Law School

George Washington University, Law School History

George Washington University Law School was established in 1865 and is a private institution. The campus is in an urban area in downtown Washington, D.C. The primary mission of the law school is to offer students the opportunity to study and observe lawmaking at its source, by combining a wide variety of courses in public law with the traditional fields of law. Students have access to federal, state, county, city, and local agencies, courts, correctional facilities, law firms, and legal aid organizations in the Washington area. Extensive clinical opportunities exist in the nation’s capital. Housing for students consists of a limited number of spaces available on campus in efficiency, 1- and 2-bedroom apartments.

George Washington University, Law School 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 and history), J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration), J.D./M.P.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Public Administration), J.D./M.P.H. (Juris Doctor/Master of Public Health), J.D./M.P.P. (Juris Doctor/Master of Public Policy), LL.M./M.A. (Master of Laws/Master of Arts), and LL.M./M.P.H (Master of Laws/Master of Public Health).

The Law School offers concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, environmental law, family law, intellectual property law, international law, labor law, litigation, securities law, tax law, torts and insurance, government contracts, intellectual property, and constitutional law. In addition, clinics, worth 2 to 4 credits, include the Consumer Mediation Clinic, Domestic Violence Clinic, and Immigration Clinic, all open to upper-level students. The Federal Sentencing Seminar (2 credits), Sexuality and the Law Seminar (2 or 3 credits), and Law in Cyberspace (2 or 3 credits) are all open to second- or third-year students. Internships are available to second- and third-year students for 1 to 4 credits a semester, for a maximum of 8 credits. Students arrange independent projects with state or federal public interest organizations. Through the Enrichment Program, speakers are brought to the law school for lectures and informal seminars that are open to all students. The law school offers 2 summer study abroad programs: an international human rights program is offered with Oxford University and an intellectual property program is offered with the Munich I.P. Law Center. Third-year students serving as Resource Fellows assist other students who are in academic difficulty. The Writing Center serves as a resource for all students. Minority programs are sponsored by groups such as the Black Law Students Association, Hispanic Law Students Association, and Asian/Pacific American Law Students Association and East Asian Law Society. Special interest groups include the Law Association for Women, Christian Law Society, Law Students for the Arts, International Law Society, Student Animal Defense Fund, Lambda Law and politically-oriented groups. The most widely taken electives are Federal Income Taxation, Evidence, and Corporations.

To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 84 total credits, of which 34 are for required courses. They must maintain a minimum GPA of 1.67 in the required courses. The following first-year courses are required of all students: Civil Procedure I and II, Constitutional Law I, Contracts I and II, Criminal Law, Introduction to Advocacy, Legal Researching and Writing, Property, and Torts. Required upper-level courses consist of Professional Responsibility and Ethics. The required orientation program for first-year students is a 3-day program that includes registration.

In order to graduate, candidates must have a GPA of 1.67, have completed the upper-division writing requirement, and completion of the required curriculum.

George Washington University, Law School Unique Programs

Library

The law library contains 611,190 hard-copy volumes and 130,195 microform volume equivalents, and subscribes to 4304 serial publications. Such on-line databases and networks as CALI, CIS Universe, DIALOG, Legal-Trac, LEXIS, LOIS, Mathew Bender, NEXIS, OCLC First Search, RLIN, WESTLAW, and Wilsonline Indexes are available to law students for research. Special library collections include collections of unique materials in the areas of environmental law, intellectual property law, international law, government procurement law, and legal history. Recently, the library constructed additional student conference rooms, added additional shelving, installed wireless network, constructed a special room with temperature and humidity controls for rare book collection. The ratio of library volumes to faculty is 6112 to 1 and to students is 368 to 1. The ratio of seats in the library to students is 1 to 7.

Special Consideration

The law school recruits minority and disadvantaged students by participating in law forums throughout the country and visiting schools with large minority populations. In addition, each admitted applicant is contacted by a currently enrolled student. Requirements are not different for out-of-state students. Transfer students must have one year of credit and have attended an ABA-approved law school. Admissions decisions are based on the applicant’s law school record and the amount of space available.

George Washington University, Law School Admissions

In the fall 2007 first-year class, 10311 applied, 2039 were accepted, and 504 enrolled. The median LSAT percentile of the most recent first-year class was 93; the median GPA was 3.71 on a scale of 4.0. The lowest LSAT percentile accepted was 41; the highest was 100.

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and take the LSAT. The most important admission factors include academic achievement, LSAT results, and writing ability. 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 $80, and two letters of recommendation are recommended, but not required. Notification of the admissions decision is as soon as a decision is made. The latest acceptable LSAT test date for fall entry is February, but only in certain cases. The law school uses the LSDAS.

George Washington University, Law School Financial Aid

About 80% 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 $34,822; maximum, $53,540. Awards are based on need and merit. Required financial statements are the CSS Profile and the FAFSA. First-year students are notified about their financial aid application some time after admission, providing all files are complete.

George Washington University, Law School Students

About 43% of the student body are women; 8%, African American; 10%, Asian American; 7%, Hispanic; 1%, Native American; and 11%, students who did not report ethnicity on application. The majority of students come from the Northeast (34%). The average age of entering students is 24; age range is 20 to 55. About 32% of students enter directly from undergraduate school, 34% have a graduate degree, and 67% have worked full-time prior to entering law school. About 1% drop out after the first year for academic or personal reasons; 99% remain to receive a law degree.

Students edit the George Washington Law Review, George Washington International Law Journal, International Law in Domestic Courts, and the newspaperNota Bene. The American Intellectual Property Law Association Quarterly Journal, a publication of the AIPLA, is housed at the law school. The Moot Court Board sponsors the Van Vleck Appellate Moot Court competition, the Jessup Cup Competition in international law, and the Giles S. Rich in patent law. Teams participate in other moot court competitions around the country. In-house alternative dispute resolution competitions are held in negotiations and client counseling. Law student organizations, local chapters of national associations, and campus clubs and organizations include the Equal Justice Foundation, Evening Law Student Association, International Law Society, the Student Bar Association, Legal Support Group, Black Law Students Association, Environmental Law Society, Phi Alpha Delta, Phi Delta Phi, and the Federalist Society.

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 3 years. For part-time students, courses are offered both day and evening and must be completed within 4 years. New full- and part-time students are admitted in the fall. There is a 7-week summer session. Transferable summer courses are offered.