Learn more about the different types of law that may help focus your career.
Author: The Colleges of Law
COL to host Prop. 10 debate in Ventura
Prop. 10 seeks to ease the pressures of the ongoing California housing crisis, and The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law will host a debate highlighting the primary arguments surrounding the proposition prior to the November elections.
Finding a sense of purpose in family law
Alumna Guneet Kaur, Esq., balances legal savvy with emotional intelligence to build a successful law practice.
Graduates of the Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law form new Alumni Council
For the first time in its near 50-year history, The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law (COL) has a joint Alumni Council to support the interests of its more than 2,000 graduates.
The Council formally came into existence this spring with the adoption of a charter to advance a mission of serving COL and fellow graduates through advisement, engagement, and service. Among the Council’s founders is Jana Johnston (JD, ’03) who also serves as Chair of COL’s Board of Trustees.
“Collectively, our graduates are at the heart of the Santa Barbara & Ventura legal community,” Johnston said. “While many of us remain connected, the Council offers us a platform to do so much more to support each other, plus future alumni of the Colleges of Law.”
Joining Johnston on the Council’s inaugural board are nine fellow graduates:
- Betty Jeppesen (JD, ‘80) Co-Chair
- Deborah Jurgensen (JD, ‘06) Co-Chair
- Virginia Fuentes (JD, ‘14)
- Marietta Jablonka (JD, ’15)
- Guneet Kaur (JD, ‘15)
- Diana Mercier (JD, ‘17)
- Bert Partida (JD, ‘06)
- Lacy Taylor (JD, ‘15)
- Walter Wood (JD, ‘15)
“This is a tremendous opportunity for us to serve our Colleges of Law community as well as the community as a whole,” said Jurgensen. “The more we can reach out and help others, the more others will know about the wonderful tradition of service we have at the Colleges of Law.”
Brainstorming for the Council began last summer and involved alumni from the 1970s to today.
Together they shaped a charter with a vision of:
- Further supporting professional development and mentorship for students and alumni
- Further strengthening the bond between alumni and COL, especially with current students
- Engaging in strategic planning activities in collaboration with COL
- Giving back to the community through service and fundraising activities
The charter declares that all graduates of COL are members of the Alumni Council with governance provided by a 15-member elected board.
“Beyond the board, there will be many opportunities for graduates to get involved,” Jeppesen added. “We will continue to spread the word about the Council and seek input from graduates and the local legal community on how we can make a greater impact. We’re just getting started. It’s exciting.”
COL alumni interested in participating in Council projects are encouraged to contact Jurgensen at [email protected] or Jeppesen at [email protected].
How to get a J.D. Degree in California
So you’re ready to go to law school? Use these tips when considering what you’ll need to get a J.D. degree in California and begin your career.
Calif. State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson to receive honorary degree and COL keynote on April 28
SANTA BARBARA & VENTURA, Calif. – The Honorable Hannah-Beth Jackson, member of the California State Senate representing the 19th Senate District, will receive an honorary Doctor of Law degree and address The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law’s (COL) graduating Class of 2018. The commencement ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. PST on Saturday, April 28, 2018, at the Fess Parker Resort in Santa Barbara. Sen. Jackson will be honored for more than 20 years of public service and leadership in the local community.
A former prosecutor and practicing attorney, educator, and small business owner, Jackson was elected to the California State Senate in 2012 to represent the 19th Senate District, which includes all of Santa Barbara County and western Ventura County.
From 1998 to 2004, she represented the 35th Assembly District in the State Assembly, where she worked with Democratic and Republican governors to author more than 60 bills into law. She is currently chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and serves as a member of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water, the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee, and the Senate Public Safety Committee. She is immediate past chair of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus.
“Senator Jackson is a passionate advocate for the causes in which she believes,” said COL trustee Mary Jane Miller, a long-standing colleague of Sen. Jackson. “A fearless leader, she has championed equal rights for women, protection of the environment and improving access to early childhood education. Her legislative initiatives have significantly impacted residents throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura counties as well as the entire State of California. Her ongoing efforts to protect the rights of victims of the recent disasters are an example of her continuing commitment to our community.”
“I am honored to present the keynote address for the Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law graduation ceremony,” said Senator Jackson. “These graduates have worked hard in a rigorous program to achieve their dreams, and they should be proud of what they have accomplished. I am delighted to be sharing this important milestone with them.”
A graduate of Scripps College in Claremont, California with a joint major in government and sociology, Jackson received her law degree from Boston University Law School before returning to California to work as a deputy district attorney for Santa Barbara County. Eventually, she became the managing partner for the Law Offices of Eskin and Jackson, with offices in Ventura and Santa Barbara.
As commencement speaker, Jackson joins a distinguished list of local public servants invited to address a Colleges of Law graduating class. Recent keynote speakers include the Honorable Lois Capps; Joyce Dudley, current District Attorney of Santa Barbara County; the Honorable Gregory Totten, current District Attorney of Ventura County; Judge Michele Castillo, Ventura County Superior Court; and Justice Steven Z. Perren of the California Court of Appeal.
Jackson will join trustees, faculty, staff, family, and guests gathering on April 28 to celebrate the 34 members of COL’s Class of 2018. Representing the Santa Barbara Campus are graduates Dayton Aldrich, Tobias Bateson, Reanna Carrillo, Taylor Fuller, Hudson Hornick, Amber Leach, Andrew Miller, Joseph Poire, Eva Umejido, and Kevin Waddell. Candidates from the Ventura Campus are Benjamin Baumer, Dylan Beltran, Ambrosio Bigornia Jr., Arezoo Bolouhari, Mallory Clark, Katie Dimas, Anthony DiPaolo, Scott Doyle, Carla di Ruffano, Jason Goldman, Todd Pierce, Victoria Pinkosky, Luis Robert Ruano II, Zhanna Sanamyan, Chyanna Thrush, Kristine Ann Roxas Tijam, and Christina Wilson. Candidates from the Master of Arts in Law program are Andrew Cassens, Lisa Milanes, Marcus NelsonPringle, Gena Rios, Maria Sauceda, Jeanelle Warren, and Shawn Wiggins.
