Washington College of Law

American University, Washington College of Law History

American University Washington College of Law was established in 1896 and is a private institution. The campus is in an urban area in Washington, D.C., 3 miles from downtown. The primary mission of the law school is to provide an individualized, high-quality legal education by engaging the community, the nation, and the world through a vision that integrates theory and practice, doctrine and experiential learning, and skills and values, all in a diverse and demanding environment. Students have access to federal, state, county, city, and local agencies, courts, correctional facilities, law firms, and legal aid organizations in the Washington area, including the U.S. Congress, U.S. Supreme Court, Library of Congress, IMF, World Bank, and other NGO’s. Facilities of special interest to law students include more than 1000 approved extern sites at federal agencies, courts, trade associations, and public interest organizations. Housing for students is easily found in many apartment buildings and rental houses, which are located nearby. All law school facilities are accessible to the physically disabled.

American University, Washington College of Law Academics

In addition to the J.D., the law school offers the LL.M. and S.J.D. Students may take relevant courses in other programs and apply credit toward the J.D.; a maximum of 6 credits may be applied. The following joint degrees may be earned: J.D./M.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in international affairs), J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration), and J.D./M.S. (Juris Doctor/Master of Science in law, justice, and society).

The Washington College of Law offers concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, environmental law, family law, intellectual property law, international law, juvenile law, labor law, litigation, securities law, tax law, torts and insurance, human rights law, arbitration, international, environment, and administrative law. In addition, clinical experiences offered to students include the Civil Practice Clinic for 14 credits, International Human Rights Law Clinic for 14 credits, and Community and Economic Development Clinic for 14 credits. Internships, available with government agencies, international organizations, and nonprofit entities, are under faculty supervision. The Independent Study Program permits directed research under faculty supervision. The Field Component Program offers field work with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, the State Department, and the National Association of Securities Dealers. Special lecture series include an extensive series of conferences and speaker series that deal with topics of contemporary interest. In addition, student organizations sponsor lectures and panel discussions on a range of topics. Study abroad consists of summer programs in Chile (study involving legal structures in Latin America), Istanbul, London/Paris/Geneva (international business, human rights, and environmental law); a semester exchange: Paris-X Nanterre, France; Hong Kong Exchange; Canada, Mexico, Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Australia, Spain; and dual degree programs in Spain and Canada. There is a Peer Counseling Program. An academic support program is available for all students, but remedial programs are not provided. The Office of Diversity Services offers minority programs and advisory services. The most widely taken electives are Evidence, Business Associations, and Administrative Law.

To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 86 total credits, of which 32 are for required courses. They must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the required courses. The following first-year courses are required of all students: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Legal Rhetoric I and II, Property, and Torts. Required upper-level courses consist of Criminal Procedure I and Legal Ethics. The required orientation program for first-year students is 3 days and includes registration, dean’s and faculty welcome, academic orientation, technology and financial aid sessions, a reception, and Student Bar Association social activities.

In order to graduate, candidates must have a GPA of 2.0, have completed the upper-division writing requirement, and a lawyering skills requirement.

American University, Washington College of Law Unique Programs

Library

The law library contains 592,065 hard-copy volumes and 92,643 microform volume equivalents, and subscribes to 8247 serial publications. Such on-line databases and networks as CALI, CIS Universe, DIALOG, Dow-Jones, Infotrac, Legal-Trac, LEXIS, LOIS, Mathew Bender, NEXIS, OCLC First Search, RLIN, WESTLAW, Wilsonline Indexes, HeinOnline, Access UN, UN Human Rights, UN Treaty, BNA, CCH, and MOML are available to law students for research. Special library collections include European Community and U.S. government depositories as well as the Baxter Collection in International Law, Administrative Conference of the U.S. Cicchino Collection, Goodman Collection of Rare Books, Iran-Contra Affair, Judicial Documents Collection, and the National Bank Rev. Collection.The library occupies 51,157 net square feet in a state-of-the-art facility. There are 644 wired or wireless seats. Laboratories are available for research and law related applications. The ratio of library volumes to faculty is 5862 to 1 and to students is 399 to 1. The ratio of seats in the library to students is 1 to 2.

Special Consideration

The law school recruits minority and disadvantaged students in collaboration with the Office of Admissions and Office of Diversity Services. Every effort is made to attend recruiting events that are targeted to enroll the most diverse class possible. Requirements are not different for out-of-state students. Transfer students must have one year of credit, have attended an ABA-approved law school, and academic achievement.

American University, Washington College of Law Admissions

In the fall 2007 first-year class, 8864 applied, 2066 were accepted, and 464 enrolled. Seventy-four transfers enrolled. The median LSAT percentile of the most recent first-year class was 79; the median GPA was 3.42 on a scale of 4.0. The lowest LSAT percentile accepted was 32; the highest was 99.

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and take the LSAT. The most important admission factors include academic achievement, GPA, and LSAT results. No specific undergraduate courses are required. Candidates are not interviewed.

The application deadline for fall entry is March 1. Applicants should submit an application form, LSAT results, transcripts, a nonrefundable application fee of $65, 1 letter of recommendation, and a personal statement. Notification of the admissions decision begins late December. The latest acceptable LSAT test date for fall entry is February. The law school uses the LSDAS.

American University, Washington College of Law Financial Aid

About 74% of current law students receive some form of aid. The average annual amount of aid from all sources combined, including scholarships, loans, and work contracts, is $38,268; maximum, $50,493. Awards are based on need and merit. Required financial statements are the FAFSA and Need Access Application. The aid application deadline for fall entry is March 1. Special funds for minority or disadvantaged students include need-based grants and donor restricted scholarships. First-year students are notified about their financial aid application within 2 weeks of acceptance if application is made by the filing deadline.

American University, Washington College of Law Students

About 57% of the student body are women; 32%, minorities; 8%, African American; 11%, Asian American; 12%, Hispanic; and 1%, Native American. The majority of students come from the Northeast (54%). The average age of entering students is 24; age range is 20 to 47. About 5% drop out after the first year for academic or personal reasons; 95% remain to receive a law degree.

Students edit the American University Law Review, Administrative Law Review, (ABA Section Publication), American University International Law Review, American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy and the Law, American Jurist, Business Law Brief, Criminal Law Brief, Human Rights Brief, Modern American, and Sustainable Development Law and Policy. Three moot court competitions are Alvina Reckman Myers First-Year Moot Court Competition, the Inter-American Moot Court Competition, and the Burton D. Wechsler First Amendment Moot Court Competition. Students participate in approximately 12 competitions, including the Jean Pictet Competition and the VIS Moot International Arbitration Team. Law student organizations, local chapters of national associations, and campus organizations include Equal Justice Foundation, Law and Government Society, Women’s Law Association, American Constitution Society, Black Law Students Association, Hispanic Law Students Association, Lambda Law Society, Federalist Society, and Phi Delta Phi.

The law school operates on a traditional semester basis. Courses for full-time students are offered both day and evening and must be completed within 5 years. For part-time students, courses are offered both day and evening and must be completed within 6 years. New full- and part-time students are admitted in the fall. There is a 9-week summer session. Transferable summer courses are offered.