Pepperdine, UCLA and Southwestern Law Schools Receive State Bar Grant to Establish Attorney Incubator

LOS ANGELES, CA, January 12, 2015 – Pepperdine University School of Law, UCLA School of Law and Southwestern Law School have been awarded a one-year grant from the State Bar of California's Commission on Access to Justice to establish a modest means incubator, a pilot program to help new attorneys launch and develop viable law practices serving modest means clients.

The law schools have partnered with local legal aid organizations and the Los Angeles County Law Library to create the Los Angeles County Incubator Consortium, through which 12-15 recent graduates – 4-5 from each law school – will receive training in establishing law practices that provide legal services to low and modest income populations.

The one-year program will equip participants with skills and trainings specifically geared toward effective solo practice management, including client communication, case management, and business opportunity development. In addition, participants will receive training in various substantive areas of law in exchange for 200 hours of pro bono representation. Participants will also receive mentorship and guidance from lawyers and retired judges on legal strategy.

The long-term goal of the consortium — whose members also include Bet Tzedek, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Community Legal Services, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County and Public Counsel — is to develop a successful incubator program that can serve the legal needs of low and modest income populations throughout Los Angeles County.

About Pepperdine University School of Law

Pepperdine University School of Law, founded in 1964 and located in Malibu, California, is committed to serving students by preparing them for lives of purpose, service, and leadership in a rapidly changing legal environment. Pepperdine University School of Law provides highly qualified students with a superior legal education through a combination of rigorous academic programs, meaningful interaction with faculty, and extensive clinical and experiential opportunities. The school prepares students for positions as counselors, advocates, and judges; as business persons; and as researchers, teachers, and philosophers of the law. For more information, please visit law.pepperdine.edu.

About UCLA School of Law

Founded in 1949, UCLA School of Law is the youngest major law school in the nation and has established a tradition of innovation in its approach to teaching, research and scholarship. With approximately 100 faculty and 970 students, the school pioneered clinical teaching, is a leader in interdisciplinary research and training and is at the forefront of efforts to link research to meaningful change in society and the legal profession. For more information, please visit law.ucla.edu.

About Southwestern Law School

With a unique history of producing trailblazers in the judiciary and civic leadership since 1911, Southwestern is the second oldest ABA law school in Los Angeles. Full-time and part-time 2-, 3- and 4-year JD programs accommodate the needs of a richly diverse law student population and feature leading curricular innovation as well as one of the largest externship programs in California. The centrally located campus includes the world-renowned art deco Bullocks Wilshire landmark and helps foster close ties with the public interest, government, entertainment industry and corporate sectors. For more information, visit www.swlaw.edu.

Tom Inkel
Director of Communications
Pepperdine University School of Law
(310) 506-7027
thomas.inkel@pepperdine.edu

Lauri Gavel
Executive Director of Communications
UCLA School of Law
(310) 206-2611
gavel@law.ucla.edu

Leslie R. Steinberg
Associate Dean for Public Affairs
Southwestern School of Law
(213) 738-6731
lsteinberg@swlaw.edu