Chapman University

Dale E. Fowler School of Law

About the Fowler School of Law

Powerfully tested. Confidently prepared.

Located in the heart of Southern California, Chapman University's Fowler School of Law provides a personalized and practice-focused approach to legal education that prepares our graduates to make a lasting difference in their communities. ABA accredited and ranked among US News & World Report's Top Law Schools, Chapman Law is recognized for its distinguished faculty, collegial environment, and ideal Orange County location.

Latest Fowler School of Law News

Photograph of Chapman alumni LtCol Alex Douvas Alumni on the Move: LtCol Alex Douvas

Lieutenant Colonel Alex Douvas (JD ’05) returned to campus with a small entourage of Marine Corps recruiters to discuss his work as a Marine Corps judge advocate with Fowler students interested in learning about what this specialization might have to offer their careers.

Photographic collage of images from scholar weekend 2024 20th Annual Scholars Weekend

March 14-16 marked the 20th annual Scholars Weekend for the Fowler School of Law, an important event in the admissions cycle and a terrific opportunity for the Fowler School of Law community to welcome outstanding prospective candidates already admitted to our JD program.

Photograph of Dean Paton presenting at the 70th anniversary of Brown v Board Event Fowler and OC Judiciary Commemorate 70th Anniversary of Brown v Board

Opening our doors to collaboration with the Orange County Superior Court, the Orange County Bar Association and the Thurgood Marshall Bar Association, the Fowler School of Law was proud to host a special event on February 29 commemorating the 70th anniversary of the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown vs Board of Education.

Photograph of the 2024 Chapman Law Review Event Program Chapman Law Review 2024 Symposium

The 2024 Chapman Law Review Symposium was hosted in a packed-to-capacity Kennedy Hall and treated guests to a dazzling array of legal scholarship, experience and insight. Academics, practitioners and lawmakers led the audience through regulations governing the music industry, the implications for Artificial Intelligence and machine-generated melodies, copyrightability, questions around the federal right to publicity, and using rap lyrics as evidence in criminal trials.

Photograph of the December 2023 Bar Swearing in Ceremony December 2023 Bar Swearing-in Ceremony

Memorial Hall recently played host to the 2023 Fowler School of Law bar swearing-in ceremony. The historic Chapman venue was awash with smiles, collegial warmth and even a few relieved sighs as Fowler graduates took their Californian and federal oaths. View a gallery of the evening's proceedings.

Photograph of Professor Mainero during a Bar-Preparation session Fowler Students Set a High Bar in 2023

This July, one hundred and sixteen Fowler School of Law graduates passed the California Bar Exam, posting a remarkable 81% successful pass rate for first-time bar-takers from the school. Placed in context, this achievement is nothing short of exceptional: Of the 7,500-plus bar-takers this July, 49% failed the exam; new graduates from Californian ABA-accredited schools saw a lowly 76% pass rate; and out-of-state ABA-accredited schools had to make do with a meager 70% pass rate for their first time bar-takers.

Photograph of an NMCC Contestant appearing before the judging panel Chapman Law Hosts National Moot Court Competition: Finishes with QF placing

The Kennedy Hall courtrooms were the battleground for what can only be described as a fiercely competitive field of fourteen teams from California and Arizona as law students fought it out for a coveted place in the finals. With such a stunning display of legal acumen over the two days of competition, the judges had the toughest job in selecting the winners from this accomplished regional cohort of law students.

Photograph of (from left) Chapman’s Chief Advancement Officer Matt Parlow, Chapman President Daniele C. Struppa, Chapman Board of Trustees Chair Parker S. Kennedy, and Dean of Fowler School of Law Paul D. Paton, KC Dean's Welcome Brings Unprecedented Gift to Law School

At an August 24 Welcome Reception for new law school Dean Paul Paton, Chapman President Daniele C. Struppa announced a $15 million gift from Chapman Board of Trustees Chair Parker S. Kennedy–one of the largest gifts in Chapman history. The bulk of this transformative gift will be dedicated to student scholarships, while $1 million will elevate the Parker S. Kennedy Professor of Law to the Parker S. Kennedy Endowed Chair in Law. Read more on this exceptional gift, or view a gallery of the evening's Proceedings.

Photograph of Dean Paul Paton Paul Paton Appointed dean of Fowler School of Law

International legal ethics expert Dr. Paul D. Paton has been named dean of Chapman University's Fowler School of Law. Paton comes to Chapman from the University of Alberta, Canada, where he was dean from 2014-2019.

Professor Michael Bazyler
Faculty News

Fowler School of Law professor launches project to assist Ukrainian refugees

For Professor Michael Bazyler, the growing refugee crisis created by the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine is more than just a horrifying international news story. It’s a reflection of both his heritage and personal experience as a Russian-speaking Jewish refugee who came to America with his Holocaust survivor parents in the 1960s.

A focus on practice-ready education

People's hands on tax paperwork

Chapman Law Clinics

In each of our legal clinics, students work on real cases under the supervision of clinical faculty members. Clinical students engage in hands-on client work that includes document preparation, research projects, brief writing, and court appearances.

Learn more about our legal clinics
Four Chapman Law Externships student posing together

Externship Opportunities

Through our externship program, students gain real-world experience working for judges, government agencies, corporations, public interest organizations, private law firms, and more, developing a range of practical skills to help them transition into the legal workplace after graduation.

Learn more about externships
Law students competing

Competition Teams

Many Chapman students participate on our award-winning lawyering skills teams, traveling throughout the United States and abroad to compete against other top law schools. Students may compete in one or more of these areas: Appellate Moot Court, Mock Trial, or Dispute Resolution.

Learn more about competitions
Law professor in suit
Faculty

Learning from the best

The world-class faculty at the Fowler School of Law includes three former U.S. Supreme Court clerks, a Nobel laureate, a former five-time U.S. Congressman, leading legal scholars, former law partners, clinical and practice specialists, and a host of passionate educators from a wide range of specialty areas.