Greetings! 

Welcome to the Inaugural Class of Southwestern Law School’s Online J.D. Program! Your arrival is the culmination of two years of anticipation and preparation. We are thrilled to have you join our community. 

As members of our inaugural class, you will join the school’s legacy of Trailblazers. You will help set the standard of excellence for the classes that follow you. As such, we encourage you to let us know how we can continue to improve the program and the student experience. We’re on this journey with you, and we want it to be a positive one. In that vein, while you’ll receive a formal invitation once classes begin, please calendar 2-4 p.m. PST on Saturday, September 28, for an online social that I’ll be hosting for your class. I want to get to know you and hear your feedback from the first month. 

You might be interested to know that over the past four years, I’ve spent a lot of time taking asynchronous online courses to learn more about online education, especially from the student perspective. While some of you are entering the program having taken other asynchronous courses, others will be new to this educational experience. And virtually all of you are new to law school. So, if you’ll indulge me, I’d love to share three tips based on my experience as a law school professor and dean and as an online student. 

First, calendar sufficient time to work on your courses. The J.D. is a rigorous course of study. While our online program provides flexibility when you do your work, the time required is no less than for any of our other J.D. programs. I also encourage you to make time on as many days as possible to check into your courses, especially when the assignment involves discussion boards. Even if you pop in for 15 or 20 minutes to check announcements and read and respond to posts, consistent participation will keep you engaged and sharp. Also know that learning law is a process. You’ll need more time in the beginning to read and understand cases, learn the vocabulary, and complete other coursework. Over time, you’ll become more efficient and proficient. On a related point, please don’t take shortcuts. Put in the effort. Don’t outsource to ChatGPT or other GenAI. The AI won’t be there to take your midterms, finals, or the bar exam. 

Second, build relationships. Practicing law is a team sport. You will learn from your professors, librarians, teaching assistants, Dean’s Fellows, peer mentors, and classmates. You’ll also learn from guest speakers and students in other programs. Participate in the synchronous sessions whenever you can. Take time to visit your professors and TAs during their office hours. Schedule some time with the Student Services Office and drop by one of my Zoom office hours to say “hello.” Livestream some of our major fall events, like the September 16 Constitution Day program or the October 9 Distinguished Jurist-in-Residence program. Find time to interact with your colleagues, whether through a study group, a “silent study group” (where you are online together but working on your own), a one-off session to discuss a practice exam, or a Zoom just to get to know each other. If you’re close to campus, drop by for events when you can or to study a bit in our beautiful library. If you’re not close to campus, consider joining your local bar association to connect with your local legal community. I know your time is precious, but making these investments in your legal education and yourself as an emerging legal professional will pay off. Trust me, some of the most important lessons you’ll learn will happen outside of the course modules. And remember, you don’t have to do everything at once! Pace yourself. 

Third, communicate and use our resources. At some point, everyone will feel like they don’t understand a concept, like there’s more work than they can complete, or that they are behind due to illness, work, or a family matter. When that person is you, don’t isolate or fret. Instead, reach out and let us know. We’re here to guide and advise you. We’ll provide you with the names and contact information about who can help with which issues. And, of course, Dean McLellan and Cindy Goldberg are always your primary contacts. 

I hope you’re excited to get started! I look forward to seeing you during orientation in August, at our social in September, and at other points during your first year at Southwestern. 

Best, 

Darby Dickerson 
President & Dean