LINCOLN LAW SCHOOL NEEDS OUR HELP

PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN

Vivian L. Shreve, CCLS
Governor, Santa Clara County LPA

Lincoln Law School, is a private, non-profit educational institution with a long history of educating working adults and veterans, helping them to acquire professional degrees through an evening, part-time course of study. 

At the conclusion of World War I, many veterans settled in the growing port city of San Francisco, learning to adjust to postwar America and hoping to make a life here. But they had few resources and little time to become successful civilians. And unfortunately, they were forced to choose to either work, or go to school. There were no opportunities for them to do both. So, in 1919, with the specific mission of doing something to help those working adults and veterans, Dr. Benjamin Franklin Lickey and Susan Lickey founded Lincoln University with evening and part-time courses of study. Students were no longer forced to choose – they were able to continue to work and provide for their families and attend school part-time. But soon, as additional courses in other areas were added, the school became part of a larger university curriculum and in 1926, Lincoln University was chartered as a private, non-sectarian college and then in 1949, incorporated as a non-profit institution.

For more than 30 years, the school thrived and continued to add more courses and expanded its curriculum.  And even in through the Great Depression, WWII, and the Korean War, they never had to close their doors. As a result of a growing demand for legal education, in 1961 Lincoln Law School opened it’s second campus in San Jose, which quickly became a center of innovative legal training and legal discourse.  The school continued to thrive through the 70s and 80s, and many of Lincoln’s alumnae have become leaders of the South Bay’s legal community. In 1987 though, Lincoln moved the entire law program to San Jose and eventually separated from Lincoln University and in 1993, changed its name from Lincoln University, the Law School, to Lincoln Law School of San Jose, a non-profit corporation. 

Lincoln alumni have succeeded in every branch of the law, going on to make valuable contributions to the community and the legal profession as members of the judiciary, private law firms and as public servants.  Contributing to their success is an outstanding faculty, which includes judges, public defenders, prosecutors, public interest lawyers and private civil and criminal practice attorneys.

The school is small and has small classes and therefore provides plenty of opportunity for the students to interact with the faculty and staff which is largely comprised of active legal practitioners, which provides the students with real world insights into the practice of law in addition to communicating the basic principles of law.

But now Lincoln Law School needs some help from the legal community. During the pandemic, Lincoln Law School was forced to cancel many of their library subscriptions in order to survive financially.  They do provide Lexis for all students.  However, the State Bar of California requires that, if they have a fixed facility, they must keep their library current.  So, they are looking to fill some of the gaps with potential book donations from the community.  If you know of firms who are maybe going fully digital and would like to get rid of some of their books, or maybe looking for an opportunity to make a charitable donation, Lincoln Law School would appreciate the assistance.

Their list of needs to stay compliant with the California State Bar includes:     

            1)  West CA reporter 3d Vol. 206–current OR West California Appellate Court Reports 2019-present;

            2)  California Jurisprudence 2020-present; and

            3)  Wests’s California Annotated Codes 2021-present.

They would also like to have any updated practice guides.  In lieu of actual book, they would happily accept monetary donations so they can purchase the books they need and get the subscriptions to keep them updated.

Some donors may want to donate collectible or valuable texts, that they would be happy to accept, but only if the donors would rather have them go to a collector or some kind of archive that may have a better capability of treating them appropriately. As appreciative as they are, they simply don’t have space or capacity to accept everything that donors may want to donate.

Lincoln Law School has been a huge supporter of SCCoLPA and LPI.  SCCoLPA has made numerous presentations to Lincoln Law, and we have several members because of our relationship with them.  They are a great institution, and they desperately need our help. 

There are a few ways you can donate:

Receipts or donation acknowledgment letters with the 501(c)(3) information will be provided for book donations to donors who provide the approximate value of the donation, as well as for monetary donations.  Additionally, they can prepare grant inquiry letters for any firms or attorneys associated with generous foundations that see alignment with Lincoln’s mission of providing opportunities for all who aspire to pursue a legal career, regardless of their circumstances. Lincoln Law School of San Jose aims to extend legal education opportunities to as many individuals as possible, particularly those who encounter barriers that might otherwise preclude them from enrolling in a traditional law school program.

 

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