{{Short description|For-profit law school in Irvine, California, US}} {{For|the Colorado college|Western State Colorado University}} {{Use American English|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox Law School | name = Western State College of Law at Westcliff University | established = {{start date and age|1966}} | type = Private for-profit law school<ref>{{Cite web|author=Jeong Park|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2019/08/15/western-state-college-of-law-in-irvine-has-a-new-buyer-classes-will-soon-start-for-current-students/|title=Western State College of Law in Irvine has a new buyer; classes will soon start for current students|website=The Orange County Register|date=15 August 2019}}</ref> | parent = Westcliff University | endowment = | parent endowment = | head = Marisa Cianciarulo<ref>{{cite web |title=Marisa Cianciarulo |url=https://www.wsulaw.edu/faculty-and-staff/full-time-faculty/ |website=wsulaw.edu |publisher=Western State College of Law |access-date=22 January 2024}}</ref> | city = Irvine | state = California | country = United States | coordinates = {{Coord|33.39304|-117.45394|type:edu_region:US-CA|display=title}} | students = 213 (full-time) 77 (part-time) | faculty = 19 (full-time) 34 (part-time) | bar pass rate = 88% (February 2025) & 78.1% (July 2025 California Bar first-time takers)<ref name=barpass>{{cite web |title=General Statistics Report July 2025 California Bar Examination |url=https://www.calbar.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2026-01/July-2025-CBX-Statistics.pdf |access-date=15 April 2026}}</ref> | ranking = 175th-196th out of 196 <ref name="USNWR"/> | homepage = {{URL|wsulaw.edu}} | motto = | aba profile = [https://officialguide.lsac.org/Release/SchoolsABAData/SchoolPage/SchoolPage.aspx?sid=182 Western State College of Law profile]|logo=Western_State_College_of_Law_Logo.jpg}}
'''Western State College of Law at Westcliff University''' is a private, for-profit law school in Irvine, California. Founded in 1966, it was acquired by Westcliff University in 2019. It offers full and part-time programs and is approved by the American Bar Association.<ref name=Gottlieb05>{{cite news |title=O.C. Law School Gets Accreditation |author=Jeff Gottlieb |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-feb-16-me-lawschool16-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=16 February 2005 |access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref><ref name=Gale98/> Western State pays a fee to receive services from the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aals.org/about_memberschools.php#nonmember|title=Non-Member Fee-Paid Schools|work=aals.org|publisher=Association of American Law Schools|access-date=29 August 2013|archive-date=17 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717014748/http://www.aals.org/about_memberschools.php#nonmember|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==History==
Western State College of Law was founded in 1966 in Orange County, California.<ref name=Gottlieb05/><ref name=Gale98>{{cite news |title=Western State College of Law Is Judged Fit for ABA Accreditation |author=Elaine Gale |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-aug-05-me-10207-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=5 August 1998 |access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref> In 1987, the school applied for accreditation with the American Bar Association (ABA). Although the school was unsuccessful in this attempt, it was at the time accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges<ref name=Miller96/><ref name=Lait92>{{cite news |title=Law School's Minorities Get Cultural Help |author=Matt Lait |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-07-20-me-4139-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=20 July 1992 |access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref> and by the California State Committee of Bar Examiners (CBE).<ref name=Fisher03/> The accreditation by the CBE made graduates eligible to sit for the California Bar Examination.<ref name=Fisher03>{{cite news |title=Jury's out on law school's future; Western State University, O.C.'s oldest law college, is in danger of losing its ABA accreditation |author=Marla Jo Fisher |url=http://www.calstate.edu/pa/clips2003/december/22dec/jury.shtml |work=The Orange County Register |date=20 December 2003 |access-date=23 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203002723/http://www.calstate.edu/pa/clips2003/december/22dec/jury.shtml |archive-date=3 December 2013 |via=calstate.edu}}</ref>
By 1990, Western State had expanded to three campuses in California including locations in Fullerton, Irvine and San Diego. At that time, the school was the largest law school in California.<ref name=Lait92/><ref name=Lichtblau90>{{cite news |title=Irvine: Western State Law Campus Will Open |author=Eric Lichtblau |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-07-12-me-494-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=12 July 1990 |access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref> In 1995, Western State again began pursuing accreditation with the ABA for all three of its campuses.<ref name=Cekola95>{{cite news |title=Countywide: Law School to Seek Bar Accreditation |author=Anna Cekola |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-07-07-me-21250-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=7 July 1995 |access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref> In the latter half of the 1990s, the school underwent several changes as part of the accreditation process. In 1995, the school's San Diego campus became the independently owned Thomas Jefferson School of Law<ref name=Cadman06>{{cite news |title=Thomas Jefferson dean aims to improve law education quality |author=Emily Cadman |url=http://www.sddt.com/News/article.cfm?SourceCode=20060502cri#.Uh_RgmSgm5M |work=San Diego Daily Transcript |date=2 May 2006 |access-date=29 August 2013 |archive-date=4 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204161738/http://www.sddt.com/News/article.cfm?SourceCode=20060502cri#.Uh_RgmSgm5M |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=TJSL>{{cite web |url=http://www.tjsl.edu/about-tjsl/history |title=History |work=tjsl.edu |publisher=Thomas Jefferson School of Law |access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref> and the following year, the school closed its Irvine location and consolidated students to its Fullerton campus.