About The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law:
Established in 1969, The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law (COL) was founded to expand opportunities and broaden access to legal education. COL is dedicated to a student-centered approach that affords students of diverse backgrounds the opportunity to pursue careers in law or legal-related fields. The Colleges’ faculty advances a real-world perspective and practicality on the application of law and includes practicing attorneys, judges, public servants, and leaders in business and non-profit organizations. An accredited nonprofit institution, COL offers a Juris Doctor (J.D.) and a Master of Arts in Law (M.A. in Law) program. Starting in Fall 2018, COL will deliver a pioneering hybrid J.D. degree, the first of its kind in California. COL is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) and the Juris Doctor program is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners (CBE) of the State Bar of California. For more information, visit admin.collegesoflaw.edu.
The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law is an affiliate of TCS Education System, a nonprofit system of colleges advancing student success and community impact.
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Joyce Dudley resigned as Santa Barbara County district attorney effective January 2023.
Will ending gerrymandering help end hyper-partisan politics?
Members of Congress or the courts must act to end partisan gerrymandering. It undermines our democracy, diminishes the voice of moderate voters, and contributes to the tribal wars between the parties.
The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law Board of Trustees elects new member
Distinguished local attorney Catherine Swysen (J.D. ’94) joins governing board of region’s leading law school focused on access, opportunity and affordability
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Kryztofr Kaine
SANTA BARBARA & VENTURA – Catherine Swysen is the newest member of The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law (COL) Board of Trustees. A 1994 graduate of the school’s Santa Barbara campus, Swysen joins the 13-member governance body that oversees the region’s oldest and largest independent law school.
Swysen comes to COL with nearly 25 years of experience as a practicing attorney—her areas of practice spanning criminal, death penalty, appellate, civil, and administrative. She is a partner with Sanger Swysen & Dunkle, a distinguished local firm—with offices in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria—that specializes in criminal defense and civil litigation in State and Federal courts.
“We have watched with pride Catherine’s continued contributions to the local legal community,” said COL Board Chair Marilyn Anticounti, a fellow COL graduate. “She brings to the board a stellar reputation and enthusiastic commitment to the ongoing success of the Colleges of Law.”
Swysen’s experience in governance includes board and leadership positions with the Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee, the Santa Barbara County Bar Association, Santa Barbara Criminal Defense Lawyers Bar Association, and Federal Bar Association. She is a recipient of the Beulah W. Engelsberg Award from the American Civil Liberties Union and was recognized by the California State Senate and the California State Assembly for Civil Liberties. Swysen was awarded the Order of the Reasonable Doubt by the Santa Barbara Criminal Defense Lawyers Association in 1999, named the “Lawyer of the Year” by the Santa Barbara Women Lawyers in 2001, and received the Richard Abbe Humanitarian Award from the Santa Barbara County Bar for her international relief work in 2009. She is the President of the Chad Relief Foundation (CRF) and has made numerous trips to the country to further relief efforts for refugees from the Central Republic of Africa and for the local population.
“I am honored to be invited to join the Board,” said Swysen. “The Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law is a valuable asset and an incredible resource for the people of our coastal communities. Moreover, in my own experience, the COL provided an opportunity to study under professors who were accomplished practicing lawyers and judges. This education served me well in establishing a litigation practice and is equally valuable to those who pursue transactional work.”
“Few trustees better exemplify the Colleges of Law story than Catherine Swysen,” added Dr. Matthew Nehmer, COL’s Executive Director. “We are privileged to have her at the table as we approach our 50th anniversary as a school founded around the values of opportunity, excellence, and affordability.”
Prior to COL, Swysen earned a degree in history from the Université Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium before immigrating to the United States in 1980s. She has lived and worked in the Santa Barbara area for over 30 years.
About The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law:
Established in 1969, The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law (COL) was founded to expand opportunities and broaden access to legal education. COL is dedicated to a student-centered approach that affords students of diverse backgrounds the opportunity to pursue careers in law or legal-related fields. The Colleges’ faculty advances a real-world perspective and practicality on the application of law and includes practicing attorneys, judges, public servants, and leaders in business and non-profit organizations. An accredited nonprofit institution, COL offers a Juris Doctor (J.D.) and a Master of Arts in Law (M.A. in Law) program. Starting in Fall 2018, COL will deliver a pioneering hybrid J.D. degree, the first of its kind in California. COL is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) and the Juris Doctor program is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners (CBE) of the State Bar of California. For more information, visit admin.collegesoflaw.edu.
The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law is an affiliate of TCS Education System, a nonprofit system of colleges advancing student success and community impact.
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What you need to know about the new Hybrid J.D. program
In the Fall of 2018 The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law (COL) will launch a first-of-its-kind hybrid J.D. degree in the state of California.
Education Beyond Borders: Examination of South Africa
Our identity is shaped by the world around us. By examining identity through the lens of other cultures, a dynamic worldview emerges. Professionals that are imbued with this knowledge are able to competently approach decisions that have global implications—setting themselves apart as leaders in an evolving and complex international global workforce.
Identity in Context: Examination of South Africa is a cross-disciplinary, three-month course that culminates in a 10-day, study abroad experience in Capetown and Johannesburg. Known as one of the most culturally diverse nations on earth, South Africa provides a unique setting to experience the personal celebrations and challenges that exist in a country of 55 million people that speak 11 official languages.