NEXT STEPS
FOR ADMITTED STUDENTS
DEAN’S WELCOME
CONGRATULATIONS on your acceptance to the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law. Your incoming class will join the thousands of students who have ascended the hill in Malibu to study the law in a setting of unmatched beauty. You will learn from the world’s finest scholars, who are committed not only to your education, but also to supporting you during this life experience. Professors’ and administrators’ doors are always open to you, because at Caruso Law our mission is to help you reach your goals as future lawyers, leaders, and citizens of the world.
No other law school can match our distinctive Pepperdine community marked by excellence, ethical values, and rigorous legal training. Our graduates consistently remark that the close-knit student body and supportive faculty and staff were the most influential elements of their years here. Our campus is welcoming to people of all faiths and backgrounds. We believe that our differences make us better together.
I am delighted that you are taking the next step toward achieving your professional goals by preparing to enroll. The pages that follow provide an easy reference guide to our resources. I hope that you are able to visit our Office of Admissions or speak to an admissions counselor if you have any questions between now and August, when you become part of the Caruso Law family.
Paul L. Caron Duane and Kelly Roberts Dean
Join our unique community
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT CARUSO ARE THE COMMUNITY AND THE VALUES system of the law school. They teach the emotional, as well as the pragmatic, side of law.
EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE ON CAMPUS ARE HERE TO HELP BUILD EACH OTHER UP and succeed. You can ask any person on campus for help, and they will honestly drop everything they are doing.
MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE THING about Pepperdine Caruso Law is the people. Everyone will tell you that the people at Pepperdine are special, and it is absolutely true.
THE ADMINISTRATION GENUINELY CARES ABOUT YOUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING as well as your academic and extracurricular success.
The PROFESSORS AT PEPPERDINE are willing to go above and beyond to help you not only survive law school but to thrive.
ALL STUDENTS IN LAW SCHOOL ARE COMPETITIVE. It is the way we are wired, but the students here at Pepperdine are also the most helpful, kind, and supportive people you will meet. Even though we are technically competing for grades and rankings, everyone is willing to help one another, whether sharing an outline or creating a study group.
I MOST VALUE THE RELATIONSHIPS with the professors and the small law campus.
Come Visit Us!
See for yourself why Pepperdine has been named the Most Beautiful Campus by the Princeton Review. With breathtaking panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and Santa Monica Mountains, Malibu is an inspiring place to study law.
Campus Tours
Experience our campus, and get an in-depth look at what it is like to be a student at Caruso Law. We invite you to ask questions to learn more about our distinct program offerings and our array of clinical opportunities. During the academic year, on-campus tours are hosted by our student ambassadors. Admitted students are welcome to join us on campus for an in-person experience. There is no dress code, but we recommend smart casual attire. We also host regular virtual tours.
Please refer to our website for up-to-date tour schedules. No tours are offered during national holidays. If you have any questions, please call 310.506.6787.
Campus Visit Scholarship
We are pleased to offer the Campus Visit Scholarship for students who ultimately choose to enroll at Pepperdine Caruso Law. For those traveling more than 250 miles, we will reimburse up to $500 for transportation and hotel costs in the form of a scholarship toward your first semester’s tuition.
GET UP TO $500!
Travel expenses are not reimbursed directly. We will not reimburse for food or moving expenses. Please fill out the reimbursement form and submit all receipts by August 1.
HOUSING
Our on-campus graduate student housing is some of the best living space Malibu has to offer. Living at George Page Residential Complex provides you with quick access to academic buildings, recreational facilities, and on-campus dining.
Each RECENTLY RENOVATED
apartment contains:
§ Four single-occupancy bedrooms fully furnished with a shared bathroom
§ Common kitchen
§ Living room that includes a flat-screen television
Athletic and Gym Facilities
The Caruso School of Law provides a small gym in the building for students to use. Additionally, the larger Pepperdine Fitness Center offers a variety of exercise equipment. Students also have access to an Olympic-size pool, nine tennis courts, basketball courts, a track, a soccer field, and fitness classes.
Dining Options
The Caruso School of Law Cafe offers a variety of hot meals, made-toorder sandwiches, prepared foods, and drinks. Students can also access any of the cafeterias on campus, including two other full-service cafeterias and Starbucks. Meal plans are available for students.
Off-Campus Housing
Law students find their own housing but we are pleased to assist them the best we can. The Office of Admissions provides local rental information to admitted and current students. Please contact our office at 310.506.6787 for our off-campus housing resource.
Parking
All vehicles on campus, including motorcycles, scooters, and mopeds, must be properly registered with Pepperdine University and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Parking is free of charge and parking information becomes available in August of each academic year.
Your LOS ANGELES experience
While studying at Caruso Law, you will have opportunities to explore Malibu and the Los Angeles area with its wealth of possibilities. We are located near some of the world’s most iconic recreational sites, beaches, and tried-and-true restaurants.