<ref name=Miller96>{{cite news |title=Western to Merge Sites in Bid for Bar OK |author=Martin Miller |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-03-19-me-48882-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=19 March 1996 |access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref> In 1998, the school received provisional accreditation from the ABA<ref name=Gottlieb05/> and opened a new law library.<ref name=Cruz98>{{cite news |title=Law School Adds Library in ABA Bid |author=Mimi Ko Cruz |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jan-06-me-5465-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=6 January 1998 |access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref>
In 2000, the college's owners sold Western State to Argosy Education Group, which owned the school for a year before it was purchased by Education Management Corporation.<ref name=Gottlieb05/><ref name=Husted00>{{cite news |title=Fullerton Community News |author=Deniene Husted |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-nov-17-me-53324-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=17 November 2000 |access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref> Western State was granted full accreditation with the ABA in 2005, and became the third for-profit law school to receive ABA approval.<ref name=Gottlieb05/> In April 2012, the school was incorporated as one of the colleges of Argosy University and officially changed its name to Western State College of Law at Argosy University.<ref name=EDMCHistory>{{cite web |url=http://www.edmc.edu/About/History.aspx |title=History |work=edmc.edu |publisher=Education Management Corporation |access-date=29 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503195751/http://www.edmc.edu/about/History.aspx |archive-date=3 May 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The same year, the school sold its property to California State University, Fullerton for roughly $18 million.<ref name=Mendoza12>{{cite news |title=CSUF to acquire new property |author=Raymond Mendoza |url=http://www.dailytitan.com/2012/09/csuf-to-acquire-new-property/ |work=The Daily Titan |date=26 September 2012 |access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref> In January 2016, the campus moved to Irvine, California.
In October 2017, it was announced that the college of law was sold, along with the rest of Argosy University, to the Dream Center Foundation, a subsidiary of the Dream Center, a nonprofit Pentecostal network of community centers. The transaction was funded in part by the Najafi Companies, a private equity firm.<ref name="insidehighered.com">{{Cite web|author=Ashley A. Smith |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/03/06/large-profit-chain-edmc-be-bought-dream-center-missionary-group|title = Large for-profit chain EDMC to be bought by the Dream Center, a missionary group |website=Inside Higher Ed |date=5 March 2017}}</ref> In 2019, a federal court approved Westcliff University's plan to purchase the school and revert it to for-profit status.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2019/08/15/western-state-college-of-law-in-irvine-has-a-new-buyer-classes-will-soon-start-for-current-students/|title=Western State College of Law in Irvine has a new buyer|last1=Park|first1=Jeong|date=15 August 2019|access-date=21 August 2019|publisher=Orange County Register}}</ref> The ABA allowed continued accreditation under the ownership of Westcliff University in December 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191219005670/en/American-Bar-Association-Approves-Western-State-College|title=American Bar Association Approves Western State College of Law Accreditation|date=2019-12-19|website=www.businesswire.com|language=en|access-date=2020-03-23}}</ref>
==Academics== {{Update section|date=April 2026}}
=== Admissions === For the class entering in 2023, the school accepted 45.1% of applicants, with 33.1% of those accepted enrolling. The average enrollee had a 152 LSAT score and 3.16 undergraduate GPA.<ref name=509disc>{{cite web |title= 2023 Standard 509 Information Report - Western State College of Law|url=https://www.abarequireddisclosures.org/Disclosure509.aspx |website=abarequireddisclosures.org |publisher=American Bar Association |access-date= January 21, 2024}}</ref>
===Programs=== Western State offers both full-time and part-time programs.<ref name=Gottlieb05/><ref name="USNWR">{{Cite web|url=http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/western-state-university-03183|title=Western State College of Law|work=usnews.com|publisher=U.S. News & World Report|access-date=January 21, 2024|archive-date=May 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515221942/http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/western-state-university-03183|url-status=dead}}</ref> The school offers two areas of focus through their Business Law Center and their Criminal Law Practice Center, which are aimed at preparing graduates for a career in business or criminal law through additional training, internships and networking with lawyers.<ref name=WesternAreas>{{cite web |url=http://www.wsulaw.edu/prospective-students/special-programs.aspx |title=Areas of Concentration |work=wsulaw.edu |publisher=Western State College of Law at Argosy University |access-date=19 September 2013 |archive-date=15 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130915053011/http://www.wsulaw.edu/prospective-students/special-programs.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> The law school also offers certificates in Immigration Law, Family Law, and Real Estate.
