Admissions Events Calendar
Prospective Student Events. Our upcoming events for prospective students appear below and are open to applicants, admitted students, and any others who wish to learn more about law school. To register for an event, click on the RSVP link corresponding to the event you plan to attend. Prospective student events are added and updated on an ongoing basis. Check back regularly. Events are subject to change.
Admitted Student Events. For our admitted students, we have developed a robust set of online events and experiences that will be taking place over the next couple months. Event names and dates are listed below, and in order to RSVP for upcoming events or view recordings of past events, please visit your "Welcome to Southwestern" Canvas course page.
Admissions Office Virtual Office Hours. In an effort to be available to prospective students, applicants, and admitted students, Admissions Office staff and current student Admissions Ambassadors will be available for open-door office hours three times a week per the following schedule:
- Admissions Officer: Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time
- Admissions Officer: Thursdays, 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time
- Admissions Ambassador: Fridays, 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time
To visit our Office Hours, please join via video conference at https://zoom.us/j/5159617247
One-on-One Meeting. Speak one-on-one with a Southwestern community member via phone or email. Submit our Meeting Request Form to request a conversation with an admissions officer, current student, or faculty member.
Event Recordings. Recordings of past virtual events can be found on our YouTube channel.
Your Southwestern Gateway. Though our campus remains closed due to public health guidelines, we still want to ensure you have an opportunity to engage with our community, learn about our curriculum and academic success programs, and feel empowered to apply. To this end, we have created Your Southwestern Gateway, a website specially designed for prospective students. Visit Your Southwestern Gateway for an introduction to our campus, our people, and our culture. You can even request an application fee waiver! Click the graphic below to visit.
Southwestern Prospective Student Virtual Events
Diversity Day 2021
January 30, 2021 | 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PT
Southwestern Law School’s Spring semester roster of prospective student events starts off with our annual Diversity Day. This year's event will be hosted online and will feature three significant discussion topics, below. Dean Susan Prager will welcome you to the event, and following the program, we invite you to join us for a virtual reception where you can meet and speak with Southwestern deans, professors, students, and Admissions officers. RSVP Here!
- Copyright Culture and Black Music: A Legacy of Unequal Protection, with Professor Kevin Greene
African American music artists have been routinely deprived of legal protection for their creative works under the copyright regime. For many years, this perspective has only been faintly hinted at in legal scholarship, leaving Black artists as the "invisible" men and women of copyright jurisprudence. The issue of copyright deprivation and Black artists is highly significant, given the enormous cultural contribution of Black music to American society, the importance of music to Black culture, and the tremendous economic benefits at stake. In this important discussion, Professor Greene will dissect the history of Black artists' unequal compensation for and recognition of their cultural contributions.
- A Call to Action: The True Definition of Student Leadership in Law School, with student organization and affinity group leaders, co-moderated by Dean Nydia Dueñez, '10, and Dean Robert Mena
"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other." - These wise words from John F. Kennedy summarize the role our Student Bar Association and Student Organizations played in helping the Southwestern community heal during a difficult year fraught with social, racial, and political unrest. Come learn from our Student Bar Association and our Student Organizations the true meaning of student leadership. The SBA will discuss our Safe Space Series, which was created to provide Southwestern’s diverse student body a forum to freely address, question, and dissect issues of social justice. You will also have the opportunity to hear about Town Hall Meetings led by Southwestern's student affinity groups, which provided students from various identities the opportunity to be heard. This is your opportunity to hear from and about the real Southwestern Law School community! This panel will be co-moderated by Dean of Students and Diversity Affairs, Nydia Dueñez, '10, and Dean of Student Affairs, Robert Mena.
- Why Law Students Matter, a panel discussion with change-making legal clinic students, moderated by Professor Beth Caldwell
Our students don’t wait to become lawyers before they start impacting their communities - they start while they're still in law school. Nowhere do you see this more than in our Southwestern Clinics. Clinical students have fought for the child who will no longer be expelled from school after countless hearings with their school district; the individual whose immigration status was changed to allow them to remain in this country; the youth offender who was granted parole after 25 years in prison; and the the college student getting their rental deposit back from an unscrupulous landlord. All of these cases - and hundreds more - remind us of one constant: a Southwestern Law student was their legal advocate. Come join this conversation to hear from our campus' true change-makers and envision yourself in their shoes soon, ensuring justice before the law. This panel will be moderated by Professor Beth Caldwell, best-selling author of Deported Americans: Life After Deportation to Mexico, immigrant community advocate, and juvenile justice expert.
