February 1, 2021
STUDENT DISCLOSURE STATEMENT OF
CALIFORNIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW
1. California Southern University School of Law (hereinafter referred to as CalSouthern School of Law) is not accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California.
2. CalSouthern School of Law has not applied for accreditation in the previous five years.
3. The number and passage results of CalSouthern School of Law students who have taken the First-Year Law Students’ Examination and General Bar Examination in the past five years is as follows:
FIRST-YEAR LAW STUDENTS’ EXAMINATION PASSAGE STATISTICS
Data Source: State Bar of California
All Takers First Timers Repeaters
Exam
Date |
Took |
Passed |
%
Passed |
|
Took |
Passed |
%
Passed |
|
Took |
Passed |
%
Passed |
| 11/20 |
0 |
n/a |
n/a |
|
0 |
n/a |
n/a |
|
0 |
n/a |
n/a |
| 6/20 |
0 |
n/a |
n/a |
|
0 |
n/a |
n/a |
|
0 |
n/a |
n/a |
| 10/19 |
3 |
1 |
33 |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
2 |
1 |
50 |
| 6/19 |
8 |
5 |
62 |
|
4 |
2 |
50 |
|
4 |
3 |
75 |
| 10/18 |
6 |
1 |
16 |
|
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
4 |
1 |
25 |
| 06/18 |
2 |
1 |
50 |
|
2 |
1 |
50 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 10/17 |
9 |
2 |
22 |
|
4 |
1 |
25 |
|
3 |
1 |
33 |
| 06/17 |
6 |
1 |
17 |
|
5 |
1 |
20 |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
| 10/16 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
2 |
0 |
0 |
| 06/16 |
7 |
2 |
26 |
|
4 |
1 |
25 |
|
3 |
1 |
33 |
| TOTAL |
44 |
13 |
30 |
|
23 |
6 |
26 |
|
19 |
7 |
37 |
GENERAL BAR EXAMINATION PASSAGE STATISTICS
Data Source: State Bar of California
All Takers First Timers Repeaters
Exam
Date |
Took |
Passed |
% Passed |
|
Took |
Passed |
% Passed |
|
Took |
Passed |
% Passed |
| 10/20 |
6 |
3 |
50 |
|
0 |
n/a |
n/a |
|
6 |
3 |
50 |
| 2/20 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
n/a |
n/a |
|
4 |
0 |
0 |
| 7/19 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
|
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
6 |
0 |
0 |
| 2/19 |
5 |
1 |
20 |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
4 |
1 |
25 |
| 07/18 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
5 |
0 |
0 |
| 02/18 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
3 |
0 |
0 |
| 07/17 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
6 |
0 |
0 |
| 02/17 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
2 |
0 |
0 |
| 07/16 |
6 |
1 |
17 |
|
1 |
1 |
100 |
|
5 |
0 |
0 |
| 02/16 |
6 |
1 |
17 |
|
2 |
1 |
50 |
|
4 |
0 |
0 |
| TOTAL |
54 |
6 |
11 |
|
9 |
2 |
22 |
|
45 |
4 |
9 |
4. The educational background, qualifications, and experience of the faculty and the names of any faculty or administrators who are members of the State Bar of California or who are admitted in another jurisdiction is as follows:
FACULTY QUALIFICATIONS
Ellie D. Shefi, Member, California State Bar, Tennessee State Bar, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Bar, United States Supreme Court Bar
J.D., University of Michigan School of Law, Ann Arbor, MI
B.A., University of Texas, San Antonio, TX
Dean, California Southern University School of Law
Practice Experience: Federal Practice, Civil Procedure, Legal Research and Writing, Constitutional Law, Civil Rights, Discrimination, Disability, Property, Torts, Contracts, Real Estate, Labor and Employment, Prisoner Conditions of Confinement
Publication: “Waiving Goodbye: Incarcerating Waived Juveniles in Adulty Correctional Facilities Will Not Reduce Crime,” 36 U. Mich. J.L. Reform 653 (2003).
George Ackerman, Member, Florida Bar, D.C. Bar
J.D., Nova Southeastern University
Ph.D.,Capella University
M.B.A., Nova Southeastern University
M.S., Nova Southeastern University
B.A., Florida Atlantic University
Police Certification, Miami-Dade College
Practice Experience: Constitutional Law, Evidence, Business Associations, Federal Income Taxation, Uniform Commercial Code, Professional Responsibility
Christine M. Greene, Member, Maryland State Bar, D.C. Bar
J.D., Washington and Lee University School of Law, Lexington, VA
B.A., University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Practice Experience: Criminal and Post-Conviction, Civil Litigation, Family Law, and Immigration Law
Mark Loza, Member, California State Bar
J.D., Western State University College of Law, Fullerton, CA
B.A., University of California, Davis
Attorney, County of Los Angeles Child Support Department
Former Bilingual Teacher, Suva Intermediate School, Montebello, CA
Conference Presentations:
Loza, M. (2015, April). Introducing P.R.E.P. (Parental Responsibility Education Program). Annual California Child Support Training Conference & Expo, Burlingame, CA.
