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Individual Attention
At SJCL, the study of law is an intense endeavor, but the skills and doctrines learned will benefit you professionally on a daily basis. Our small class sizes allow students to receive individual attention from faculty. At SJCL, the competition is against oneself and high professional standards – not other students.
Attendance Method
SJCL offers two attendance methods for its Juris Doctor program: the in-person program and the remote option (distance learning) program. Before the start of each semester, students are required to choose to attend classes in one of the methods. For more information, please visit: www.sjcl.edu/onlinejd.
Facilities & Location
SJCL occupies a Mediterranean Renaissance building in a park-like setting in downtown Clovis. The facility consists of seven classrooms, courtroom, library including group and individual study spaces, the New American Legal Clinic, student organizations offices, student lounge, and faculty and staff offices.
Learning Outcomes
The Juris Doctor program at San Joaquin College of Law seeks to create a program of legal education which produces graduates who are highly skilled individuals who can contribute to the development of legal and social institutions and to the integrity of the legal system. To this end, the Faculty has formally adopted a set of measurable Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) which all courses, collectively, are designed to meet. Each professor will articulate in the course syllabus those specific SLOs taught and assessed in the particular course.
- Outcome 1. Demonstrate comprehension of the structures and processes of the U.S. legal system and foundational substantive law.
- Outcome 2. Demonstrate proficiency in legal analysis and problem solving.
- Outcome 3. Demonstrate competence in written and oral communication.
- Outcome 4. Demonstrate mastery of appropriate strategies and technologies to legal research.
- Outcome 5. Recognize and resolve ethical issues.
Student attainment of the SLOs will be reflected not only in the grades students receive in their individual courses, but may also be separately assessed from time to time by mechanisms independent of individual course assignments and examinations.
Accreditation
San Joaquin College of Law is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California, permitting SJCL graduates to sit for the California Bar Exam, as well as by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. SJCL is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California, giving SJCL its degree-granting authority and qualifying SJCL graduates to take the California Bar Exam and obtain admission to the practice of law in California.
WASC Senior College and University Commission
1080 Marina Village Pkwy, Suite 500, Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 748-9001 • www.wscuc.org
Committee of Bar Examiners, The State Bar of California
180 Howard St., San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 538-2000 • www.calbar.ca.gov
For Consumer Complaints
An individual may contact the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education for review of a complaint. The bureau may be contacted at:
Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
P.O. Box 980818, West Sacramento, CA 95798-0818
(888) 370-7589 • www.bppe.ca.gov
A Unique Student Body
SJCL students don’t fit a particular mold. They are simply motivated and ready to learn. Our students represent a variety of ages, background, and experience. If you’re seeking a legal career, looking for a change of pace, or wanting to enhance your professional skills – SJCL is for you. Our student body reflects SJCL’s progressive and diverse environment.
Abundant Careers
The SJCL course of study combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills. Our clinical opportunities place students in a variety of legal settings, providing students with a stimulating job experience and professional contacts to facilitate a natural transition into the legal field. Most SJCL graduates find employment locally, while some venture into California’s most competitive markets. As SJCL is the only law school in the Central Valley our students benefit from the multitude of internships, clerkships and career options without the competition.
Ensuring Success
The staff at SJCL understands that many students have responsibilities that extend beyond law school. Every effort is made to facilitate each student’s personal academic success. Dedicated faculty members regularly hold study and review sessions. Students are encouraged to organize study groups – building camaraderie that translates into professional contacts after graduation.