Thomas Jefferson School of Law

Helping Professionals Stay on Top of International Tax & Financial Services

History

Thomas Jefferson School of Law is inspired by the mission and ideals of its namesake, a towering figure in American history who gave voice to the principles of liberty and equality this nation holds dear.

Thomas Jefferson was founded in 1969 as the San Diego campus of the Western State University College of Law, a privately owned institution in Orange County, California. What began as a part-time program quickly became popular with working professionals who could only attend evening classes, as well as local students who wanted to attend law school full-time. In 1983 the law school moved from its downtown campus to a new, much larger three-story facility on San Diego Avenue in historic and colorful Old Town San Diego.

Thomas Jefferson School of Law was born in late 1995 when the law school became independent and was granted provisional American Bar Association (ABA) accreditation in August 1996, just seven months after applying. Full ABA accreditation was granted in August 2001.

Thomas Jefferson has evolved into a private, non-profit institution which has distinguished itself as an innovative, cutting-edge law school, devoted to the individual needs and success of the student. We are now a nationally-known law school with students from across the United States and around the world. We still serve the needs of working professionals with a part-time program of evening classes, in addition to our full-time program.

Thomas Jefferson School of Law's online LL.M. (Master of Laws) and J.S.M. (Master of Science of Law) programs develop students' expertise in international law. These programs reflect Thomas Jefferson's focus on globalization and its effect on both traditional areas of international law practice and emerging fields.

We offer the LL.M. and J.S.M. degrees through the Walter H. and Dorothy B. Diamond Graduate Law Program in International Tax and Financial Services. The programs' more than 30 courses are taught by an international faculty, whose scholarly publications and years of practical experience have made them widely recognized leaders in their areas of expertise. The programs have six concentrations, allowing you to customize the program to meet your needs.

The LL.M. degree is awarded to holders of a J.D., LL.B., and the foreign functional equivalent as determined by the Registrar, who successfully complete the program requirements, including 24 credit hours. The J.S.M. is awarded to all others who successfully complete the program requirements, including 24 credit hours.

Thomas Jefferson School of Law is fully approved by the American Bar Association (ABA), and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).

Additional Information for Applicants

World-Class Faculty

The Thomas Jefferson full-time faculty includes 41 distinguished educators and scholars from the nation’s leading law schools and diverse practice areas. They have structured business transactions at both the international and the domestic levels, and litigated before the World Court at The Hague, the U.S. Supreme Court, and federal and state trial and appellate courts. Their clients have ranged from the largest multi-national corporations to the most needy members of our society, and virtually every type of client in between.

Financial Aid

Financial aid in the form of scholarships, federal loans, private loans, and non-federal financial aid may be available to students who qualify. Applicants are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The school code is 013780.