{{As of|2024|01|df=}}, the school had 213 full-time students, 77 part-time students, and 19 full-time and 34 part-time members of the faculty.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Western State College of Law |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/western-state-college-of-law-at-westcliff-university-03183 |website=usnews.com |publisher=U.S. News & World Report |access-date=22 January 2024}}</ref><ref name=509disc/>
===Bar passage=== The pass rate for Western State alumni taking the California bar exam for the first time in February 2025 was 88%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=General Statistics Report - July, 2025 California Bar Examination |url=https://www.calbar.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2026-01/July-2025-CBX-Statistics.pdf |access-date=2026-04-15}}</ref>
===Rankings=== ''U.S. News & World Report'' ranked the school in the last group of 180–196 out of 196 schools, the bottom 8% at most.<ref name=":0" /> In 2020, among all law schools, Western State had the third-highest Diversity Index, as reported by ''U.S. News & World Report''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/law-school-diversity-rankings|title=Law School Diversity Index|website=usnews.com|publisher= U.S. News & World Report|access-date=March 23, 2020}}</ref> In addition, in 2020, it received an A+ for Diversity in National Jurist's Best Law Schools.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nationaljurist.com/law-schools/western-state-school-of-law|title=Western State College of Law|publisher=the National Jurist|website=nationaljurist.com|access-date=2020-03-23|archive-date=2020-01-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108022433/http://www.nationaljurist.com/law-schools/western-state-school-of-law|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Costs== {{Update section|date=April 2026}} The total cost of attendance (indicating the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses) at the Western State College of Law for the 2018–19 academic year was $63,692 for a student living at home and $77,126 for a full-time student that is self-supporting.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.abarequireddisclosures.org/Disclosure509.aspx|title=Standard 509 Disclosure|website=www.abarequireddisclosures.org|access-date=2019-11-22|archive-date=2018-04-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428150753/http://www.abarequireddisclosures.org/Disclosure509.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Post-graduation employment== {{bar box |float=right |title= ABA Employment Summary for 2022 Graduates<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://employmentsummary.abaquestionnaire.org/ | title=Home | website=abaquestionnaire.org | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230627174335/https://abarequireddisclosures.org/ | archive-date=2023-06-27}}</ref> |titlebar=#AAF |width=450px |left1=Employment Status |right1=Percentage of Graduates |caption=Total of 85 Graduates |bars= {{bar percent|Employed - Bar Passage Required|green|58}} {{bar percent|Employed - J.D. Advantage|blue|16}} {{bar percent|Employed - Professional Position|orange|12}} {{bar percent|Employed - Non-Professional Position|teal|2}} {{bar percent|Unemployed - Start Date Deferred|blue|0}} {{bar percent|Unemployed - Not Seeking|sienna|2}} {{bar percent|Unemployed - Seeking|red|5}} {{bar percent|Employment Status Unknown|silver|5}} }}{{Update section|date=April 2026}} According to Western State's ABA-required disclosures, 88.3% of the Class of 2022 obtained some form of employment ten months after graduation. 25 members, being 58% of the class, obtained JD-required employment, and 7 members, being 16% of the class, obtained JD-advantage employment. Excluding solo practitioners, 55.3% of the class obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment with most employed in law firms of 1–10 lawyers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://abarequireddisclosures.org/EmploymentOutcomes.aspx|title=Standard 509 Disclosure|website=abarequireddisclosures.org|access-date=2024-01-21|archive-date=2024-02-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240219034958/https://abarequireddisclosures.org/EmploymentOutcomes.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Notable alumni== {{Missing information | section| the kind of degree and date granted usually supplied for alumni|date=January 2024}} * Anthony Adams, a former member of the California State Assembly<ref>{{cite news |title=Adams snags $111,845 state job |url=https://www.vvdailypress.com/story/news/2010/12/08/adams-snags-111-845-state/37077594007/ |work=Daily Press |date=8 December 2010 |access-date=22 May 2023}}</ref> * Leslie Alexander (businessman), former owner of the Houston Rockets * Vito Barbieri, an Idaho state representative<ref>{{cite web|url=http://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/Member/Detail/79581|title=Leslie Lee Alexander|work=members.calbar.ca.gov|publisher=The State Bar of California|access-date=27 October 2015}}</ref> * Roger Benitez, a senior judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California * Bob Chandler, a former American football player<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1125701/index.