CALIFORNIA BAR EXAMINERS REQUIRED DISCLOSURES-PLEASE READ

The following disclosures are required by California Business and Professions Code § 6061, Unaccredited Law School Rule 4.241, Guideline 2.3(D), and Guideline 2.3(E):

American Institute of Law is not approved by the American Bar Association, and not accredited by the State Bar of California. The school of law is registered with the State Bar of California to enable its graduates to take the bar examination upon completion of the Juris Doctor program.

American Institute of Law has not applied for accreditation in the previous five years

American Institute of Law Assets: $134,700.00; American Institute of Law Liabilities: $3,114.25

The educational background, qualifications, and experience of the faculty and the names of any faculty or administrators who are members of the State Bar of California or who are admitted in another jurisdiction are as follows:

Michael P. Dowd, Dean, Professor

  • Juris Doctor, University of Houston
  • Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude, California State University, Long Beach
  • Adjunct Professor, Abraham Lincoln University, School of Law, 2010-2011
  • Adjunct Professor, University of La Verne, 2007-2011
  • B.S., Business, San Jose State University
  • Supervising Deputy District Attorney, San  Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office,1996-2017
  • Chief Assistant City Prosecutor, City of Pasadena, 2017-2022

Chester S. Zaluga, Dean of Administration, Registrar, Professor

  • Juris Doctor, Summa Cum Laude, Valedictorian, Abraham Lincoln University, School of Law
  • Master Business Administration, Summa Cum Laude, Valedictorian; National University, Los Angeles
  • Master of Arts, Systems Behavioral Science; Goddard College, Plainfield Vermont
  • Bachelor of Arts, Mathematics; University of Southern California, Los Angeles
  • Professor, American Heritage University, School of Law, 2011-2014
  • Adjunct Professor, Abraham Lincoln University, School of Law, 2007-2010
  • Licensed California practicing attorney in the areas of Criminal Defense and Immigration

Sheldrin Ruiz, Professor

  • Juris Doctor, American Heritage University, School of Law
  • Master of Arts, Latin American Studies, California State University, Los Angeles
  • Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
  • Licensed California practicing attorney

Gregory G. Yacoubian

  • Juris Doctor, Summa Cum Laude, Valedictorian, Abraham Lincoln University, School of Law

  • Licensed California practicing litigation attorney, focusing primarily on defending public service employees such as police officers and fire fighters

  • Retired police lieutenant, and current police reserve officer

  • Certified Peace Officer Standards and Training Instructor, LAPD and California State University, Sacramento, California

Carolyn L. Oliver

  • Juris Doctor, Temple University School of Law

  • Contract Attorney
  • Adjunct Law Professor, University of San Diego School of Law
  • Assistant United States Attorney
  • United States Attorney, Special Assistant
  • Immigration and  Naturalization Service Trial Attorney
  • Boston University Bachelor of Science
  • Former member of San Diego County Bar Association Children at Risk Task Force, and Judicial Selection Committee

Lawrence Markey, Professor, Professor

  • Graduated from Michigan Law School Magna Cum Laude
  • University of southern California, School of Business
  • Licensed California practicing attorney
  • Primary are of practice: family law, divorce, child custody, support and domestic violence

Hannah Afonso, Professor

  • Juris Doctor, American Institute of Law
  • Bachelor of Arts, Thomas Edison State University
  • Licensed California practicing attorney

Edward R. Green, Professor Emeritus

  • Juris Doctor, Magna Cum Laude,  Valedictorian, Simon Greenleaf University
  • Dean of Law School, American Heritage University, School of Law, 2010-2015
  • Vice President & Dean of Law School
  • Abraham Lincoln University, School of Law. 1996- 2010
  • Academic Support Director and Lecturer, Trinity Law School, 1991-1999
  • Admitted to the California State Bar,  1989
  • Admitted to the Utah State Bar,  1996
  • Admitted to the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Admitted to the Federal District Courts of California (Central, Northern, Eastern and Southern Districts)
  • Admitted to the United States Tax Court

Faculty to student ratio is 1:14

The current attrition rate of students who have enrolled in the school and do not matriculate into subsequent years of law study is 71.00% since the establishment of the law school.

[Note: Attrition is also based on students who had to withdraw due to illness or personal circumstances. Attrition is also based on students who were financially dismissed]

The education that American Institute of Law provides may not satisfy the requirements of other jurisdictions for the practice of law and applicants should contact the jurisdiction in which they may wish to practice for that jurisdiction’s requirements. 

American Institute of Law has never been issued a Notice of Noncompliance by the Committee of Bar Examiners.

The method of instruction at this law school for the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree program is principally by correspondence.

Students enrolled in the J.D. degree program at this law school who successfully complete the first year of law study must pass the First-Year Law Students’ Examination required by Business and Professions Code §6060(h) and Title 4, Division 1, Chapter 1 Rule 4.3(I) of the of the Rules of the State Bar of California as part of the requirements to qualify to take the California Bar Examination. A student who passes the First-Year Law Students’ Examination within three (3) administrations of the examination after first becoming eligible to take it will receive credit for all legal studies completed to the time the examination is passed. A student who does not pass the examination within three (3) administrations of the examination after first becoming eligible to take it must be promptly disqualified from the law school’s J.D. degree program. If the dismissed student subsequently passes the examination, the student is eligible for re-enrollment in this law school’s J.D. degree program, but will receive credit for only one year of legal study.

Study at, or graduation from, this law school may not qualify a student to take the bar examination or to satisfy the requirements for admission to practice in jurisdictions other than California. A student intending to seek admission to practice law in a jurisdiction other than California should contact the admitting authority in that jurisdiction for information regarding the legal education requirements in that jurisdiction for admission to the practice of law.