RSVP for Diversity Day 2021 Now!
An Insider's Perspective: Introduction to Legal Research
February 9, 2021 | 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT
Our "Insider's Perspective" series continues into the Spring semester and our first topic will delve into the basics of legal research. Join Associate Dean and Law Library Director, Professor Margaret Hall, for a lively lesson on one of a lawyer's most crucial skills. Professor Hall will show you how to approach a research question, experiment with a hypothetical problem, and concretize theoretical concepts. RSVP Here!
-
January 2021
West Coast Consortium: Virtual Mock Admissions Committee Workshop and Law School Fair
Thursday, January 14, 2021 | 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. PTJoin law school admission deans and committee members for an in-depth look at several sample law school applications. Hear directly from readers and learn what makes a file competitive. Participate in a small group discussion to parse out the strengths and weaknesses of each file and then vote on whether or not you would admit the applicants! This interactive workshop will conclude with a law school fair where you can meet representatives from 16 West Coast private law schools. Register HERE!
-
-
Past Events
Villanova University
Tues., Sept. 15 | 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. EST or 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeUniv. of West Florida
Wed., Sept. 23 | 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST or 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeUniv. of Virginia
Wed., Sept. 23 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. EST or 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. PST | HandshakeCSU Chico
Thurs., Sept. 24 | 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeUniv. at Albany Law Fair
Fri., Sept. 25 | 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. EST or 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. PST | HandshakeHBCU Pre-Law Summit & Law Expo
Fri., Sept. 25 | 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. EST or 2:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. PST | Whova AppLSAC Digital Law Forum
Sat., Sept. 26 | 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. EST or 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. PST | LSAC.orgSyracuse University
Tues., Sept. 29 | 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. EST or 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeCornell University
Wed., Sept. 30 | 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. EST or 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeOhio State University Law Fair
Wed., Sept. 30 | 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. EST or 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeAn Insider's Perspective - LSAT/LSAT-Flex Workshop with 1L Testimonials
Thursday, October 1st, 2020 | 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. PST
Join Dean of Admissions, Lisa Gear, to learn about how the LSAT is used in the admissions process. Joining Dean Gear will be a panel of current 1L students who recently took one of the new LSAT-Flex examinations. They will share their insight on how they prepared for the virtual test, and provide tips for your success.
Southwestern Spotlight - Katherine Lawrence '12Monday, October 5th, 2020 | 5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. PST
Please join us as we welcome our Southwestern Spotlight alumnus speaker, Katherine Lawrence, '12, as she continues to advocate for domestic violence survivors despite the COVID-19 pandemic. During this virtual event, you will find out more from this brave and knowledgeable practitioner what it is like to be on the front lines of these very real (and little discussed) crises. This is an incredible opportunity to get face time with a nuts and bolts practitioner who is willing to share the good, the bad, and the ugly about some very tough issues. We hope to see you there!
DePauw University
Thurs., Oct. 1 | 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. EST or 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. PST | Handshake
Georgia College & State University
Thurs., Oct. 1 | 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST or 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeUniv. of Notre Dame
Frid., Oct. 2 | 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. EST or 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. PST | HandshakeCSU Northridge
Tues., Oct. 6 | 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeUniversity of Kentucky
Wed., Oct. 7 | 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. EST or 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. PST | HandshakeEast Meets West Coast Consortium
Pandemic Challenges: LSAT- Flex, Financial Aid, and Making Your Personal Statement Stand Out in 2020
Wed., Oct. 7 | 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. PSTAlbright College
Wed., Oct. 7 | 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST or 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeLSAC Digital Law Forum
Tues., Oct. 13 | 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. EST or 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. PST | LSAC.orgMount St. Mary's University, Chalon
Tues., Oct. 13 | 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeDillard University
Thurs., Oct. 15 | 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. EST or 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. PST | Handshake
Florida Southern College
Thurs., Oct. 15 | 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. EST or 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. PST | Handshake An Insider’s Perspective: Mock Admissions Committee and Blueprint Test PrepThursday, October 15th, 2020 | 4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. PST
Join us for two sessions, where we’ll give you a deep-dive into the intricacies of the law school application and how each component is used to assess your readiness for a challenging educational experience. Learn how admissions committee members read an application and join along as our Dean of Admissions assesses excerpts from real law school applications. She will walk you through each application component, cover do’s and don’t’s, and demonstrate how each piece comes together to create a picture of the applicant’s background, strengths, weaknesses, and potential to succeed in law school. Then, hear from a Blueprint LSAT Preparation instructor, who will discuss the importance of the LSAT and walk you through real LSAT questions, providing advice on how best to approach the exam.
