Natalie Rodriguez

Natalie Rodriguez is the Vice Dean and Associate Professor of Law at Southwestern Law School. She oversees the Online J.D. Program and academic innovation, emphasizing access, student success, and educational technology integration. Her roles include leadership in bar exam preparation, academic success strategies, and distance education during the pandemic.

• B.A., Political Science, Loyola Marymount University (2002)
• J.D., Southwestern Law School (2012)
• Member, California State Bar

Her research focuses on reforming admissions policies, bar exam outcomes, and leveraging technology for equitable legal education. Notable contributions include co-authoring More Than Numbers (Minnesota Law Review) and leading initiatives like the California Supreme Court Blue Ribbon Commission for Bar Exam Reform.

Dean Rodriguez has served on national committees for the AALS, CALI, and AASE, advocating for holistic admissions and bar exam modernization. Her course design model, rooted in cognitive learning principles, is used nationally for academic support programs.

She has advised on bar exam policy reforms, online pedagogy, and legal education equity. Her career combines legal practice (Estate Planning/Probate) with over a decade of academic leadership and non-profit work supporting underrepresented students.