The school places a high premium on student success, and this is reflected in its unique history. An interesting fact: the first graduate of the law school was a woman in the early 20th century, a time when professional and academic options for women were limited at best. Similarly, retired justice and Southwestern graduate Arleigh Woods holds the distinction of being the first African-American woman appointed to the appellate state judiciary.
According to Dean Bryan Garth, "At Southwestern, we believe that the law school must make a comparable investment in each one of its students and that this investment must continue on both sides into the future, long after the student has left campus for professional life." Dean Garth is also credited with having retooled the first-year curriculum to better satisfy the needs of students, reorienting the focus on career development and legal skills. As a result of this revamping, the first week of school is spent entirely on what is referred to as the LAWS program, comprising Legal Analysis, Writing, and Skills.
The school also offers an externship program involving several major organizations, including the Federal Trade Commission, the Los Angeles city and district attorney's offices, the Los Angeles Superior Court, and the United States Attorney's Office. The school has also established an immigration and human rights clinic and a children's rights clinic.
Notable alumni include prosecutor Marcia Clark of O.J. Simpson trial fame, Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons, and Tom Bradley and Norris Poulson, both former mayors of Los Angeles.
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