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Southwestern Law School

MAILING ADDRESS
3050 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90010
MAIN PHONE
213-738-6700
WEBSITE
www.swlaw.edu
ADMISSIONS EMAIL:
admissions@swlaw.edu
REGISTRAR'S PHONE/FAX/EMAIL:
213-738-6734/213-738-6899/
registrar@swlaw.edu
CAREER SERVICE PHONE/FAX/EMAIL:
213-738-6794/213-480-9116/
careerservices@swlaw.edu

An Overview


With a long-standing emphasis on diversity, public service and innovative programs and a midcity campus, Southwestern Law School reflects the vibrancy of Los Angeles and provides an ideal setting for law study. Founded in 1911 as an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian institution, Southwestern is approved by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools.

It offers four J.D. courses of study that differ in scheduling and instructional approach, including traditional full and part-time programs as well as a unique two-year accelerated curriculum. Southwestern also offers a concurrent J.D./M.B.A. program with The Drucker Graduate School of Management; J.D./M.A. program in Negotiation with California State University, Dominguez Hills; Public policy certificate program with the Pardee RAND Graduate School; Bioscience industry certificate program with the Keck Graduate Institute; LL.M. programs in entertainment and media law and general studies.

The School has a reputation for graduating lawyers who are well-rounded, entrepreneurial and prepared for practice; Southwestern's 10,000 alumni include prominent public officials - from members of Congress to mayors, and over 200 judges - as well as founders of major law firms and general counsels of multinational corporations. The law school has strong ties to the legal, business, and civic sectors, The Biederman Entertainment and Media Law Institute, closely linked to the entertainment industry in Hollywood and internationally, it offers the most comprehensive entertainment, media and intellectual property curriculum in the United States.

Southwestern has been at the forefront of legal education since its inception. It was one of the first law schools to encourage the enrollment of women and minorities; the first law school on the West Coast to use the case method of instruction; the first law school in the country to offer an accelerated two-year J.D. program; one of the first law schools to design a J.D. program for students with child or elder-care responsibilities; the first law school in the country to offer an LL.M. in entertainment law; The first law school in the country to offer a choice of three advocacy tracks to first-year students, among many other "firsts."

Southwestern has been recognized for curricular innovation by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching among other entities.

Degrees Offered
  • LL.M. in Entertainment and Media Law

Admission Information


Requirements Details
Eligibility Admission is determined by the applicant's potential for distinguished performance in and contribution to the program. The applicant's academic record, especially in law school, is of particular importance. Additional factors may include the applicant's professional experience and accomplishments; the institution awarding the baccalaureate and law degrees, recommendations, areas of interest, diversity, and geographic factors.
Transcripts Official, sealed transcripts are required from all law schools attended (or currently attending) and all colleges and universities from which degrees were received. Transcripts should show the degrees earned, dates awarded and if applicable, class rank. If law school class rank is not included on the transcript, please request that it be sent by the law school registrar.
Letters of Recommendation At least two letters of recommendation should be submitted on behalf of an applicant by persons (other than relatives) who are familiar with the applicant's academic and professional abilities and potential. Letters may be submitted directly by recommenders to the Biederman Institute.
Personal Statement The applicant's personal statement should describe the reasons for pursuing an LL.M. degree, as well as any motivation, life experiences, accomplishments, special interests, personal qualities and career objectives. They are requested to include any information that would be helpful to the Admissions Committee in making its decision.
Proof of Competency in English Because the program requires a professional level of English language proficiency, applicants whose primary language is not English or whose education has been in a language other than English must demonstrate English proficiency by achieving a minimum score of 100 on the Next Generation Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), 250 on the computer-based test, or 600 on the paper-based test, or a minimum of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam.
Application Fee $60
Law School Admission Test N/A
Curriculum Vitae Yes

Other Information


Criteria Details
Nature and Tenure of Courses Offered N/A
Application Procedure/Time to apply/Application deadline
1) LL.M. - General
2) LL.M. in Entertainment and Media Law		 1) Fall April 1
1) Spring October 1
2 ) Fall June 30
2) Spring November 15
2) Summer April 15
LL.M. Degree Requirements A graduate student who earns 24 credits with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or greater, but less than 2.33, will be awarded a Certificate of Completion and may be eligible to take certain state bar examinations, and, if successful, be admitted to practice.