Latino Justice Law Day
Sun., Oct. 18 | 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST or 6:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. PSTSouthwestern Spotlight - Rosemary Tamayo Monday, October 19th, 2020 | 5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. PST
Please join us at this event with our Southwestern Spotlight student speaker, 3L Rosemary Tamayo. She is a first-gen student and a shining example of what happens when preparation meets opportunity. We urge you to take advantage of this special event and hear about Southwestern from a student who was in your shoes a few short years ago! Get to know Rosemary more through this video here!
Florida International University
Tues., Oct. 20 | 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. EST or 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeLouisiana State University
Tues., Oct. 20 | 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. EDT or 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeMichigan State Univ. Law School Fair
Tues., Oct. 20 | 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. EDT or 12:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeSaint Mary's College of California
Wed., Oct. 21 | 12:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. PST | HandshakeUniv. of Florida
Wed., Oct. 21 | 10:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. EDT or 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. PST |Univ. of Georgia
Wed., Oct. 21 | 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. EDT or 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeEmory University Grad Fair
Thurs., Oct. 22 | 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. EDT or 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. PST | HandshakeFlorida Atlantic University
Thurs., Oct. 22 | 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. EDT or 7:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeSan Francisco State University
Thurs., Oct. 22 | 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. PST | Handshake
Philadelphia Law Fair - Drexel University
Thurs., Oct. 22 | 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. EDT or 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeWest Coast Consortium: Diversity & Academic Support Virtual Event
Sat., Oct. 24 | 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. PSTSouthwestern Law School Evening Program Open House
Tues., Oct. 27 | 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. PDT | ZoomUC Davis
Wed., Oct. 28 | 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. PDT | HandshakeUCLA
Thurs., Oct. 29 | 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. PDT | HandshakeUniversity of South Florida
Thurs., Oct. 29 | 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. EDT or 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. PST | Handshake
West Coast Consortium: Navigating the Law School Application for System Involved Applicants
Frid., Oct. 30 | 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. PDTUniversity of North Carolina Wilmington
Mon., Nov. 2 | 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. EST or 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeUC Irvine - Law
Tues., Nov. 3 | 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeUniv. of Washington
Tues., Nov. 3 | 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeLSAC Digital Law Forum
Wed., Nov. 4 | 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. EST or 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. PST | LSAC.orgUniv. of South Carolina/Clemson Law Fair
Wed., Nov. 4 | 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. EST or 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. PST | HandshakeCSU Long Beach
Wed., Nov. 4 | TBD | ZoomUC Santa Barbara
Thurs., Nov. 5 | 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. PST | HandshakePhi Alpha Delta Law Expo
Thurs., Nov. 5 | 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. EST or 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. PSTMorehouse College
Frid., Nov. 6 | 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST or 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. PST | Handshake Southwestern Law Day 2020Saturday, November 7th, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. PDT
Southwestern's premier annual event for prospective students is now virtual! While the format is different, the goal remains the same - to show you what makes Southwestern unique and how Southwestern's flexible programs, diverse student body, and focus on student learning and success can help you reach your career dreams. Featuring a mock law class with Professor Rachel E. VanLandingham, Lt Col. (ret.) and a panel showcasing students and alumni, the day's events will introduce you to our community and our methods for preparing tomorrow's lawyers today. And new this year - a dedicated prospective student website designed to walk you through all that Southwestern has to offer!
