Bridgette M. de Gyarfas '94
Professor of Law | Associate Dean of Legal Analysis, Writing, and Skills
B.S., Computer Information Systems, 1984, Arizona State University, 1984
J.D., Southwestern Law School, 1994
Member, California State Bar and Bar of the District of Columbia
Bridgette M. de Gyarfas is Professor of Law and Associate Dean of Legal Analysis, Writing, and Skills (LAWS) at Southwestern Law School. In this role, she leads Southwestern’s first-year legal analysis, writing, and skills curriculum, with a particular focus on preparing students to become effective, independent, and practice-ready legal thinkers and writers.
Professor de Gyarfas has devoted much of her career to legal education, legal writing, academic support, and student success. She first joined the Southwestern faculty in 2008 and served as Director of the school’s Entertainment and Media Law LL.M. Online Program from 2008 to 2016. She returned to Southwestern in 2019 and became a Professor of Legal Analysis, Writing, and Skills in 2022, Director of the LAWS Department in 2024, and Associate Dean in 2026. Her teaching has included Legal Writing, Selected Topics in American Law, Defenses in the Law, Bar Advantage, Academic Excellence, and Academic Support.
“I experience such enormous joy teaching law students and witnessing their journey to become great legal thinkers while bravely navigating their way through the arduous process of learning the law. ”
Professor de Gyarfas's work in legal education extends beyond the classroom. She has been actively involved in curriculum development, online legal education, faculty governance, student support, and professional skills training. Her service at Southwestern has included membership on the Academic Freedom, Faculty Recruitment, Academic Standards, Admissions, Curriculum, and Online J.D. committees, among others. She has also served as a Master in Southwestern’s Inn of Court chapter, a negotiation coach and judge, a moot court judge, and a faculty advisor.
In recognition of her commitment to teaching and her students, Professor de Gyarfas received Southwestern’s Anahid Gharakhanian Excellence in Teaching Award and was named Professor of the Year for the 2025–2026 academic year.
Before focusing her career on legal education, Professor de Gyarfas practiced law in a variety of settings. Her experience includes commercial litigation, bankruptcy, trusts and estates, probate litigation, and appellate work. She also served as a judicial law clerk to judges of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. Earlier in her career, she practiced with Squire, Sanders & Dempsey and operated her own law firm. She later founded Law Coaches, LLC, where she worked with law students on academic success, legal analysis, writing, and bar preparation.
Before attending law school, Professor de Gyarfas worked as a software engineer and supervisor in the aerospace industry, including on aircraft training and simulation projects. She earned a B.S. in Computer Information Systems from Arizona State University and her J.D. from Southwestern Law School, where she served as Managing Editor of the Southwestern Law Review and participated in the Moot Court Honors Program.
A proud Southwestern alumna, Professor de Gyarfas brings together her experience as a practicing attorney, legal educator, academic administrator, and former technology professional in her work with students and faculty. At the center of that work is her longstanding commitment to helping students develop the analytical judgment, writing skills, professionalism, and confidence necessary to succeed in law school and in the profession.