Copyright Law must have been completed within 3 years of entering the program or during the first semester of the program.

An LL.M. student with a foreign law degree who is taking graded courses for the purpose of sitting for the California Bar Exam and does not attain a GPA of 2.33, but receives a passing letter grade (D- or above) in at least 24 units, will be awarded a Certificate of Completion.
To earn an LL.M. degree in the Specialized Programs, students are required to get:

Course Requirement
LL.M. in Entertainment and Media Law Students enrolled in the LL.M. program must attain a cumulative grade point average of 2.33 to earn the LL.M. degree.

Details of Courses Offered


Southwestern offers a stimulating, individualized LL.M. program for students who have already earned a law degree and are interested in furthering their legal education. The program allows students to choose their own focus of study - from American Legal Systems to International Law to Technology Innovation and Commercialization - in line with their individual personal and professional goals.

Admitted students work closely with faculty to develop a detailed course of study tailored to their own interests from a comprehensive selection of over 150 electives and core courses.

Southwestern has had a long and intensive involvement with the entertainment and media industries in the Los Angeles area. Taking full advantage of its location at the heart of the global entertainment industry, the law school has an outstanding entertainment- and media-oriented faculty. Recognizing the growing interest in this area around the country, Southwestern launched the Biederman Institute to provide a broad-based entertainment curriculum for law students as well as information and assistance to practitioners.

Drawing on the resources and activities of the Donald E. Biederman Entertainment and Media Law Institute, Southwestern has established the first Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in Entertainment and Media Law in the country. This exciting program is designed to prepare the next generation of effective and talented entertainment, media and intellectual property lawyers. With the launch of the online version of the LL.M. Program in Fall 2010, students have the option of attending classes in person in Los Angeles or online from anywhere in the world. Southwestern graduates occupy important positions within a broad range of entertainment and media companies and with law firms specializing in the representation of entertainment clients.

Financial Aid


Entering Student Housing Scholarship: The Entering Student Housing Scholarship is available for select incoming students who lease an apartment for one year in Southwestern's on-campus housing. This scholarship is not renewable. Recipients must meet all initial criteria for on-campus housing, including completing the application, paying the application fee, posting the security deposit for damage to the apartment, meeting credit criteria for rent not covered by the scholarship (which may be through other financial aid funds), and executing the Housing Contract documents. The scholarship is for designated apartments (please see Housing Office for specifics) at The Residences at 7th only and is not transferable. The scholarship amount is payable in accordance with the Financial Aid Agreement (as defined in and incorporated into the Housing Contract), and is paid directly to the leasing agent by Southwestern. The student is responsible for any remaining balance each month.

Renewable Housing Scholarship: The Renewable Housing Scholarship is available for select incoming students who lease an apartment in Southwestern's on-campus housing, The Residences at 7th. Recipients must meet all initial and renewal criteria for on-campus housing, including completing the application, paying the application fee, posting the security deposit for damage to the apartment, meeting credit criteria for rent not covered by the scholarship (which may be through other financial aid funds), and executing the Housing Contract documents, including any Housing Contract renewal documents. The scholarship is for designated apartments (see Housing Office for specifics) at The Residences at 7th only and is not transferable. The scholarship amount is payable in accordance with the Financial Aid Agreement (as defined in and incorporated into the Housing Contract) and is paid directly to the leasing agent by Southwestern. The student is responsible for any remaining balance each month.

Cost of Attendance

2013-2014 Tuition Rates

Tuition Fall 2013 Spring 2014 Total Tuition
Full-time $22,590 $22,590 $45,180
Part-time $15,060 $15,060 $30,120

Career Development/Services Offered


Southwestern's Career Services Office (CSO) provides career planning and job counseling services for students and alumni. Throughout the year, the office assists students by offering a variety of career planning workshops and seminars; reviewing student resumes; videotaping mock interviews; and maintaining a career resource library and job listings. In addition to working with many local and national legal offices, the office actively participates in professional legal associations. The Career Services Office also hosts the successful On-Campus Interview Programs each fall and spring.

The Career Services Office staff is available to assist students and recent graduates (1) Identify and evaluate career options and goals; (2) Learn about available practice areas; (3) Prepare for and conduct a job search; and (4) Locate potential employers through on-campus recruitment programs, listings of current job openings, and the student's or graduate's independent employment inquiries.

References