San Joaquin College of Law

San Joaquin College of Law A COBE & WASC-accredited law school located midway between LA & San Francisco. Since that time, SJCL graduates have distinguished themselves professionally.

SJCL is the only accredited law school in a 100-mile radius and our graduates go on to pursue a variety of leadership positions locally, nationally and internationally. San Joaquin College of Law (SJCL) was founded in 1969 by a visionary group of San Joaquin Valley judges and attorneys who believed that capable individuals were being denied a quality legal education. Among their alumni ranks are f

ifty-six judges and court commissioners, the Fresno, Kings, and Madera County District Attorneys, the former California Health and Human Services Secretary, the former Deputy Director of the California Environmental Protection Agency, and practitioners in every area of public and private service. Your Bachelor’s Degree in any major qualifies you to apply. In as little as three years, you could be an attorney.

Great lawyers know how to stand on their own. 💪Exceptional lawyers know how to work as a team. ⚖️That spirit was on full...
09/01/2026

Great lawyers know how to stand on their own. 💪

Exceptional lawyers know how to work as a team. ⚖️

That spirit was on full display when Sergio Lopez (JD '26), Bradley Rutledge (JD '26), and 3L Benjamin Arcure represented SJCL at the 57th Annual Roger J. Traynor California Appellate Moot Court Competition last semester.

Moot Court isn't just about making persuasive arguments.

It's about countless hours of legal research, anticipating tough questions from the bench, and learning to think on your feet—all while trusting your teammates to do the very same.

And that's exactly what this team did. ✨

Throughout the competition, they challenged each other, encouraged one another, and worked side by side to prepare for one of California's premier appellate advocacy competitions.

Their dedication didn't go unnoticed. 🏆

The judges praised the team's performance, noting their command of the facts and the law, their thoughtful responses to hard questions, and the quality of their preparation. One judge even compared them to "seasoned appellate attorneys," while another described the team as "extremely impressed" with their preparation. 💬

Their hard work also earned individual recognition for Benjamin Arcure and Bradley Rutledge, who received Individual Merit Awards for their oral advocacy.

But the greatest accomplishment wasn't an award.

It was the reminder that some of the strongest lawyers aren't built alone. They're built through collaboration, constructive feedback, late-night practice rounds, and teammates who challenge each other to become better advocates every single day. 👏

Congratulations to Sergio, Bradley, and Benjamin on representing SJCL with professionalism, integrity, and excellence. We're incredibly proud of all you accomplished and can't wait to see where your advocacy takes you next. 💙

Some of the most powerful advocates are the ones who know exactly what it feels like to need one. ✨For SJCL alumna Laura...
09/01/2026

Some of the most powerful advocates are the ones who know exactly what it feels like to need one. ✨

For SJCL alumna Laura Higareda-Chapa (JD '22), advocating for students isn't just a career.

It's personal.

Growing up, Laura watched her brother get caught in a cycle that too many young people experience. As a child, he struggled in school and looking back, she believes undiagnosed learning disabilities may have played a role. But instead of receiving the support he needed, he got caught up in the juvenile justice system—a cycle that continued into adulthood.

That experience shaped the lawyer Laura would become. ⚖️

Today, as the first Education Attorney in the Juvenile Unit of the Fresno County Public Defender's Office, she's ensuring that students who face some of the same challenges have someone fighting for the educational support they're entitled to before they're pushed out of classrooms and deeper into the justice system.

Because changing a child's future begins long before they should ever have to step foot in a courtroom.

Laura's commitment to advocating for vulnerable students recently earned her the Central Valley Hero Award for Education from the American Red Cross—an honor that recognizes the life-changing impact she's making throughout our community. 🤍

Her journey is a powerful reminder that the experiences that once broke your heart can become the very reason you help change someone else's future.

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition Laura. We're so proud of the compassion, determination, and advocacy you bring to our community every day. Your work is changing lives in ways that will be felt for generations to come. 💙

Read Laura's full story in the latest issue of Inter Alia to learn how her personal experiences inspired her legal career, why educational advocacy matters, and how she's helping rewrite the futures of students who simply need someone in their corner.

📖: https://bit.ly/InterAliaSummer26

One of the best parts of law school happens outside the classroom. 🎉Next week, our Student Bar Association is kicking of...
08/29/2026

One of the best parts of law school happens outside the classroom. 🎉

Next week, our Student Bar Association is kicking off the semester with our annual Back to School Night Cookout and we can't wait to see our SJCL community together again. 🤗

It's a chance to step away from the books for a night and reconnect with the people who make the law school journey so memorable.

