Summer Offerings
Southwestern offers an extensive summer session. 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. Courses are offered in a variety of modalities (in-person, fully remote via Zoom, and online asynchronously) to provide students with greater scheduling flexibility and additional educational opportunities.
The 2026 summer session dates are:
- Tuesday, May 18 —Summer session begins; First day of classes
- Wednesday, May 27 — Regular Summer Term Begins; Online J.D. Summer Term Begins
- Saturday, July 18-Thursday, July 23 — Summer final exams
- Thursday, July 23 — Summer session ends
2026 Offerings
Additional courses may be offered. Please check this page regularly.
Summer Course Offerings |
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| California Practical Legal Research (1 unit, in-person) Saturdays: May 30, June 6, 13, 20, & 27, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Professor Spencer Gales Final Paper: TBA |
| Community Property (2 units, fully remote) Tuesday/Thursday, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Professor Dov Waisman Final Exam: July 21, 2026 |
| Constitutional Criminal Procedure (3 units, online asynchronous) Professor Beth Caldwell Final Exam: July 18, 2026 |
| Legal Profession (3 units, online asynchronous) Professor Jenny Rodriguez-Fee Final Exam: July 21, 2026 |
| Remedies (2 units, fully remote) Tuesday/Thursday, 8:10-10:10 p.m. Professor Collin Hu Final Exam: July 23, 2026 |
| Mass Media Law (2 units, fully remote) Tuesday/Thursday, 8:10-10:10 p.m Professor Michael Epstein Final Exam: July 23, 2026 |
| Sales (2 units, fully remote) Monday/Wednesday, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Professor Judy Sloan Final Exam: July 22, 2026 |
Southwestern's Summer Entertainment Law Program in Los Angeles, under the auspices of the Biederman Entertainment, Media, & Sports Law Institute, features a broad scope of courses taught by top entertainment, fashion, intellectual property, and media attorneys; specialized externships; and meetings with prominent Southwestern alumni working in the field.
Summer Entertainment Program |
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| Copyright (3 units, fully remote) Monday/Wednesday, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Professor Daniel Lifschitz Final Exam: July 22, 2026 |
| Defamation, Privacy, Publicity(2 units, fully remote) Monday/Wednesday, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Professor Richard Jolly Final Exam: July 22, 2026 |
| Fashion Law (2 units, fully remote) Tuesday/Thursday, 8:10-10:10 p.m. Professors John Begakis and Victoria Burke Final Exam: July 23, 2026 |
| Influencer Law (1 unit, in-person) May 30, June 6, 13, 20, 27, Jul 11, 10:00 a.m.-12:20 p.m. Professor Stephen Strauss Final Exam: TBA |
Co-Sponsored by the Williams Institute at UCLA, Southwestern Law School will be offering two 1-unit courses on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law. In addition to courses, a variety of special tours are planned.
Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Law |
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| Comparative Sexual Orientation Law (2 units, fully remote) Tuesday/Thursday, 8:10-10:10 p.m. Professor John Heilman Final Paper: July 23, 2026 |
| LGBTQI Youth in Systems of Care (1 unit, fully remote) Saturdays: May 30, June 6, 13, & 20, 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Professor David Bell Final Paper: TBA |
| Reproductive Law (2 units, fully remote) Tuesday/Thursday, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Professor Lori Meyers Final Paper: TBA |
| Transgender Law (1 unit, fully remote) Saturdays: May 30, June 6, 13, 20, 27, Jul 11, 9:00 – 11:20 a.m. Professor Amanda Goad Final Paper: TBA |
Summer 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 2025 will be available in April. Please check Southwestern's Tuition & Fees page for more information.