Loza, M. (2015, April). Legal Ethics. Minimum Continuing Legal Education for attorneys, Los Angeles, CA.
John McWilliams, Member, California State Bar and Washington State Bar
LL.M., Tax, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, CA
J.D., Southwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles, CA
B.S.B.A., The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Practice Experience: Corporate Tax, Individual Tax, Business Law, Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Law, Estate Planning, Real Estate Transactions, and Constitutional Law
Certified Public Accountant, California and Washington
Adjunct Professor, California State University, Fullerton
Former Corporate and Tax Attorney, Ernst & Young, LLP
Former Corporate and Tax Attorney, KPMG, LLP
Michael Neff, Member, California State Bar
J.D., California Western School of Law, San Diego, CA
B.S.L., Western State University, San Diego, CA
Practice Experience: Criminal Law and Business Law, representing individuals and large corporations
Florida Certified Mediator, County Court Level
Adjunct Instructor, Pasco-Hernando Community College, Dade City, FL
Founding Member, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point Bio-Ethics Committee
Katherine Pawlak, Member, Ohio State Bar and Michigan State Bar
J.D., The University of Toledo College of Law, Toledo, OH
B.A., Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Practice Experience: Employment Law, Business Law, Civil Litigation
Partner, Wasserman, Bryan, Landry & Honold LLP
Adjunct Faculty and Subject Matter Expert – Paralegal Studies, Rasmussen College
Adjunct Faculty, American Public University System
Personal Bar Exam Advisor, Themis Bar Review
Melinda S. Whitman, Member – Inactive, Kansas State Bar
J.D., Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, KS
M.S., Criminal Justice, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
B.A.S., Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
Practice Experience: Civil Litigation, Prosecution, Criminal Defense, Family Law, Appellate Practice, and Business Law
Former Assistant Professor, DeVry University
Former Criminal Justice Program Chair, Colorado Technical University, Kansas City
Former Adjunct Instructor, Johnson County Community College, Overland Park
5. The ratio of faculty to students for the previous five years has been:
2020: 1 faculty per 3 students
2019: 1 faculty per 4 students
2018: 1 faculty per 4 students
2017: 1 faculty per 4 students
2016: 1 faculty per 7 students
6. The education provided by CalSouthern School of Law may not satisfy the requirements of other jurisdictions for the practice of law. Applicants should contact the jurisdiction in which they may wish to practice for that jurisdiction’s requirements to practice law.
7. CalSouthern School of Law has not been issued a Notice of Noncompliance by the Committee of Bar Examiners.
8. Guideline 2.3(D) of the Guidelines for Unaccredited Law School Rules provides:
The method of instruction at this law school for the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree program is principally by correspondence.
Students enrolled in the J.D. degree program at this law school who successfully complete the first year of law study must pass the First-Year Law Students’ Examination required by Business and Professions Code § 6060(h) and Title 4, Division 1, Chapter 1 Rule 4.3(I) of the Rules of the State Bar of California as part of the requirements to qualify to take the California Bar Examination. A student who passes the First-Year Law Students’ Examination within three (3) administrations of the examination after first becoming eligible to take it will receive credit for all legal studies completed to the time the examination is passed. A student who does not pass the examination within three (3) administrations of the examination after first becoming eligible to take it must be promptly disqualified from the law school’s J.D. degree program. If the dismissed student subsequently passes the examination, the student is eligible for re-enrollment in this law school’s J.D. degree program, but will receive credit for only one year of legal study.
Study at, or graduation from, this law school may not qualify a student to take the bar examination or to satisfy the requirements for admission to practice in jurisdictions other than California. A student intending to seek admission to practice law in a jurisdiction other than California should contact the admitting authority in that jurisdiction for information regarding the legal education requirements in that jurisdiction for admission to the practice of law.
9. Attrition Rates of Enrolled Students in Subsequent Years of Law Study
September 15, 2016 – September 15, 2020
Students enrolled in this law school’s J.D. Degree Program by year of study:
First Year: Second Year: Third Year: Fourth Year:
9/15/16: 41 5 3 3
9/15/17: 30 2 6 1
9/15/18: 29 5 1 6
9/15/19: 14 7 5 3
9/15/20: 4 2 4 3
* In accordance with Guideline 5.22 of the Guidelines for Unaccredited Law School Rules: “A student who does not pass the First-Year Law Students’ Examination within three (3) administrations after first becoming eligible to take the examination must be promptly disqualified from a law school’s J.D. program.” Other reasons for student attrition vary and include, but are not limited to, students voluntarily withdrawing from law school due to personal, family, business, career or financial issues and students who may have been dismissed by the law school because the students did not maintain academic good standing or who were unable to complete the mandatory curriculum requirements to earn a Juris Doctor degree.
This disclosure statement must be provided to each new student upon payment of an application fee, but before payment of a registration fee, and to each returning student, prior to payment of any fee for an academic term. This disclosure must be signed by the student, who must receive a copy of the signed statement.
I acknowledge receipt of a copy of this disclosure statement on the date listed below.