Whether you're:

✨ Catching up with classmates after the first few weeks of school...
✨ A new 1L getting to know more of your classmates outside the classroom...
✨ An alum stopping by to reconnect...
✨ Or a family member who's been supporting a law student every step of the way...

There's a place (and a plate) waiting for you! 🍽

So bring your family, reconnect with classmates, meet our incoming students, and enjoy an evening of great food, games, music, and more.

Because while law school is built on casebooks and classrooms...

It's the people you share the journey with who often make it unforgettable. 💙

We can't wait to welcome everyone back and kick off another incredible year at SJCL. See you next week! 👋

08/28/2026

Small law school. Big Bar results 💪

Over the last five years, 85% of SJCL graduates have passed the California Bar Exam.

But that number tells only part of the story.

Behind every Bar pass is a student who showed up when it would’ve been easier to quit.

Someone who balanced work, family, and life while chasing a goal that sometimes felt out of reach.

Someone who spent late nights studying, leaned on their classmates, learned from professors, and kept going one day at a time.

That’s what the number represents. 🔑

Not luck.
Not shortcuts.
But hard work. Persistence. Community.

And students who refused to give up on becoming lawyers.

We’re incredibly proud of every graduate who’s helped build that legacy—and we’re just as excited for our students who are just beginning to imagine what’s possible.

Because every attorney starts somewhere. ✨

Thinking about law school or just want to see what the journey would actually look like?

Join us for ✨Law School 101 on Tuesday, October 27 at 6pm✨ to meet our students, hear their stories, get your questions answered, and see what makes SJCL different from other law schools. ⚖️

Your story could be the next one behind that 85%. 💙

to the birthday that changed everything. 🎉Imagine celebrating your birthday with the people you love.....and surprisin...
08/27/2026

to the birthday that changed everything. 🎉

Imagine celebrating your birthday with the people you love...
..and surprising them with the news that you got accepted to law school. ⚖️

That's exactly how 3L Alexa Garcia-Espinoza celebrated one of the biggest milestones of her life.

At the time, she said she was grateful for the opportunity and ready to start building a legacy her son could be proud of. 🫶

Fast forward to today, and she's no longer wondering what law school will be like.

She's living it. ✨

Late nights.
Cold calls.
Case briefs.
Study groups.
The wins.
The challenges.
And every lesson that's helping shape the lawyer she's becoming.

It reminds us that every law student was once a brand-new 1L wondering if they were ready and if they could really do this.

They could.
They did.
And so can you.

As Elle Woods famously proved, believing in yourself is never something to apologize for.

"What, like it's hard?" 😉

To our 1Ls - keep showing up! One day you'll look back on the moment your journey began and realize it was the start of something much bigger than you imagined. 💗

08/27/2026

Her words hit a little differently today 💕

Dolly Parton spent her life reminding people that where you come from doesn’t determine how far you can go—and that you don’t have to forget your roots to build a life bigger than you once imagined.

For our current and future law students, we hope you carry that reminder with you too. 🫶

💠If the LSAT score isn’t what you hoped for.

💠When you’re sitting in your first law school class wondering if everyone else knows something you don’t.

💠When you’re balancing casebooks with children, bills, or responsibilities that don’t disappear just because you decided to chase your goals.

💠When someone questions whether law school is really for “someone like you.”

Remember who you are. Remember where you came from.

And remember all the things you’ve already overcome to get this far.

The community that raised you.
The experiences that shaped you.
The obstacles you’ve faced.
The people you want to fight for someday.

All of those things are part of what will make you a powerful lawyer one day. ⚖️

Today, we remember Dolly not only for the music and joy she gave the world, but for a life that showed generations of people what can happen when you dream big without forgetting where you started. ✨

May we all carry a little of that courage with us.

Rest in peace, Dolly. 🤍

There's no such thing as a "lawyer personality." ⚖️One of the biggest questions law students ask is: "What kind of lawye...
08/26/2026

There's no such thing as a "lawyer personality." ⚖️

One of the biggest questions law students ask is: "What kind of lawyer could I be?"

And the truth is... there's no single answer.

Some lawyers are energized by the courtroom.
Some are passionate about helping families.
Some thrive behind the scenes researching complex legal issues.

Others are driven by personal experiences that inspire them to make sure no one else has to navigate the legal system alone.

Earlier this year, four SJCL alumni returned to Fresno State to share their experiences, their career journeys, and what they've learned since graduating.

