Thomas Jefferson School of Law

What Thomas Jefferson School of Law does

Thomas Jefferson School of Law (TJSL) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) law school founded in 1969 and headquartered in downtown San Diego at 701 B Street, directly across from the California Court of Appeal. The institution is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California and the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), which together authorize degree conferral and eligibility of graduates to sit for the California Bar Examination. TJSL operates two principal degree formats—a Residential JD (3 years full-time, 4 years part-time, with acceleration to 2.5 years) and an Asynchronous Online JD restricted to residents of 18 approved U.S. states—alongside two graduate LLM programs (American Legal Studies for foreign attorneys; Practice Skills for JD graduates) and a three-week summer study-abroad program in Nice, France in partnership with Université Côte d'Azur.

The school's academic infrastructure is delivered through standard higher-ed technology: an asynchronous online learning platform, Zoom for remote orientation and meetings, LSAC integration (school code 4973) for JD application processing, and Jotform for LLM applications. Experiential learning is a core curriculum component and is delivered through five on-campus legal clinics—Patent, Trademark, Nonprofit & Business Law, Veterans Legal Assistance, and the newer Probate Limited Assistance Clinic (launched with the San Diego Superior Court Probate Department and San Diego County Bar Association). Two fellowship programs (Criminal Law; Intellectual Property, Entertainment & Sports Law) and dedicated Bar Prep and Academic Success services round out the academic portfolio. Average class size in required courses is 24 students, enabling individual faculty attention; faculty are drawn from Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and include practitioners who have litigated before the U.S. Supreme Court and the International Criminal Court.

TJSL's business model is tuition-driven and recurring, supplemented by seat deposits ($350, non-refundable), donations, and federal financial aid (including Title IV, Federal Work-Study at $16.30/hour, and merit scholarships such as the Dean's Scholarship and Scholars Award). Tuition is positioned at approximately half the published cost of ABA-approved Southern California law schools. The customer base spans multiple segments: traditional JD candidates, working-professional and first-generation non-traditional students, military veterans (via a dedicated scholarship tier), foreign-educated attorneys pursuing California bar eligibility, and U.S.-trained JD graduates seeking specialized practice skills. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the school's website, social channels, regional prospective-student events, virtual tours, the LSAC portal, and an alumni mentorship program. Governance rests with a Board of Trustees, and operational leadership transitioned in July 2025 with the appointment of Linda M. Keller as President and Dean following the passing of Dawn Dekle.

Name

Thomas Jefferson School of Law

Legal name

Thomas Jefferson School of Law

Website

https://tjsl.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Thomas Jefferson School of Law is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) law school in downtown San Diego offering residential and asynchronous online JD programs, two LLM degrees, fellowship programs, and five live-client legal clinics, serving traditional, non-traditional, and international students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-ABA / State-Accredited JD-Granting Law Schools (EDAHAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online / Hybrid Law Schools & Programs (EDAHAIAE), LLM & Post-JD Graduate Law Programs (EDAHAIAC), Law School Continuing Legal Education (CLE) & Executive Programs (EDAHAIAH)

Keywords

• Legal education
• Juris doctor programs
• Law school degrees
• Bar exam preparation
• Graduate legal studies

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. JD Tuition: Tuition revenue from residential and online Juris Doctor degree programs. Full-time students typically graduate in three years, part-time in four. Tuition is approximately half the cost of ABA-approved Southern California law schools.
2. LLM Tuition: Tuition revenue from Master of Law programs including LLM in American Legal Studies (for foreign attorneys) and LLM in Practice Skills (for JD graduates). Programs are 24 units and typically take one year to complete.
3. Seat Deposits: Non-refundable seat deposits of $350 required to secure admission offers. Credited toward tuition and fees upon enrollment.
4. Donations and Gifts: Tax-deductible donations to support scholarship programs, faculty recruitment and research, clinical programs, library, student organizations, and new initiatives. Thomas Jefferson School of Law is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Thomas Jefferson School of Law is a private, non-profit California law school that delivers Juris Doctor (JD) degree programs in both residential (downtown San Diego) and asynchronous online formats, as well as two Master of Laws (LLM) programs: LLM in American Legal Studies (for foreign attorneys) and LLM in Practice Skills (for JD graduates). The institution supplements classroom instruction with live-client legal clinics, externships, fellowship programs in Criminal Law and Intellectual Property/Entertainment/Sports Law, a summer study abroad program, and dedicated bar exam preparation.

