California Western School of Law

What it reported doing in 2024

For more than 100 years, California western school of law has helped students prepare for success in legal practice and become outstanding lawyers serving their clients and their communities.California western school of law provides a rigorous traditional legal education including j.d., dual j.d. /mba, and dual j.d. /msw degrees with an emphasis on developing problem-solving, communication, writing, and analytical thinking skills.at the same time, the law school teaches students the skills of law practice, through simulation courses, client-service clinics, and a robust externship program. This strong theoretical grounding and advanced skill base helps graduates pass the bar exam and provide high quality services to clients and the legal profession from the earliest days of their careers.California western school of law has been named to the president's higher education community service honor roll numerous times in recognition of the schools various community-focused projects and programs including the innocence and justice clinic (ijc), community law project, new media rights, and more. Our ijc attorneys, staff and clinical students have had amazing successes in changing peoples lives. Since the inception of the clinic, ijc has been inolved in the release or exoneration of over 40 wrongfully convicted clients.the new media rights program provides services to creators, consumers and early-stage entrepreneurs who need intellectual property, privacy, and media law expertise. The program educates thousands of individuals about intellectual property, privacy and internet law through workshops, written materials, video and the new media rights website.the community law project provides high quality legal assistance and referrals to needy individuals throughout san diego. Law school students, together with the community law projects staff and approximately 100 volunteer attorneys and community members, assist about 1,000 individuals annually. Community members are served in weekly clinics and through the community law projects innovative community education programs, where we educate the underserved on issues ranging from consumer protection to immigration, estate planning, tenant rights and more. The community law project plays a key role in san diego, working to assist those in need with legal matters.located at the heart of san diegos legal, political, and judicial center, California western school of law maintains an annual enrollment of about 650 students and 150 full-time and part-time faculty and staff members. Students, faculty, and staff yearly donate more than 10,000 pro bono and service hours to nonprofits, clinical programs, and law offices.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 81.3%; rating input score 81
• Program expense ratio: 86.1%; rating input score 86
• Fundraising efficiency: $1.93 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 4.2%; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.82; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.14; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 5.9%; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 1.8% per year; rating input score 100; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 1.1% per year; rating input score 100; 13th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -0.9% per year; rating input score 0; 8th percentile among comparable filings