` POINTS OF INTEREST
§ Crypto.com Arena
§ Disneyland
§ Dodger Stadium
§ Downtown Los Angeles
§ Griffith Observatory
§ Hollywood Bowl
§ Los Angeles County Museum of Art
§ Rose Bowl
§ Santa Monica Mountains
§ Santa Monica Pier
§ SoFi Stadium
§ Third Street Promenade
§ Universal Studios ` Beaches
§ County Line
§ Paradise Cove
§ Surfrider
§ Venice
§ Westward
§ Zuma
` Legal Landmarks
§ Federal Building
§ Los Angeles Superior Court
§ Pepperdine Legal Aid Clinic at Union Rescue Mission
§ Santa Monica Courthouse
` Favorite Malibu Restaurants
§ Broad Street Oyster Company
§ Duke’s Malibu
§ Malibu Farm Cafe
§ Malibu Seafood
§ Neptune’s Net
§ Paradise Cove Beach Cafe
The average temperature in Malibu in January is
°F
first-year Curriculum
First-year law students (1Ls) are enrolled in their classes by the Office of Admissions and Student Information. Students are placed into assigned sections and take all of their 1L classes with section classmates. Students are typically registered in late July for their fall classes and in late November for their spring classes.
Civil Procedure
Civil procedure addresses pleading, discovery, pretrial adjudication, trial, appeal, jurisdiction, venue, joinder of claims and parties, and preclusion.
Constitutional Structure
The powers of the federal government and the relationships among the legislative, the executive, and the judiciary are covered in Constitutional Structure, along with the division of power between the federal and state governments.
Contracts
Basic principles involved in contractual relationships are discussed in Contracts, including selected topics from formation of contracts, consideration, illegality, Statute of Frauds, other defenses, the parol evidence rule, contract interpretation, conditions, assignments, third-party beneficiaries, and remedies for breach.
Criminal Law
The law of crimes, beginning with the philosophical presuppositions and including the classification and elements of crimes, the policy bases of general principles (such as mens rea, actus reus, and causation), and other alternative bases for criminal liability, as well as the defenses available to the accused, are covered in Criminal Law.
Legal Research and Writing
The identification, description, and use of source materials for the solution of legal problems and an introduction to the law library and its use, are taught in Legal Research and Writing. Each student will be required to produce one or more papers dealing with approved legal subjects and to engage in oral argument thereon.
PROFESSIONAL FORMATION
Our series of professional formation classes helps students carefully and thoughtfully consider matters of character, purpose, and self-awareness, and invites them to develop habits of professional excellence that will serve them throughout their career journeys.
Property
The Property course primarily focuses on real property but may include a discussion of personal property interests. Topics may include adverse possession; estates in land and future interests; concurrent ownership; landlord-tenant; intellectual property; modern methods of creating, acquiring, and transferring interests in land; and the restriction of land use through private arrangement and public regulation.
Torts
Problems of interference with one’s person, property, or intangible interests are the subject matter of Torts. Social factors and philosophical considerations are studied in the traditional context of trespass, assault, battery, false imprisonment, negligence, and strict liability, as well as other selected topics.
Opportunities Beyond the First Year
Caruso Law offers five specialty certificate programs that can be pursued alongside a juris doctor degree. A certificate can supplement the traditional law school curriculum to equip students with the necessary skills to excel in their chosen areas of interest. Certificate classes are taken during the 2L and 3L years.
Criminal Legal Practice
The criminal legal practice program’s required courses include Criminal Procedure, Trial Practice, Evidence, and an externship with a government agency.
Dispute Resolution
The Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine Caruso Law is internationally recognized for its extensive curriculum and hands-on mediation training. Required courses include Negotiation Theory and Practice and Mediation Theory and Practice, an arbitration course, and eight elective units.
Entertainment, Media, and Sports Law
The 12-unit entertainment, media, and sports law program combines the study of the three fields with media training and externship opportunities, as well as working with an extensive alumni network of professionals in one of the world’s most exclusive practice areas.
International and Comparative Law
An application and interview are required for acceptance into the international and comparative law certificate program. Students attend at least one overseas program and complete 14 units of required and elective courses under the mentorship of international faculty.
Palmer Center for Entrepreneurship and the Law
Recognizing that many law students seek to pursue alternative career paths, the Palmer Center provides its students (Palmer Fellows) with the education and training needed to succeed in the fields of business, finance, real estate, entertainment, intellectual property, and technology.
/// PEPPERDINE STUDENTS INTERESTED IN ENTERTAINMENT, MEDIA, AND SPORTS LAW HAVE COMPLETED EXTERNSHIPS WITH THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS:
Activision Blizzard
Beverly Hills Sports Council
Charlotte Hornets
Lionsgate Entertainment
Los Angeles Lakers, Inc.
