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The Colleges of Law Board of Trustees Elects New Member
Ventura attorney Lauren Nicholson joins The Colleges of Law, focusing on the mission of access, opportunity, and affordability.
SANTA BARBARA & VENTURA – Lauren Nicholson (J.D. ’17) is the newest member of The Colleges of Law Board of Trustees. A graduate of the school’s Ventura campus, Nicholson joins the 15-member governance body that oversees the region’s oldest and largest independent law school.
Nicholson currently serves as president of the Women Lawyers of Ventura County, advocating on behalf of women and girls in the local community. She is also a board member at large for the Ventura County Family Law Bar Association, organizing local continuing legal education opportunities and contributing to the local family law community. Nicholson regularly volunteers with the Ventura County Superior Court
The Colleges of Law awarded DEI Leadership Seal by the State Bar of California
The Colleges of Law is the only law school among other legal employers that the State Bar of California has honored with this award.
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. and VENTURA, Calif., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Colleges of Law is among an inaugural group of legal employers and the only law school to be awarded a DEI Leadership Seal by the State Bar of California. The DEI Leadership Seal Program recognizes legal employers who implement research-driven actions that further workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This prestigious recognition highlights The Colleges of Law's commitment to improving access and promoting inclusion within the legal profession.
"At The Colleges of Law, we believe that diversity is not just an aspiration but a fundamental element of the justice
Exploring Alternative Pathways to Licensure
Given the changing landscape of the legal profession, Dean Jackie Gardina, Ed.D., J.D., calls on the California Supreme Court to explore alternatives to determining readiness to practice law.
In May of 2023, The Blue Ribbon Commission on the Future of the California Bar Exam (BRC) released its final report and recommendations to the State Bar of California Board of Trustees. The commission, a joint effort between the California Supreme Court and the state bar, was tasked with developing recommendations concerning changes to the California bar exam and whether to adopt alternative pathways, additional testing, or tools to ensure minimum competence to practice law.
This charge was to follow up on the findings of the California Attorney Practice Analysis Working Group (CAPA), which identified the
Introducing “The Colleges of Law”
The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law launches new identity and rebrand
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. and VENTURA, Calif., April 13, 2022 — The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law (COL) is changing its name. The nonprofit law school with campuses in Ventura and Santa Barbara is introducing a new identity, rebranding as “The Colleges of Law.”
With the change comes a new logo that showcases a foundation in law using classic pillars, signifying traditional legal education with forward momentum that captures the college’s commitment to innovation and progress. The column iconography represents something being built and still taking shape—a modern take on a classic design feature. It will be the school’s first brand update since 2010 while streamlining its various naming conventions—Ventura College
The Colleges of Law opens enrollment for new Master of Arts in Law program
Recruitment underway to welcome first cohort in fall 2022
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. and VENTURA, Calif., April 11, 2022—Responding to rapid changes in the legal services industry, The Colleges of Law has launched its new Master of Arts in Law program. Recruitment is underway to enroll an inaugural cohort in a pioneering online program that intersects cross-disciplinary studies with a legal curriculum.
The Colleges of Law dean and chief academic officer, Jackie Gardina, J.D., first proposed the program to the college’s Board of Trustees in 2019 to address emerging trends in the practice of law. “Our field is being disrupted,” says Gardina. “Technology is transforming how people access services and how lawyers perform their jobs. While there will always be a need for competent and ethical
