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Western Sierra Law School

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Oceanside, CA
Western Sierra Law School

Western Sierra proudly offers a 4 year, part-time (2-3 evenings/week), affordable legal education providing our students the opportunity to earn their J.D.

and qualify to sit for the California Bar Exam.

06/21/2024

Congratulations to Kristen & Hernando! 🎉

05/08/2024

GRADUATE SPOTLIGHT 🎉: Hernando De Cima

Born in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico, I am married to Julissa and have 2 daughters: Julissa (30) and Krista (26) and a son Hernando (29). (Very original with our kids’ names).

I graduated High School in 1982 in Guaymas, Mexico. I was part of a student exchange program after high school and graduated from El Segundo High School in El Segundo California in 1983, making the honor roll.

I graduated from Monterrey Institute of Technology (ITESM) in Mexico in 1988 as a Mechanical Engineer. Right after, I ventured back to California and ended up working in car sales for 5 years.

I briefly went back to Mexico in 1992, met my wife, got married and came back to LA and the car business. In 1994 I got my Real Estate License and moved to Las Vegas due to the Northridge earthquake of 1994, at the time our eldest daughter was a few months old and my wife was pregnant again. In Las Vegas I worked as a Mortgage Loan Officer. A few years later I set up and ran my own mortgage company up until 2008 when the financial and Real Estate crisis hit, at which point we decided to make a move to San Diego to look for a different scenery and the possibility of becoming a lawyer.

In San Diego I set up my own Mortgage and Real Estate Brokerage in North County (Escondido) and started looking for a path to becoming a lawyer. It was a difficult time since our kids were in their teen years so we had our hands full. After ups and downs I found Western Sierra Law School (2018) and decided to give it a try. It worked perfectly with my schedule and here we are.

I plan to add legal services to my Real Estate Office and grow from there. My end goal is to be a full time Lawyer who provides legal services to the Hispanic community.

05/08/2024

GRADUATE SPOTLIGHT 🎉: Kristen Di Fabio

Originally from Long Island, New York, Kristen has called San Diego home for over two decades. Prior to pursuing her legal education, Kristen earned a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts History/Criticism from the University of California San Diego, graduating cm laude in 2010.

Alongside her pursuit of her legal studies, Kristen has accumulated invaluable experience at Alaska Airlines, where she has served as a Flight Attendant since February 2014. In this role demonstrates adept communication and interpersonal skills while prioritizing passenger safety and satisfaction.

Beyond her academic and professional endeavors, Kristen has found fulfillment in volunteering with her union, advocating for fellow flight attendants. This experience has fueled her passion for pursuing a legal career, motivated by a dedication to championing workers’ rights and social justice.

Armed with a diverse background and unwavering enthusiasm for the law, Kristen eagerly looks forward to commencing her legal career and making significant contributions to the legal profession.

05/04/2024

February 2024 CA Bar Exam results are in! We are so proud to be the only law school category with a 100% pass rate!! 🎉🎉🎉

02/20/2024

Apply today to join our incoming 1L class this Spring 2024! Classes begin March 11!

01/17/2024

Interested in law school? Learn more about WSLS’s J.D. program and requirements to sit for the CA Bar Exam with a Q&A session immediately after. Register to attend (link in bio) to receive the Zoom link!

01/11/2024

We are so excited to welcome Professor James Hess as our Wills, Trusts & Estates Professor this upcoming Spring 2024 Quarter! He is looking forward to teaching our Upper Division students!

James Hess graduated Magna Cum Laude from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Prior to coming to the Lawyer in Blue Jeans Group, James worked as an associate attorney at a small family law firm where he quickly learned that family law was not the path for him.
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Having knowledge and a background in estate planning and business formation, James decided that he was better suited to help families with planning for their future rather than trying to repair their past.

01/08/2024

We are so excited to welcome Professor Scott Levin as our Community Property Professor this upcoming Spring 2024 Quarter! He is looking forward to teaching our Upper Division students!

Scott Levin is a California family law attorney and divorce mediator in San Diego. As a family law attorney and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™, Mr. Levin helps couples resolve disputes amicably through mediation, Mr. Levin is a skilled experienced California divorce mediator with more than twenty years of experience in family law and dispute resolution. After graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts from New York University, Mr. Levin went on to study and secure his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2004. Since becoming a licensed attorney in 2004, Mr. Levin has utilized his financial, legal and dispute resolution expertise to help thousands divorce without going to court in a way that protects children, reduces stress and saves resources. Many refer to him as the Chief Peacekeeper™ for his decades of work as a family law attorney and mediation expert.

01/05/2024

Professor Garrett Smee is one of our students’ favorite law professors and we are so truly blessed to have him as a member of our faculty! He recently taught Remedies I & II and Criminal Procedure to our Upper Division students. Thank you Garrett for doing such a fantastic job and always inspiring your students!

Mr. Smee is an experienced attorney, with nearly 20 years of experience as a practicing attorney and 19 jury trials. As a former Deputy District Attorney for the Tulare County District Attorney, he obtained practical experience in evidence and trials. He has used this advocacy background in a general civil practice, now with 13 years in employment and a significant general litigation and construction background.

Mr. Smee graduated from California Western School of Law in 2003, magna cm laude, where he served as a member of Law Review. He graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University in 2000, cm laude, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. He played varsity baseball on scholarship for three years while at Point Loma, and achieved numerous scholar-athlete awards.

Mr. Smee attends Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, where he makes his home with his wife of 23 years and their three children. He enjoys golfing and fishing on the weekends, as well as watching Major League Baseball and college football. His favorite team is the Los Angeles Dodgers.

01/04/2024

A recognized expert in Military & Criminal Law, Gary Barthel is one of our newest faculty members and we are so thrilled to have him share his knowledge and experience with our students! He is currently teaching Criminal Litigation Skills to our Upper Division Students and will teach Criminal Law I & II to our 1Ls this upcoming Spring 2024 Quarter. We are so happy to have him as a member of our faculty!

Barthel served on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps as a judge advocate. During this time, he served as a criminal defense attorney, a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s office in Alexandria, VA, a Marine Corps prosecutor, and Senior Defense Counsel at Camp Pendleton, CA. Mr. Barthel’s criminal law experience includes everything from simple drug use cases to Capital Murder cases. He has tried cases in a military court, federal district court and has briefed and argued criminal cases on appeal on behalf of the United States before the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

In 1999, Barthel received an LL.M. in Military Law from the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s School, at the University of Virginia. From 1999 – 2003, Barthel served as the Staff Judge Advocate (General Counsel) to the Commanding General, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, CA. He advised his Commanding Generals and Commanding Officers on a variety of legal issues including those related to criminal investigations, criminal law, criminal proceedings and clemency action. Barthel retired from the Marine Corps in 2003 and joined the San Diego law firm, Higgs Fletcher & Mack, LLP. As a partner at Higgs Fletcher & Mack, Barthel’s practice included representing military members and veterans in military criminal courts and in criminal cases in state and federal courts. In 2013, Barthel left Higgs Fletcher & Mack and formed his own firm, the Military Law Center.

From 2013 to the present, Mr. Barthel’s current practice not only includes defending military members and veterans facing military and civilian criminal charges, but he also is frequently retained as a military law expert and consultant by law firms and media around the country.

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