Marvel Studios
Nashville Predators
NBCUniversal
Red Bull Media House
SAG-AFTRA
Sony Music Entertainment
Ticketmaster
Viacom
Walt Disney Company
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Records
William Morris Endeavor
Financial Aid
The Office of Financial Assistance is committed to providing students with financial aid resources to meet the educational costs of attending law school. Our staff assists students with all financial aid processes including application procedures, resource comparison, understanding the cost of attendance, and the utilization of funds. We look forward to being an integral part of your educational experience.
Getting Started
To apply for federal student aid, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Pepperdine Caruso School of Law’s institutional code is 001264. Once your FAFSA has been processed, a Student Aid Report (SAR) will be sent to you via email. The SAR outlines the information that you reported on the FAFSA, and provides you with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) amount. It is important to review your SAR for accuracy. If corrections must be made to your SAR, please do so and return to the federal processor immediately.
Financial Aid PACKAGE Notification
Scholarship awards are included in your offer of admission. By accepting the offer of admission and paying your seat deposit, your scholarship is automatically accepted. The complete Financial Aid Package, which includes scholarship and loan eligibility, is sent out after admissions decisions, beginning in March. You will be notified via email that the Financial Aid Package is available to review in WaveNet. From there, the Financial Aid team assists incoming students with the loan process before the start of the fall semester.
loan process
If you are a first-time Federal Stafford loan borrower at Caruso School of Law, federal regulations require you to complete the following prior to loan certification:
` Master Promissory Note
The Master Promissory Note (MPN) is a legally binding contract between the borrower and the lender of the Federal Stafford loan. By signing the MPN, the borrower agrees to all terms and conditions, including the responsibility of repaying all borrowed funds, plus interest and fees, if applicable. The MPN, which is valid for up to ten years, allows a student to borrow subsequent/ multiple Federal Stafford loans using the one promissory note. To complete the MPN you must sign into studentaid.gov.
Private Loans
` Mandatory Entrance Counseling
Federal regulations require mandatory entrance counseling sessions by July 15 for Stafford loan borrowers. Federal loans will not be disbursed until the entrance counseling is complete. The purpose of the entrance counseling is to advise students of their rights and responsibilities as an educational loan borrower, and to provide information on loan terms, repayment, and modest budgeting. Online entrance counseling is available at studentaid.gov.
For additional financial aid, students may borrow an amount equal to the cost of attendance minus all other financial aid. Private loans are credit based; therefore, it is required that applicants be credit worthy or have a credit worthy cosigner. Non-US citizens must have a cosigner that is a credit worthy US citizen in order to apply for a private loan. Caruso Law is not responsible for students who are denied private loans due to adverse credit.
Non-US Citizens
If you are an eligible non-US citizen with a Permanent Resident Visa card (Green card), you must submit a clear photocopy of both sides of your registration card in order to be considered for financial aid. Non-US citizens are not eligible for federal financial aid. They are, however, eligible to apply for private loans. In order to do so, they must have a cosigner that is a credit worthy United States citizen.
important dates and deadlines
` January
§ FAFSA Application opens (fafsa.gov) using our school code: 001264.
§ Faculty Scholars Scholarship application due
§ Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no guided tours)
§ Late January - spring tour program begins
` April
§ Open House for Admitted Students
§ First seat deposit due
` May
§ Memorial Day (no guided tours)
` June
§ FAFSA Application due
§ Second seat deposit due
§ Juneteenth (observed) (no guided tours)
` July
§ Dinner with the Dean
§ Late July - fall course registration
` August
§ Campus Visit Scholarship application due
§ Launch Week - new student orientation (required)
§ Classes begin
§ Early August - health insurance waiver and student ID card photo due
Next steps
Congratulations on your acceptance to Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law! Complete the following steps to reserve your seat:
¨ Complete offer of admission form
¨ SUBMIT FIRST AND SECOND SEAT DEPOSITS
¨ Visit with Pepperdine Caruso Law
¨ Submit FAFSA at fafsa.org
ACCEPT YOUR OFFER
Scan the QR code to fill out the form.
How to pay a seat deposit
Visit wavenet.pepperdine.edu
Your WaveNet login credentials and instructions were emailed to your primary email address from DoNotReply@pepperdine.edu.
If this email is not in your inbox, please check your spam folder, or visit myid.pepperdine.edu or email lawadmis@pepperdine.edu.
In WaveNet, click on “Applicant Center.” Scroll down to “Finances” and click “Make a Deposit.”
You will be connected to CashNet, where you will submit your seat deposit.
§ Please note that you will not see an amount or balance due in your Applicant Center.
§ Pay via eCheck, wire transfer, or money order. Pepperdine University cannot accept credit card payments.
§ Your nonrefundable seat deposit(s) is applied to your first-semester tuition.
