Infobox University
name = University of West Los Angeles
established = 1966
type = Private, Non-profit
head_label = President
head = Robert W. Brown
city = Los Angeles
state = California
country = USA
faculty = 4 Full, 37 Adjunct
campus = 9920 S. La Cienega Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90301; 9201 Oakdale Ave., #201, Chatsworth, CA 91311
website = [http://www.uwla.edu www.uwla.edu]
The University of West Los Angeles (UWLA) is a private, non-profit School of Law with two campuses in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Inglewood and Chatsworth, California. The School of Law is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California.
History
UWLA was founded in 1966; the first class of two students was held in Clifford Dicker's law office. Professor Dicker guided the first class of two students in most of the subjects himself and watched them pass the Bar on their first attempt. Professor Dicker continues to teach community property at UWLA.
UWLA has witnessed much since 1966. At one point the University lost its Culver City location because of a fire.
Several people over the years have led the academics of the institution recently, however UWLA has been led by Dean Anne Arvin stepping down in 2005, followed by Interim Dean Cheryl Ward. Currently, UWLA academics are led by Dean Basil George Dezes. Dean Dezes also teaches Evidence.
UWLA started a paralegal school in 1971 that was ABA approved but it was sold in 2005 to National University. Upon being sold it could not retain its ABA accreditation.
In May 2005, the students and the law school's 12-member Faculty Senate gave a vote of no confidence in President Robert W. Brown and Chief Financial Officer David Wolf due to financial mismanagement.[Gregory J. Wilcox, [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-132433193.html "Students, Faculty Rebel University Of West LA: Tuition At Issue"] , "Los Angeles Daily News", May 12, 2005.] In November, 2005, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges' Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities voted to terminate the UWLA School of Law's accreditation, effective June 30, 2006 [http://www.wascsenior.org/wasc/Doc_Lib/UWLAPublicStatement.pdf] . [http://www.lawschool.com/afloat.htm] .]Notable Faculty
*David F. Glassman, Deputy Attorney General
*Bernard S. Jefferson, deceased, Appellate Court Justice
Notable alumni
*Ronald P. Kreber, J.D. 1972, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Orange
*Frederick P. Horn, J.D. 1974, Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Orange
*Morris B. Jones, J.D. 1981, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
*Marguerite D. Downing, J.D. 1989, Bar Board of Governors
Moot Court
Deputy Attorney General in the California Attorney General's office, David F. Glassman leads the UWLA Moot Court Program. He serves as the faculty advisor to UWLA students competing in state wide and national moot court competitions. During Professor Glassman's tenure as moot court advisor, UWLA students have won best brief awards in the Roger Traynor Moot Court competition and reached the finals of the National Criminal Procedure Moot Court competition. In 2006, a UWLA team of students finished second in the written brief portion of the latter event, defeating more than 30 ABA institutions.
Law Review
UWLA Law Review was discontinued in 2005.
Merged With San Fernando Valley College of Law
In 2002, the San Fernando Valley College of Law, previously an independent law school founded in 1962, was acquired and merged into UWLA. The San Fernando Valley College of Law was one of the first independently founded law schools (not associated with a University) in several decades, and was the first law school ever in the San Fernando Valley despite the fact that the San Fernando Valley, if it had been a separate city at the time of the founding of the law school, would have been the fifth largest city in the United States. The San Fernando School was co-founded by Leo L. Mann and Joseph P. Lamont. Mann was an attorney, originally from Brooklyn, New York, who believed strongly that older "second career" individuals were entitled to an opportunity to become lawyers. At one point, the San Fernando Valley College of Law grew to become one of the largest law schools in the country with over a 1000 students. Today, a significant number of the attorneys practicing in the San Fernando Valley are graduates of the San Fernando Valley College of Law, including a significant number of judges. Mann died in June, 2004, at the age of 79.
External links
* [http://www.uwla.edu/ UWLA's official website]
* [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/studentbody/ UWLA's Yahoo Group]
References
