Message From the Dean
The
law degree opens up a remarkable array of possibilities - including
legal practice as litigator or deal-maker, service in the judiciary,
leadership in business, public service inside or outside government,
and careers in education. Prospective law students understand that law
school is an investment. They must be willing to devote a tremendous
amount of time, energy, and resources to obtain the knowledge, degree
and admission to the bar necessary to open up the full range of
possibilities.
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. Southwestern’s
investment takes many forms, such as encouraging continuing personal
relations through the extended alumni and professional network. There
is also a mutual investment in building an even stronger Southwestern
identity linked to proud traditions, bold innovations, and an
unwavering commitment to professional success.
For nearly a
century, Southwestern's investment in its students has paved the way
for generations of lawyers. Its first graduate was a woman at a time
when women were generally deemed unfit for professional leadership. The
late Mayor Tom Bradley, who served five terms as the first
African-American mayor of Los Angeles, was a graduate of Southwestern,
as is retired Justice Arleigh Woods, the first African-American woman
appointed to the appellate state judiciary in the United States. A
remarkable number of major figures in the legal and business sides of
the entertainment industry also come from Southwestern - as do many
leaders of more traditional legal careers in both private and public
sectors.
"The essence of an educational institution
is the people associated with it. We invite you to step through our
doors to round out your understanding of Southwestern by talking with
our faculty, staff, students and alumni."
Over the
last decade, Southwestern has made an extraordinary investment in its
facilities. With the completion in 2004 of the $29 million restoration
and adaptive reuse of the Bullocks Wilshire building, one of the great
art-deco structures in the United States, Southwestern now has one of
the finest and most beautiful law school campuses in the country. This
historical property now incorporates the most advanced technology in
the service of teaching and research. The investment in the building
reflects a commitment to maintain Southwestern's proud traditions while
taking the law school to the next level.
As you determine where
you will make your own investment, we invite you to explore this
viewbook and our website, which offer an extensive overview of
Southwestern University School of Law. We encourage you also to
remember that the essence of an educational institution is the people
associated with it. You can glean some idea of the diverse and talented
individuals who make up the Southwestern community from the variety of
profiles presented within these pages. Profiles, however, are no
substitute for the experience of meeting and talking to the members of
the Southwestern community. We invite you to step through our doors to
round out your understanding of the law school by talking with our
faculty, staff, students and alumni. We would welcome the opportunity
to share with you our perspectives on all of the many reasons why
Southwestern is an exceptional and exciting place to study law.
Sincerely,
Bryant G. Garth
Dean
