PCL offered a part-time, four-year evening law program centered on work in the public interest.

Aimed at addressing inequities in law and society, PCL was founded in 1974 for individuals historically denied access to legal training and representation.

The school maintains a socio-political requirement that states: "An eligible candidate will be able to demonstrate a commitment to progressive social change.

[3] PCL had been experiencing financial, leadership, and accreditation issues and probation by the State Bar for many years prior to its closure.

[4] Its students must have taken and passed the First-Year Law Students' Examination, also known as the "baby bar", at the end of their first year in order to receive credit for their law study and eventually qualify to sit for the California Bar Examination.