Santa Monica, California, is a thriving city of about 100,000 just west of Los Angeles. Santa Monica's economy has grown in the past two decades, and jobs for legal professionals are plentiful. For professionals looking to learn and practice in specialty areas such as entertainment or environmental law, Santa Monica is a good place to work. Two of the largest law firms in the Santa Monica area include Haight Brown & Bonesteel and Alschuler Grossman Stein & Kahan LLP. The greater Santa Monica area also is home to many government agencies that offer jobs and volunteer opportunities in criminal justice fields, such as the Santa Monica Police Department, which focuses its work on neighborhood-centered policing.
Other Resources for Law Education and Careers in Santa Monica
Santa Monica is also near a number of excellent schools offering programs in law, paralegal studies, and criminal justice. The city is close to several outstanding law schools, including Pepperdine University School of Law and UCLA's School of Law. For paralegal studies and criminal justice degrees, students can attend Platt College, California State University-Los Angeles, and West Los Angeles College. Los Angeles Mission College offers an entirely online paralegal studies program