What is Peoples College of Law?  Peoples College of Law (PCL) is a nonprofit, public interest law school licensed by the State of California to grant juris doctor degrees to our graduates, who are eligible to sit for the California Bar Examination.

        PCL is a unique law school in the degree to which our students play an integral part in the decision making process of PCL.  PCL is governed by a board of directors composed of students, faculty and community members.  Members of the board are elected annually.

        PCL is also very unusual in that it was created to address and balance inequities in our law and society.  PCL's goals are to advocate people before property, human rights, women's rights, tenants' rights, consumer rights, workers' rights; to fight discrimination, economic and political oppression; and to enable and empower those who have been historically denied legal resources and protections.

        If you seek to become a lawyer or advocate for those who already control the economic and political power in our society, look elsewhere.  There are plenty of law schools out there for you, most of them.

 2.     When was PCL founded?  Since 1974 PCL has been a licensed, degree-granting college of law.  It was founded by people and organizations, including the Asian Law Collective, the La Raza National Lawyers Association (LRNLA), the National Conference of Black Lawyers (NCBL), and the National Lawyers Guild (NLG). The NCBL, LRNLSA, and the NLG are national organizations that still have local chapters in the Los Angeles area.

 3.      What type of student is PCL looking for? PCL is looking for students from groups who have been historically denied access to legal training and representation, such as working people, women, and minorities.  But all qualified people who seek to further the goals of PCL, regardless of background, are encouraged to apply.

 4.     Is Peoples College of Law is a registered unaccredited law school by the Committee of Bar Examiners - State Bar of California as a degree granting institution.

 5.    What are the requirements for admission into PCL?

    a.       Applicants are required to have completed two years of college education (60 semester units or 90 quarter units in a curricular program that, if completed, would earn a bachelor's degree) or have passed the CLEP (College Level Examination Program) with grades meeting minimum standards set by the California Committee of Bar Examiners.

    b.       An eligible candidate will be able to demonstrate a commitment to progressive social change.  This is often best shown with, for example, verifiable evidence of recent volunteer service, whether in community, international, political, labor or other spheres of activity, and whether in organizing, membership, leadership, or other forms of involvements.

     PCL strives to ensure that its investment of a legal education in a student will bring returns in fulfilling the basic goals of PCL:  advocating to put people before property, for human rights, tenants' rights, consumer rights, workers' rights;  fighting discrimination, abuse of power, economic and political oppression; and, enabling and empowering those historically denied legal resources and protections.

    c.       A completed application and at least three letters of recommendation must be submitted along with the current application fee (presently, $30.)

    d.      The ability to pay tuition.  PCL is not a traditional law school, and while the tuition is low (see below) it has very limited financial assistance and scholarship resources.

    e.     The prospective applicant must be interviewed by a small panel of faculty and students and approved by the Board of Directors based upon review of the application and interviews.

 6.     Is the LSAT exam required of applicants to PCL?  No.  PCL recognizes the cultural and sociological limitations of tests such as the LSAT, and does not consider it helpful or necessary in screening viable candidates for the PCL juris doctor program.

 7.     Does PCL accept transfer students who have completed some study in other law schools?  PCL does accept transfer students who meet the admission requirements. Credit is given to certain of their previously-completed classes based upon approval of the Committee of Bar Examiners.  It is the transferring student's duty to submit to the Committee of Bar Examiners a formal Request for Evaluation of Law Study and secure from them a clarification of units still required.   This must be completed before acceptance into PCL.

 8.     What time are PCL's classes held? All of PCL's classes are held in the evening.  Students attend three times a week, generally 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with one class held per evening.   At this time PCL only offers a four-year part-time program.

 9.      How long is the program at PCL? The juris doctor program at PCL is a four-year, evening class program.  The first year of study consists of two semesters, each year thereafter is divided into quarters.

 10.    How much is the tuition? The tuition at PCL is $223.00 per unit.  Each student must register for and complete eighteen (18) units per year and there are 18 units required per year. The annual tuition amounts to $4,000.00.  Tuition is due and payable upon registration. Each student is assessed $600 in addition to the tuition for the PCL accountability requirement which is credited to the extent the accountability has been performed.

 11.    How is PCL able to charge such low tuition? PCL's tuition is traditionally low because our dedicated professors, each active in their fields of study, are unpaid volunteers. Also, students and members of the PCL community maintain the facilities. Student involvement is coordinated through an accountability system, in which each student works at least 80 hours per year.   PCL also organizes fund-raising events to help fund the school.

 12.     Are there dormitory facilities at PCL? There are no dormitory facilities at PCL. However, PCL's location in the heart of the city of Los Angeles makes affordable housing available for most income levels.

 13.      Is there financial aid available to students of PCL? Financial aid is not available to students through the traditional government-funded and Bar-funded programs. There are private sources for scholarships based upon need and/or merit.

 14.     Where is People's College of Law located?  PCL is located in the heart of the city of Los Angeles ,  just west of downtown, near MacArthur Park in the Westlake district (by the MacArthur Park/Westlake stop of the Red Line subway.)  The school is 2 blocks east of Alvarado Blvd., south of Wilshire Blvd. and north of Seventh Street .   PCL owns the building in which it operates and leases space to other progressive community and advocacy organizations.

 15.     Are there parking facilities available? .  Parking on the street on Bonnie Brae is free after 8:00p.m.