Summer on Campus

Southwestern offers an extensive summer session to provide students with greater scheduling flexibility and additional educational opportunities. A number of distinguished practicing attorneys and judges join the faculty during the summer months to teach courses in specialized areas of the law. The schedule of course offerings includes a variety of courses and externships.

While these offerings are not limited to the entertainment and media law field, Southwestern's Summer Entertainment Law Program in Los Angeles, under the auspices of the Biederman Entertainment & Media Law Institute, features a broad scope of courses taught by top entertainment, fashion, intellectual property, and media attorneys; specialized externships; private tours of major motion picture and recording studios; and meetings with prominent Southwestern alumni working in the field.

The dates for the 2021 summer session are:

  • Tuesday, June 1, 2021 - First day of classes
  • Wednesday, July 28, 2021 -  Summer session ends

    2021 Offerings

    Summer Entertainment Program
    Fashion Law (2 units)
    Tuesday/Thursday, 8:10-10:10 p.m.
    Professor John Begakis &  Professor Victoria Burke
    Final Exam: Wednesday, July 28, 2021, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
    International Art Law (3 units)
    Monday/Wednesday, 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
    Professor Henry Lydiate
    Final Exam: Wednesday, July 28, 2021, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
    International Entertainment Law (3 units)
    Friday, 2:00-5:00 p.m. and Saturday, 1:00-4:00 p.m. 
    Professor Geoffrey Scott
    Final Exam: Saturday, July 24, 2021, 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
    International Sports Law (3 units)
    Tuesday/Thursday, 8:00-11:00 a.m.
    Professor Simon Gardiner
    Final Exam: Tuesday, July 27, 2021, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
    Negotiating/Drafting International Entertainment Contracts (3 units)
    Tuesday/Thursday, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
    Professor Orly Ravid
    Final Exam: Monday, July 26, 2021, 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
    Trademark Law (2 units)
    Tuesday/Thursday, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
    Professor Stephen Strauss
    Final Exam: Monday, July 26, 2021, 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

    Writers Guild: Agreements & Negotiation (1 unit)
    Saturday, 1:00 p.m.-4:45 p.m. 
    June 5, 12, 19 & 26
    Professor Jonathan Handel
    Final Exam: final assignment/paper; graded credit/no credit

     

    Non-Entertainment Summer Courses

    Community Property (2 units)
    Monday/Wednesday, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
    Professor John Heilman
    Final Exam: Tuesday, July 27, 2021, 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
    Constitutional Criminal Procedure (3 units)
    Monday/Wednesday, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
    Professor TBA
    Final Exam: Tuesday, July 27, 2021, 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
    Immigration Law and Crimes (1 unit)
    Wednesday, 8:10-10:10 p.m.
    Professor Philip J. Costa
    Final Exam: Wednesday, July 28, 2021, 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
    Legal Profession (3 units)
    Tuesday/Thursday, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
    Professor Jenny Rodriguez-Fee
    Final Exam: Monday, July 26, 2021, 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
    Medical Malpractice (2 units)
    Tuesday/Thursday, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
    Professor Edward Stark
    Final Exam: Monday, July 26, 2021, 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
    Practical Legal Research (1 unit)
    Sunday, 2:00-4:30 p.m.
    Professor Sharrel Gerlach
    Final Exam: TBA
    Sales (2 units)
    Monday/Wednesday, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
    Professor Judy Sloan
    Final Exam: Tuesday, July 27, 2021, 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

    Trial Advocacy (3 units)
    Tuesday/Thursday, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
    Professor Robyn Chew
    Final Trial: Thursday, July 15th

     

    Externships

    Southwestern's active and successful Externship Program offers a diverse selection of part-time and full-time placements. The Program offers students the opportunity to gain legal education through real-life practical experiences, by "externing" at approved off-campus placements, with government agencies, public interest entities, state and federal judges,  the legal departments of select organizations, including the entertainment industry, and select law firms. Please be advised that summer externships are generally competitive. 

    Students can earn two to five units of credit based on the nature of the placement and the number of fieldwork hours per week. The course also includes an in-class academic component (scheduled on Saturday or Sunday). Externships are graded on a credit/no credit basis.

    Please contact the Externship Office for more information.

    Credits

    The Summer Entertainment Law Program is offered as part of the ABA-approved curriculum at Southwestern Law School. The program complies with ABA and AALS requirements. All entertainment and media law courses for the summer are graded. Externships are offered on a credit/no credit basis.

    Tuition

    New tuition rates beginning with Summer Session 2021 will be available in April. Please check the Tuition page for more information.

    Summer Registration for Southwestern Students

    Southwestern students will be able to register online for Summer courses through WebAdvisor beginning in April. Please continue to check your Southwestern email for more information.

    Southwestern students should visit the Registration and Academic Records page on the MySWLAW portal (log-in required) for important information regarding registration policies and procedures.

    Summer Admission and Registration for Transfer and Visiting Students

    Students at other ABA-accredited law schools may apply to transfer or visit for the Summer term. Please find application instructions on the Transfer and Visiting Students informational page.

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