completing the program. The tracks vary my start date and course load intensity. Typically students complete the program within three to four years.

The school places strong emphasis on black letter law and practical experience. Every student is required to take one course in Legal Research and one course in Advanced Legal Writing prior to their third year. Additionally students are expected to complete a legal internship.

The average class size is approximately 25 students.

[edit] Admissions, Tuition, and Scholarships

[edit] Admissions

The colleges place emphasis on diverse students bodies and thus allow several paths for admission. The LSAT exam is optional and the school will, in special cases, admit students who have not completed a bachelors level degree.

[edit] Tuition

The total cost of the program is $31,900, making it significantly cheaper than ABA approved law school programs. However, since the program is not ABA approved, it does not qualify for federally insured student aid or grants. An exception is that programs for veterans education can be used at the colleges. Most students participate in private loan programs offered by commercial banks.

[edit] Scholarships

The following scholarships and grants are available to eligible students: Trustees’ Scholarships, Dean Richard Goldman Scholarship, Law School Book Award, Alumni Scholarship Fund, McMahon Justice Scholarship, Legal Community Scholarships, Local Community Scholarships, Legal Publisher’s Awards, and Emergency Child Care Grants.

[edit] History

On September 28, 2006, Richard Goldman, who had served as dean of the colleges for the previous 5 years, died after a battle with intestinal cancer. Heather Georgakis will serve as interim dean until a replacement is found.

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] County Superior Court Judges

[edit] District attorneys & Public defenders

[edit] Elected Officials

[edit] Private Practice

  • Alfredo Vargas Jr, Lascher & Lascher
  • Lori A Lewis, Mullen & Henzell LLP
  • Joseph John Beltran, Law Office of Joseph John Beltran

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law Catalog 2007-2008
  2. ^ Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law Catalog 2007-2008
  3. ^ IRS Form 990 Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law
  4. ^ Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law Catalog 2007-2008
  5. ^ General Statistics Report July 2007 California Bar Examination
  6. ^ General Statistics Report February 2007 California Bar Examination
  7. ^ Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law Catalog 2007-2008
  8. ^ Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law Catalog 2007-2008
  9. ^ Law Schools in California accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners (CALS)
v • d • e
Colleges and Universities of Santa Barbara County
Two-year and community colleges
Four-year colleges and universities
Graduate Schools
Fielding Graduate University • Pacifica Graduate Institute • Santa Barbara College of Law
v • d • e
Law schools accredited by the California Committee of Bar Examiners