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202225416/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1125701/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 2, 2013|title=The Bare Facts Are He's A Star|author=Douglas S. Looney|date=12 July 1982|magazine=Sports Illustrated|access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref> * Mark Chasan, founder of eMusic<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mark Stephen Chasan # 117813 - Attorney Licensee Search |url=https://apps.calbar.ca.gov/attorney/Licensee/Detail/117813 |access-date=2023-04-14 |website=California Bar Association}}</ref> * Bonnie Dumanis, former district attorney for San Diego County<ref>{{cite web|url=http://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/Member/Detail/74343|title=Bonnie Michelle Dumanis|work=members.calbar.ca.gov|publisher=The State Bar of California|access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref> * Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen, a Vietnamese-American personality and co-host of Thuy Nga's Paris by Night shows<ref>{{cite web |title=Duyen Ky Cao Nguyen |url=http://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/Member/Detail/170823 |access-date=29 August 2013 |work=members.calbar.ca.gov |publisher=The State Bar of California}}</ref> * Michael Dvorak, former Indiana state representative and former St. Joseph County, Indiana prosecutor<ref>{{cite web |title=The Voter's Self Defense System |url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/4649/michael-dvorak |website=Vote Smart |access-date=8 June 2021}}</ref> * Mike Garrett, a former American football player and former athletic director at the University of Southern California<ref name="hof">{{cite web|url=http://www.wsulaw.edu/alumni-and-friends/hall-of-fame.aspx|title=Alumni Hall of Fame|work=wsulaw.edu|publisher=Western State College of Law at Argosy University|access-date=19 September 2013|archive-date=15 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130915052637/http://www.wsulaw.edu/alumni-and-friends/hall-of-fame.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> * George Gascón, the district attorney for Los Angeles County<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-12-07/george-gascon-campaign-promises-la-county-district-attorney|title=As George Gascón takes office, campaign promises will be put to the test|author=James Queally|date=7 December 2020|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=9 December 2020}}</ref> and the former district attorney for San Francisco<ref name="Rivera11">{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2011-jan-10-la-me-gascon-da-20110110-story.html|title=San Francisco Police Chief George Gascon named district attorney|author=Carla Rivera|date=10 January 2011|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref> * Duncan Hunter, a former member of the United States House of Representatives and 2008 Presidential candidate<ref>{{cite web |url=http://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/Member/Detail/71300 |title=Duncan Lee Hunter |work=members.calbar.ca.gov |publisher=The State Bar of California |access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000981 |title=Hunter, Duncan Lee |work=bioguide.congress.gov |publisher=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref> * Ross Johnson (deceased), a former long-time California state legislator<ref name="hof" /> * Mangala Moonesinghe (deceased), a former member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka and former ambassador<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lacnet.org/the_academic/chat/QA_Mangala.shtml |title=Q&A With HC Mangala Moonesinghe |year=2000 |work=lacnet.org |publisher=The Lanka Academic |access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref> * Ruth Parasol, the founder of PartyGaming<ref>{{cite web|url=http://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/Member/Detail/160708|title=Ruth Monicka Parasol|work=members.calbar.ca.gov|publisher=The State Bar of California|access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref> * Dick Walsh (deceased), a former Major League Baseball executive<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2004_4th/Dec04_DWalsh.html |title=Profile: Dick Walsh, Executive Director of the Ontario Convention Center; Former California Angels Executive VP and GM |work=Tribune Business News |last=Park |first=Carol |date=December 13, 2004 |access-date=July 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305010230/http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2004_4th/Dec04_DWalsh.html |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> * George O. Wood (deceased), former general superintendent of Assemblies of God<ref>{{cite web|url=http://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/Member/Detail/155860|title=George Oliver Wood|work=members.calbar.ca.gov|publisher=The State Bar of California|access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.wsulaw.edu/ Western State College of Law at Argosy University}}
{{Fullerton, California}} {{Irvine, California}} {{California law schools accredited by the American Bar Association}} {{Law Schools of the Southwest}} {{Colleges and universities in Orange County|state=show}}
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Category:Universities and colleges established in 1966 Category:Universities and colleges in Orange County, California Category:ABA-accredited law schools in California Category:For-profit universities and colleges in the United States Category:Education in Fullerton, California Category:Education Management Corporation Category:Schools accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Category:Western State University College of Law alumni Category:1966 establishments in California Category:Private universities and colleges in California