Washington College of Law

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2008)

Washington College of Law at American University (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 in the top 50 law schools by US News and World Report. The school is accredited by the American Bar Association.

History

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 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]

Degrees offered

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.^[3] 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.^[3]

Campus

Located in the northwest edge of Washington, DC, near the Maryland state line and is set 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.

Rankings

WCL is well known for its Clinical, International Law, and Trial Advocacy programs, which are ranked 2nd, 5th, and 11th in the nation, respectively, by U.S. News & World Report. In 2008, WCL was included on U.S. News & World Report's college and university rankings list of the Top 100 Law Schools, where WCL consistently ranks in the top 50. 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^[4]

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.

Enrollment

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 2008 incoming class had a median undergraduate GPA of 3.41 and a median LSAT of 162 (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.

Programs & Centers

• Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law
• Clinical Program
• Externship Program
• Health Law Project
• Humphrey Fellowship Program (Fulbright Exchange)
• International Arbitration Program
• International Legal Studies Program (ILSP)
• International Visiting Scholars Program
• Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project
• National Institute of Military Justice
• National Institute of Corrections/WCL Project on Addressing Prison Rape
• Office of Public Interest
• Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property
• Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law
• Program on Law & Government
• Special Events & Continuing Legal Education
• Trial Advocacy Program
• War Crimes Research Office
• Women & International Law Program
• Women & the Law Program

Publications

• Administrative Law Review
• The Alternative Dispute Resolution Newsletter
• The American Jurist
• The American University International Law Review
• The American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law
• The American University Law Review
• The Business Law Brief
• The Criminal Law Brief
• The Human Rights Brief
• The Modern American
• National Security Law Brief
• Sustainable Development Law & Policy
• Health Law & Policy
• Legislation & Policy Brief

Notes and Recognitions

• Administrative Law Review is the official publication of the American Bar Association Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice.
• In 2005, the ABA recognized The Business Law Brief as the "Magazine of the Year."
• On several occasions, the ABA has recognized The American Jurist as the "Best Law Student Magazine."

Notable faculty

• Kristine Huskey
• Paul Williams
• Michael Tigar
• Jamie Raskin
• Stephen I. Vladeck

Notable alumni

• Robert Byrd, United States Senator. (D-WV)
• Tom Goldstein, co-founder of the firm Goldstein and Howe, and co-founder of Scotusblog.
• Kim Guadagno (Class of 1983), sheriff of Monmouth County, New Jersey and first Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey^[5]
• Joe Johns, CNN correspondent based in the Washington, D.C. Bureau.
• Joseph Kelliher, Former Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC").
• Juliane Kokott, German Advocate General at the Court of Justice of the European Communities (EJC) and Professor at the University of St. Gallen
• Rick Lazio, Former Congressman (R-NY) and lawyer.
• Thomas Downey, Former Congressman (D-NY) and head of Downey McGrath Group.
• Gerald Bruce Lee, Federal district judge.
• Roy Lee, film producer.
• John Moot Former General Counsel of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC").
• Sophia A. Nelson, Attorney and Political Commentator.
• Alice Paul, notable suffragist.
• Alexandra Mendez, Former National MS Society President.
• Kirill Reznik, State Delegate (D-Md), Maryland House of Delegates.
• Dan Slater, Vice Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party.
• Ed Tapscott, Head coach of the Washington Wizards.
• Hugo Teufel III, Former Chief Privacy Officer of the Department of Homeland Security.
• Reggie Walton, Federal district judge.
• Juan Mari Bras, Puerto Rico Political Leader.
• Judith Sheindlin, TV judge "Judge Judy."
• Terry Mason, Mascot Society of America.

Notable Facts

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (May 2008)

• 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.

Notes & References

External links

• Washington College of Law website
• Washington College of Law faculty listing

v • d • e American University Washington, DC Schools College of Arts and Sciences • Kogod School of Business • School of Communication • School of International Service • School of Public Affairs • Washington College of Law Research Administrative Law Review • Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies • Center for Social Media • Equal Justice Foundation • Washington Semester • Women and Politics Institute Athletics American University Eagles • Bender Arena Media WAMU • WVAU • The Diane Rehm Show • Kojo Nnamdi Show • The Eagle People List of American University people Places American University Park • Camp American University • Camp Leach • Katzen Arts Center • Harold and Sylvia Greenberg Theatre • American University Museum • Tenley Campus