| American University Washington College of Law | |
| Parent school | American University |
|---|---|
| Established | 1896 |
| School type | Private |
| Dean | Claudio Grossman |
| Location | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Enrollment | 1,658 (1483 JD, 160 LLM, 15 SJD) |
| Faculty | Full-time: 58[1] |
American University Washington College of Law (WCL) is the law school of American University. It is located on Massachusetts Avenue in the Spring Valley neighborhood of northwest Washington. WCL is ranked 50th among law schools by US News and World Report. The school is accredited by the American Bar Association.
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WCL was founded in 1896 by Ellen Spencer Mussey and Emma Gillett in response to a lack of legal educational opportunities for women in the region. Mussey herself learned the law by apprenticeship at her husband's law offices.[2] She was rejected by several schools in the area, including the National University School of Law, which later merged into the George Washington University Law School, because "women did not have the mentality for the law."[2] She and Gillett began teaching in Mussey's law offices after they were approached by three women who wished to study with them. With its first graduating class, the Washington College of Law became the first law school to be founded by women, and also the first law school to graduate an all-female class. The "single-sex" education did not last long however: Mussey's male law clerk enrolled in 1897. WCL officially became part of American University in 1949.[2]
WCL is well known for its Clinical, International Law, Trial Advocacy, and Intellectual Property programs, which are ranked 2nd, 5th, 11th, and 16th in the nation, respectively, by U.S. News & World Report. U.S. News ranks it 50th in the nation overall. In 2007-08, WCL was recognized as the most diverse top-tier law school in the Washington, D.C. area, and the third most diverse among top-tier law schools in the nation in U.S. News' index of diversity recognized. Its master of laws (LL.M.) program ranks 13th nationally in the 2008 AUAP rankings.[3]
WCL is also known for its strong programs in both human rights and public interest work. WCL offers grant money through the Equal Justice Foundation for students working in the public sector and offers special loan repayment assistance programs.
WCL enrolls 1,646 students, 58 percent of whom are female. For the 2008 admissions cycle, WCL received 8,845 applications for 474 available seats in the Juris Doctor program. The admissions rate was 21%.[1] The 2009 incoming class had a median undergraduate GPA of 3.41 and a median LSAT of 163 (out of 180), a score which is higher than roughly 90 percent of all test-takers nationwide. WCL ranks 9th in racial diversity among top law schools. All 50 United States and over 60 foreign countries are represented.
WCL offers the Juris Doctor (J.D.), Master of Laws (LL.M.) in either international law or constitutional law, and Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) degrees.[4] Additionally, students can enroll in one of several dual degree programs offered at WCL, including a J.D./M.A. program with the School of International Service, J.D./M.B.A. and L.L.M/M.B.A programs with the Kogod School of Business, and J.D/M.P.P and L.L.M./M.P.P. with the School of Public Affairs.[4]
The campus is located in the northwest edge of Washington, D.C., near the Maryland state line. It lies within the boundaries of a residential neighborhood. WCL's six-story building is located at 4801 Massachusetts Avenue, with another set of offices located down the street at 4910 Massachusetts Avenue.
WCL participates in several popular study abroad and student exchange programs with universities around the world, including a semester-long program with the School of Law at City University of Hong Kong.
In 2002, the Jessup Moot Court Team was the top ranked team in the United States and Third in the World.
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