- Featured Panelists
- Michael Morse, '13 - federal prosecutor
- Karen Aguilar, '14 - immigration attorney
- Vanessa Barnett, 4th-year Evening J.D. student pursuing entertainment law
- Alex Welfringer, 1st-year SCALE 2-Year Accelerated J.D. student pursuing criminal law
John Jay
Thurs., Nov. 12 | 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST or 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. PST | SymplicityWest Coast Consortium: Financing your Legal Education & Law Student Panel
Thurs., Nov. 12 | 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. PST
National Black Pre-Law Conference & Law Fair
Frid., Nov. 13 | 2:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. PSTSouthwestern Spotlight: Nicole Rossi-StandleyMonday, November 16th, 2020 | 5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. PT
Nicole Ross-Standley is a second-year student in our 2-Year Accelerated J.D. program, SCALE. As a SCALE II student, Nicole's schedule is tightly-packed with coursework as she prepares to graduate this spring, but that hasn't stopped her from taking leadership roles in five student organizations and participate in several more. Working on Law Review and Chairing the Trial Advocacy Honors Program round out her experience and complement her concentration in Civil Litigation and Advocacy. Join her for an intimate conversation at this next installment of our Southwestern Spotlight series.
An Insider's Perspective: The Life of an Evening Law StudentMonday, November 16th, 2020 | 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. PT
Is earning a law degree while juggling work, family responsibilities, and financial commitments REALLY possible? At the right school and with the appropriate support – it sure is! However, don’t take our word for it – hear it directly from four of our current part-time evening students yourself! An Insider’s Perspective: A Day in the Life of an Evening Law Student offers prospective students (you!) the opportunity to receive candid insight from current evening students about the transition and acclimation to law school all the way to a triumphant exit – all while striking a sustainable school-work-life balance. This event is a must see for applicants interested in our evening program!
East Meets West Coast Consortium: Before You Hit Submit
Wed., Nov. 18 | 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. PST | Register Insider's Perspective: Understanding LSAC's Credential Assembly Service (CAS) ReportMonday, November 23rd, 2020 | 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. PT
Perhaps you've attended workshops on personal statements or the application process in general, but do you really have a deep understanding of LSAC's Credential Assembly Service and the report they provide to law schools? What goes into a CAS report? What do admissions committee members see when they review it? Dean of Admissions Lisa Gear will explain the intricacies of this document and explain how its contents can help or hurt you in the application process.
Southwestern Spotlight: Matthew French, '19Monday, November 30th, 2020 | 5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. PT
Alumnus Matthew French, class of 2019, is a graduate of Southwestern's SCALE 2-Year Accelerated J.D. Program. With a background in public school teaching, Matthew has now transitioned to a career in civil litigation. In his current practice, he is an associate attorney focusing his work on plaintiff-side employment discrimination, wrongful termination, elder abuse, and medical malpractice, among other areas. He gives back to Southwestern as a board member for the Nickel Club, our group for recently-graduate alumni, and in this intimate conversation with prospective students, he'll share with you how he managed to graduate in two years, participate and lead in numerous student organizations such as OUTLaw and the Student Bar Association, complete two externships, and travel!
SCALE Virtual Open HouseThursday, December 10th, 2020 | 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. PT
Curious about Southwestern's 2-year accelerated SCALE J.D. program? Join us for this virtual open house for an inside look! Let us show you how SCALE’s flexible curriculum, tight-knit cohort, and guaranteed externship will help you become an excellent, practice-ready attorney in only two years. Meet Dean Harriet M. Rolnick and get a detailed breakdown of how the SCALE program works, in addition to hearing from a panel of current students who are thriving in the SCALE program. You'll also have the opportunity to hear from our Financial Aid guru Suzanne Kunz on how to make your law school experience as affordable as possible.
LSAC Digital Law Forum
Sat., Dec. 12 | 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. EST or 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. PST | LSAC.orgWest Coast Consortium: Navigating Fit in a Virtual World Panel & Law School Fair
Tues., Dec. 15 | 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. PSTIn light of many law school campuses being closed due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic, this panel presentation will provide you with ideas on how to assess and evaluate a variety of virtual programming, to help you determine which campuses and communities would best serve your needs and provide you with the education and support necessary to promote your success in law school. After the panel, meet representatives from West Coast law schools via Zoom webinars.
- Featured Panelists
** For Handshake events, please contact your school.
Admitted Student Virtual Events
Admitted Students may visit their "Welcome to Southwestern" Canvas course page to RSVP for events or to view recordings. Admitted student events will return in Spring 2021. Stay tuned!