The Office of Academic & Bar Success (OABS) works with students throughout their time at Santa Clara Law to help them transition to law school, develop effective learning and exam-taking strategies, and prepare for the Bar Exam. Our office is made up of a diverse group of faculty, staff, and peer advisors who support students through the wide range of academic, professional, and personal issues that arise during law school.
Support for 1Ls
Beginning during Orientation, OABS complements the first-year curriculum by helping students develop the academic skills needed to succeed in law school and beyond. All 1Ls are enrolled in Critical Lawyering Skills 1, a small seminar the introduces essential academic competencies like preparing for class, organizing materials, and taking law school exams. Each CLS section is led by an OABS faculty member supported by an upper-division student mentor, both of whom provide mentorship and guidance for making a smooth academic and personal transition to law study.
Support for Upper-Division Students
Some students need additional support to continue building their academic skills in their second year and beyond. Students subject to the Directed Study policy receive ongoing individual guidance from OABS faculty advisors and enroll in Legal Analysis, a course designed to provide significant practice and feedback.
Support for the Bar Exam
OABS oversees Law School courses and programs to help students prepare for and pass the California Bar Exam. Our primary Bar preparation program is Advanced Legal Writing: The Bar Exam (ALW) for students in their final semester. ALW introduces the basic testing formats on the Bar Exam, and helps students begin practicing their doctrinal review, MBE, and essay-writing strategies. OABS also offers: Introduction to the Bar Exam, an asynchronous workshop exploring the various components of Bar admission and the Bar Exam; the Performance Test Workshop (PTW), an introduction to the performance test component of the Bar Exam; and the Bar Exam Planning Workshop, a structed individual reflection and coaching course for students navigating the Bar prep experience.
Throughout the academic year and summer, the Bar Resources, Instruction, Coaching, and Support (BRICS) program supplements students’ coursework and commercial Bar review program. BRICS helps students review doctrinal law, provides practice opportunities, and supports students in preparing for and succeeding on the Bar Exam.
OABS is the in-house partner with Themis, the Law School’s affiliated Bar Exam preparation company.
Faculty Advising
OABS serves as the Law School’s faculty advising office, meeting with students from admission through Bar Exam success. Students can seek advice on academic strategies, time management, course selection, wellness, professional development, moral character, and the Bar Exam. We work closely with our partners in the Dean’s Office, Law Administrative Services, Law Admissions & Financial Aid, Law Student Services, and the Office of Career Management to provide integrated support for all students. To schedule a faculty advising appointment, call 408/551-1609 or email success@scu.edu.
The Office of Academic & Bar Success Community
OABS Faculty
- Professor Liza-Jane Capatos
- Professor Devin Kinyon
- Professor Kelly Rodriguez
- Professor Nima Sohi
Staff
Affiliated Faculty
- Professor Alyssa Aguilar
- Professor Christina (Ginger) Bedolla
- Professor David Castillo
- Professor Nick Emanuel
- Professor Leah Faibisoff
- Professor Lisa Gallo
- Professor Rebecca Jones
- Professor Theodore Ko
- Professor Thiadora Pina
- Professor Sarah Tesconi
- Professor Joan Wrabetz