Founded in 1926, the law school was formerly part of Lincoln University (California), prior to separating in 1993.

The school traces its roots to 1919 when Benjamin Lickey and his wife Susan Lickey founded a law study program in San Francisco as a way to provide veterans and working-class students a part-time night school for law studies.

[2] The school was incorporated in 1926 as a part of Lincoln University and located in San Francisco.

By 1987, Lincoln University's entire law school program was concentrated in San Jose.

[citation needed] Lincoln is exclusively an evening-study program that lasts 4 or 4.5 years, depending upon the starting date of the student.