Costa Mesa, CA. (December 2, 2008) – Whittier Law School graduates have achieved a record pass rate, 84.3%, for first-time takers of the California State Bar Exam. The official swearing in ceremony for these graduates will be held on Tuesday, December 2 at 6:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Irvine, 17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine, CA 92614.

The 84.3% passage rate for these first-time takers exceeds the statewide average of 61.7 percent for students who took the exam last July. The Whittier Law School passage rate also exceeds the average passage rate for ABA law schools, and is expected to be the highest first-time passage rate among all Orange County law schools.

"We are delighted that our graduates have made such an achievement." said Neil H. Cogan, Dean of Whittier Law School. "This further confirms that enhancements made to our existing curriculum and exam preparation program have been successful in meeting their goals."

"The Law School’s success is due to the well-credentialed and talented students who enroll at Whittier, and to several innovative programs recently put in place and implemented by some of the most skilled and dedicated faculty in American law schools," added Cogan.

In recent years, Whittier law students have demonstrated increasing success on the California Bar Examination, as well as other state bar examinations. Overall, in the last five years, more than 80% of Whittier graduates have passed the bar exam.

Now in its fifth decade of existence, Whittier Law School is the oldest fully-accredited American Bar Association law school in Orange County, California. As part of Whittier College -- a four year residential liberal arts college founded in 1887 -- Whittier Law School offers a rich, dynamic and cutting-edge legal education that prepares students for careers in law, business, and public service.

The Law School offers specialized education in a variety of legal areas including Business Law, Criminal Law, Public Interest Law, Trial and Appellate Law, Intellectual Property Law, International Law, and Children's Rights. Whittier’s LL.M. Program is designed to provide foreign law school graduates with a thorough foundation in U.S. law and the American legal system.

Today Whittier Law School operates its beautiful Orange County campus amid thriving law, business, and public sector enterprises in the surrounding area. The Law School’s proximity to Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and San Bernardino counties make it an ideal locale to earn a degree in law.