Southwestern Law School is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Los Angeles, California, registered in 1937, with $67,561,599 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B+, and it directs about 70% of spending to programs.
Revenue (FY2023)
$67.6M
▲ 14.0% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2023)
$68.9M
Net assets
$108.9M
Employees
690
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Southwestern Law School: 70% to programs · $15 to raise $100 earns a B on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Southwestern Law School: 19 mo reserves · -2% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Southwestern Law School: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Southwestern Law School: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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For more than a century, southwestern has educated lawyers ready to serve clients, the profession, and our society with excellence. we empower students to reach their potential. we cultivate inclusion and belonging. we promote equity and justice. we champion trailblazers, develop dealmakers, and inspire intellectual curiosity. we innovate. we shape the law and public policy through teaching, scholarship, and service. we are the difference.
Revenue grew from $51.0M (FY2013) to $67.6M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Operating margin
-2.1%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$134.7M
Total liabilities
$25.8M
Net assets
$108.9M
Salaries & benefits
$28.0M
41% of expenses
Board members
26
26 independent
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $67,561,599▲14.0% | $68,948,118▲14.6% | $108,875,373▼0.1% | $134,661,393▼0.8% | 990 |
| 2022 | $59,282,187▼1.6% | $60,150,357▲3.8% | $109,014,998▲7.0% | $135,760,519▲4.1% | 990 |
| 2021 | $60,220,339▲8.5% | $57,936,983▲8.9% | $101,837,576▼4.4% | $130,413,828▼5.0% | 990 |
| 2020 | $55,492,361▲1.5% | $53,218,188▲6.0% | $106,533,264▲11.9% | $137,230,356▲8.2% | 990 |
| 2019 | $54,692,632▲14.6% | $50,199,548▲13.6% | $95,192,935▲17.2% | $126,801,745▲6.9% | 990 |
| 2018 | $47,735,506▲4.8% | $44,199,863▼0.4% | $81,191,013▲3.7% | $118,618,174▲2.9% | 990 |
| 2017 | $45,567,355▼6.0% | $44,355,781▼1.1% | $78,331,634▲2.9% | $115,284,849▼1.4% | 990 |
| 2016 | $48,490,993▼6.3% | $44,832,025▼0.5% | $76,112,471▲8.3% | $116,941,220▲3.5% | 990 |
| 2015 | $51,758,193▼2.8% | $45,079,039▼0.8% | $70,267,934▲8.6% | $112,987,929▲3.9% | 990 |
| 2014 | $53,271,795▲4.4% | $45,443,578▼5.7% | $64,712,539▲13.0% | $108,698,187▲6.1% | 990 |
| 2013 | $51,026,344 | $48,192,417▲6.9% | $57,289,418▲10.7% | $102,463,837▲2.3% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $45,083,710▲0.4% | $51,766,232▲5.4% | $100,188,654▲2.0% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $44,888,607▲1.9% | $49,106,686▲0.5% | $98,199,757▲32.6% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $44,030,988▲8.6% | $48,848,850▲2.9% | $74,068,980▲2.4% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $40,534,742 | $47,481,610 | $72,348,527 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Highest-paid: Angela D Dickerson — $472,375 (0.69% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angela D Dickerson | President & Dean | 40 | $472,375 |
| Laura Ponder | Cfo | 40 | $280,723 |
| Danielle K Hart | Faculty | 40 | $261,453 |
| Julie K Xanders | General Counsel/corporate Secretary | 40 | $251,724 |
| Orly Ravid | Faculty | 40 | $245,996 |
| Christopher J Robinette | Faculty | 40 | $238,688 |
| Hila Keren | Faculty | 40 | $235,861 |
| Cristina C Knolton | Faculty | 40 | $233,229 |
| Marisela Cervantes Chief of | Staff, Asst. Corporate Secretary | 40 | $145,315 |
| Daniel K Kramer | Board Member (as of 09/23) | 1 | $2,016 |
| Robert S Glassman | Board Member | 1 | $2,016 |
| Alicia Matricardi President | Sw Alumni Association (thru 07/23) | 1 | — |
| Andrew Rosen | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Betty P Kelepecz | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Cherie S Raidy | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Christian Dowell | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Dana Hollinger | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Douglas A Praw | Board Member (as of 12/23) | 1 | — |
| George Woolverton | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Heidy Vaquerano | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Us Security Associates Inc | Security | $925,752 |
| Kohl Building Maintenance | Janitorial Services | $241,006 |
| Kensington Caterers | Catering Services | $193,467 |
| Ambruster Goldsmith | Legal Services | $183,388 |
| Moss Adams LLP | Audit Firm | $148,815 |
37 grants to Southwestern Law School totaling $1.3M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $5,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2023 | $125,100 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Religion | 2023 | $40,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $17,400 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $7,500 |
| Accesslex Institute | Program support/research | 2023 | $7,500 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Education | 2022 | $50,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2022 | $27,100 |
| Accesslex Institute | Program support/research - breaking down bar barriers: a methodical approach | 2022 | $10,000 |
| The Blackbaud Giving Fund | General support | 2022 | $5,168 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2021 | $54,560 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Education | 2021 | $30,000 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2021 | $22,300 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2021 | $22,300 |
| Century Housing Corporation | Judge harry pregerson and the legacy of the century freeward | 2021 | $10,000 |
Explore more
Data for Southwestern Law School (EIN 95-1246140) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.