Their stories are all different.
But they have one thing in common:

They each found a way to turn what mattered most to them into meaningful legal careers. 💙

➡️ SWIPE to meet our four SJCL alumni whose passion for the law is making a difference across the Central Valley and beyond.

You took the Bar - now here’s an opportunity to put that JD to work. ⚖️Our New American Legal Clinic at San Joaquin Coll...
08/25/2026

You took the Bar - now here’s an opportunity to put that JD to work. ⚖️

Our New American Legal Clinic at San Joaquin College of Law (NALC) is growing and we’re looking for a Post-Bar Law Clerk who’s ready to gain meaningful, hands-on immigration law experience while awaiting California Bar results.

This isn’t a position where you’ll spend your time watching from the sidelines.

You’ll work alongside experienced attorneys and law students while helping real clients navigate complex immigration matters—including significant work in removal defense.

As a Post-Bar Law Clerk, you’ll have opportunities to:

🔹 Interview potential clients + identify possible forms of immigration relief
🔹 Conduct legal research and analysis
🔹 Prepare filings for USCIS and EOIR
🔹 Draft and review declarations and immigration forms
🔹 Assist with removal defense cases
🔹 Attend immigration court hearings and agency interviews
🔹 Visit detention facilities and help prepare clients for hearings
🔹 Support and mentor law students working in the clinic
🔹 Participate in community outreach, workshops + immigration events

If you’re passionate about immigration law, public interest work, community-based advocacy, and using your legal education to make a direct impact in people’s lives, we’d love to hear from you.

📩 Send your cover letter + résumé to [email protected]

For the complete job description + requirements: https://bit.ly/NALCPostBarLawClerk

08/25/2026

TBH Contracts is one of the most useful classes you’ll ever take 👇

And one of the biggest surprises about law school?

It makes you start looking at everyday conversations a little differently. ⚖️

That Facebook Marketplace listing.
That text saying, “I’ll sell it to you for $500.”
That email accepting a job offer.
That online purchase you made in 30 seconds.

They all have something in common.

They’re rooted in one of the first concepts you’ll learn in Contracts: offer and acceptance. 🤓

Our Academic Dean and Contracts Professor, Justin Atkinson, loves teaching this topic because it helps students realize something most people never think about:

What you say—and even what you post online—can have legal consequences.

Because the law doesn’t just look at what you meant to say. It often looks at what a reasonable person would understand from your words and actions. 🔑

That’s why Contracts is one of the most practical classes you’ll take in law school.

It changes the way you think about everyday agreements, business deals, social media posts, employment offers, online sales, and countless conversations you’ll have throughout your life. 🤯

So it’s not just about memorizing legal rules.

It’s about learning to communicate with clarity, think critically, and recognize when an ordinary conversation can become a legally enforceable agreement. 🤝

Wondering what else you would study in law school? Download our Law Program Catalog to see what classes we offer, learn about our school, and see how each course prepares you for a successful career in law. 📖

The best networking isn't about collecting business cards.It's about building relationships that create opportunities to...
08/20/2026

The best networking isn't about collecting business cards.

It's about building relationships that create opportunities to serve others. 🤝

For SJCL alumnus, Adam Balakian (JD '24), that's one of the reasons he's excited about building his estate planning practice here in the Central Valley. ⚖️

Every conversation introduces him to someone with a different story, a different family, and different goals for the future.

Last month, Adam had a good reminder of just how powerful those conversations can be. 💬

As a member of the Fresno's Leading Young Professionals - FLYP Board of Directors and its Student Liaison, Adam is passionate about bringing people together and creating opportunities for young professionals to connect, collaborate, and grow.

And that passion was on full display at FLYP's July Mixer at 559 Taqueria, where Adam spent the evening meeting new people, exchanging ideas, and having conversations that could soon turn into something even bigger—an estate planning seminar to help educate members of our community. ✨

It's a great reminder that being a lawyer isn't just about what happens in the office or the courtroom.

It's about showing up in your community.

Building trust before someone ever needs legal help.

And using your knowledge to make the law more accessible for the people you serve.

We're proud to see Adam grow his estate planning practice while supporting the next generation of leaders here in the Central Valley. We can't wait to see the impact he'll continue making—both through his practice and through organizations like FLYP. 💙

Address

901 5th Street
Clovis, CA
93612

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 10pm
Tuesday 9am - 10pm
Wednesday 9am - 10pm
Thursday 9am - 10pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 8:30am - 6pm
Sunday 8:30am - 6pm

Telephone

+15593261455

Website

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