San Joaquin College of Law

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85%

Over the last 5 years, 85% of SJCL’s graduates have passed the California bar examination.

SJCL's Bar Results

Online J.D.

SJCL now offers remote synchronous classes where you interact with instructors and in‑person students.

New Flexible Program

57%

Percentage of first-generation students that started in Fall 2025.

SJCL's Community

Rosie Palomino

“Higher education has set me free from the cycle of poverty, crime, and family violence. I am no longer imprisoned by the stereotypes and stigmas. I have chosen a different life and created opportunity here at SJCL.”

Rosie Palomino
Criminology
Fresno Pacific University

Careers in Law

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Law School 101

Our free informational monthly law forum will help you learn about law school, from courses offered to admission requirements.

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Career Panel

Learn from a panel of San Joaquin College of Law alumni in this free forum and discover the multitude of applications a law degree can provide.

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LSAT Prep Class

This forum is a free session on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), led by Professor Shannon Wentworth.

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The new issue of Inter Alia, SJCL's magazine, has been published. Get a sense of San Joaquin College of Law through its' amazing alumni and students.

Judge Amy Guerra

Amy Guerra, of Fresno County, has been appointed to serve as an Associate Justice of the Fifth District Court of Appeal. Guerra has served as a Judge in the Fresno County Superior Court since 2018.

2025 Constitution Day - Is Birthright Citizenship Dead?

In his 1961 Citizenship and Constitution Day proclamation, President Kennedy urged schools to hold ceremonies on September 17th “to inspire all our citizens to keep the faith of our Founding Fathers and to carry out the ideals of United States citizenship.” For over 150 years, one of these ideals has been the Fourteenth Amendment’s promise that every baby born in the United States is a citizen of our nation, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. Executive Order 14160 seeks to end this right, leaving hundreds of thousands of children and future generations stateless.

Alumni Career Paths Highlight What’s Possible

The SJCL motto “One Degree, a World of Options,” is greatly exemplified by the legal career of 2009 graduate Sung Bae Park, who currently lives and works in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court Bar: A Personal Reflection

By David Weiland (Law ’92), SJCL Board of Trustees Member

The United States Supreme Court Bar was first established in 1790. Since that time, thousands of attorneys have had the honor of being admitted. As of June 5, 2025, I am proud and humbled to be counted among them.

From Teacher to Future Attorney: One Mom’s Journey to Law School

Imagine highlighting legal cases at your kids’ football game, balancing textbooks on your lap and cheering on touchdowns over the weekend.

Meet the Hall of Fame Inductees for 2024

By Diane Skouti Baiza, Alumni Liaison

Most highly accomplished people share traits in common that contribute to their success. They often exhibit multi-faceted talent and smarts, in addition to having reached a pinnacle of academic pursuit. The four newest inductees to the SJCL Hall of Fame share these attributes in spades.

Constitution Day: The Supreme Court is Off the Rails. Are we past the Zone of…

By Logan Tennerelli, Dean of Students

I met my husband, Vince Tennerelli, when we were students at the University of Chicago Law School in 2006. This year, we teamed up on September 19 for SJCL’s 2024 Constitution Day Lecture (Video of the event is below), yielding an in-person audience of 50+ people and an online audience of 20+. (Offering my Fresno City College students extra credit for coming can’t hurt, right?)

Balancing Law School, Family, and Leadership: A Story of Resilience and Inspiration

Balancing family life and her law school dreams with fierce determination, Deyci Nunez Garcia is a testament to resilience and ambition. As a second-year law student at San Joaquin College of Law, Deyci has overcome many obstacles to reach this point and she's setting an inspiring example for first-generation and Latino students.

SJCL Graduates 51st Class

By Logan Tennerelli, Dean of Students

The Class of 2024 was cheered by a crowd of over 1,000 family members and friends as the graduates basked in the spotlight at the Saroyan Theatre in June.

SJCL’s 51st commencement included the heartwarming moments of triumph, inspiration, and gratitude we’ve come to cherish throughout the law school’s history.

On the Move...

Have you moved? Changed firms? Opened one of your own? Gottern married? We’d love to hear from you! Fill out the SJCL Alumni On the Move Form or email Diane at dskouti@sjcl.edu

Judge Amy Guerra

Gov. Gavin Newsom tapped Guerra for the Fifth District Court of Appeals.

Hon. Mary Thornton

The Honorable Mary Thornton (Law '08) has been reappointed by Governor Newsom to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Board of Parole Hearings, where she has served since 2019.

Feras Khoury

Feras Khoury (Law '12) is now the Virginia Market President with CenterWell Senior Primary Care (Humana). He is leading and supporting operations statewide for the centers providing patient care in Virginia.

Tomas Ross

Tomas Ross (Law '13) has been admitted into the American Board of Trial Advocates, San Joaquin Valley Chapter.

Rena Harrison

Rena Harrison (Law '19) is now a Deputy District Attorney III working in Child Support at the Madera County District Attorney's Office.

Sean Quint

Sean Quint (Law '21) has joined the Fresno County District Attorney's Office as a Deputy District Attorney.

Jeffrey Castleton

Jeffrey Castleton (Law '17) is a Deputy District Attorney with the Merced County District Attorney's Office.

Rose Oregel Gonzalez

Rose Oregel Gonzalez (Law '22) is has joined the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals as a Judicial Law Clerk.