Product overview

Thomas Jefferson School of Law is a private, non-profit California law school offering a portfolio of degree programs centered around legal education. The institution provides two primary delivery formats for its core Juris Doctor degree: a Residential JD Program (on-campus in San Diego) and an Online JD Program (asynchronous online for students in approved states). Graduate-level offerings include two LLM programs: the LLM in American Legal Studies (for foreign attorneys seeking California Bar eligibility) and the LLM in Practice Skills (for JD graduates seeking specialized transactional, litigation, or criminal practice skills). Experiential learning is central to the curriculum, delivered through five on-campus legal clinics (Patent, Trademark, Nonprofit & Business Law, Veterans Legal Assistance, and Probate Limited Assistance) plus an externship program. Specialized fellowship programs in Criminal Law and Intellectual Property/Entertainment/Sports Law provide focused career pathways. A summer study abroad program in Nice, France rounds out the academic portfolio. Supporting services include Bar Prep, Academic Success Program, and an Early Start Program for incoming students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential JD Program On-campus Juris Doctor degree program in downtown San Diego with core and elective coursework, live client clinics, Law Review, and Moot Court and Mock Trial teams. Full-time students typically graduate in three years; part-time students in four. Designed for students seeking immediate California bar eligibility.
• Online JD Program Flexible asynchronous online Juris Doctor program offering the same degree requirements as the residential JD. Available to residents of specific approved states who intend to seek California employment upon completion.
• LLM in American Legal Studies 24-unit Master of Laws program for foreign-educated legal professionals that generally enables foreign law graduates to sit for the California Bar Exam and study the U.S. legal system alongside American students.
• LLM in Practice Skills 24-unit Master of Laws program for JD graduates to develop and hone skills in transactional law, civil litigation, and criminal practice, including client interaction, document drafting, negotiation, and law firm management.
• Summer Study Abroad Program (Nice, France) Three-week summer law program in Nice, France on the French Riviera offered in partnership with Universit\u00e9 C\u00f4te d'Azur, enabling students from both residential and Online JD programs to earn up to four academic credits while experiencing international law.
• Criminal Law Fellowship Program Fellowship program providing specialized training in criminal law for students interested in this practice area.
• Intellectual Property, Entertainment & Sports Law Fellowship Program Fellowship program offering specialized training in intellectual property, entertainment law, and sports law, including annual sponsorship of the National Sports Law Negotiation Competition.
• Patent Clinic Free limited legal help clinic providing patent legal assistance including client counseling, patentability searches, patent application preparation, and filing using EFS Web for inventors, small businesses, and nonprofits in San Diego County.
• Trademark Clinic Free limited legal assistance for federal trademark protection including trademark clearance searches and trademark applications for individuals, small businesses, and nonprofits in San Diego County.
• Nonprofit & Business Law Clinic (NBLC) Free legal assistance for eligible nonprofit organizations and small businesses in San Diego County covering business formation, contract review, commercial leasing, nonprofit tax exemption, and permitting.
• Veterans Legal Assistance Clinic Free legal assistance for military veterans in San Diego County covering family law matters, name changes, wills, powers of attorney, discharge upgrades, and criminal record expungement.
• Probate Limited Assistance Clinic Free limited legal help for individuals handling probate cases pro per, assisting with reviewing probate notes and curing probate defects.
• Bar Exam Preparation Program Comprehensive bar examination preparation program including Bar Exam Fundamentals and MBE Mastery courses, plus individualized bar exam study assistance to prepare students for the California Bar Exam.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average class size of 24 students in required courses
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Université Côte d'AzurcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-week summer law program held in Nice, France on the French Riviera. Students from both residential and Online JD programs participate alongside French students. The program enables students to earn up to four academic credits while experiencing international law in an international setting.
• San Diego Superior Court Probate DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the San Diego Superior Court's Probate Department to create the Probate Limited Assistance Clinic, helping self-represented individuals move their probate cases forward more smoothly.
• San Diego County Bar AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting the Probate Limited Assistance Clinic, contributing to the collaboration with San Diego Superior Court's Probate Department to provide legal assistance to individuals handling probate cases pro per.
• Juris EducationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational law school admissions consulting firm that featured Thomas Jefferson School of Law, highlighting the law school's commitment to expanding access to legal education and pipeline initiatives within the admissions process.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• California Western School of Law: Also a private San Diego law school, directly comparable to TJSL on geography, mission, and student market. Although ABA-approved (a key difference), it competes head-to-head for the same San Diego applicant pool, faculty, and employer relationships.
• University of San Diego School of Law: ABA-approved private San Diego law school that competes with TJSL for the same local JD/LLM applicants, faculty hires, and graduate employment placements in the San Diego legal market.
• Southwestern Law School: Private, mid-sized Los Angeles law school with similar mission emphasis on access, diversity, and practice-ready training. Direct competitor for Southern California JD/LLM applicants and ABA-approved alternative to TJSL.
• Golden Gate University School of Law: Private San Francisco law school with comparable size, mission, and professional-school focus. Targets similar non-traditional, working-professional, and diverse student segments.
• Santa Clara University School of Law: Private Northern California law school with strong IP/High-Tech Law focus. Competes with TJSL for Silicon Valley-adjacent and IP-specialty students, particularly given TJSL's IP/Entertainment/Sports Law Fellowship.
• Loyola Marymount University - Loyola Law School: Los Angeles-based private law school with similar size and a broad specialty curriculum including IP and Entertainment Law. Directly comparable to TJSL on California JD applicant overlap and specialized practice areas.
• University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law: Private California law school in Sacramento with a global-law and experiential-learning focus. Competes with TJSL for in-state applicants and emphasizes practice-ready training similar to TJSL's clinic-heavy model.
• Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law: Private Orange County law school with a notable Entertainment Law and Sports Law emphasis — directly competitive with TJSL's IP/Entertainment/Sports Law Fellowship for similar specialty-track students.
• Northwestern California University School of Law: Sacramento-based non-ABA / State Bar of California-accredited law school. The closest accreditation-status peer to TJSL, competing for the same price-sensitive, non-traditional California-resident applicants.
• San Francisco Law School: Non-ABA / State Bar of California-accredited law school in San Francisco. Directly comparable to TJSL on regulatory accreditation, tuition-driven model, and California-only bar eligibility, and competes for similar access-focused applicants.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ThomasJeffersonLaw
• Facebookfacebook.com/officialtjsl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thomas-jefferson-school-of-law
• Instagraminstagram.com/officialtjsl

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Thomas Jefferson School of Law