American University Washington College of Law (WCL) is the law school of American University. It is located on the western side of Tenley Circle in the Tenleytown section of Northwest Washington, D.C., one block south of the Tenleytown-AU Metro station. The school is fully accredited by the American Bar Association, and a member of the AALS.
WCL is ranked 71st in the nation in the Best Law Schools by U.S. News & World Report. Begun in 1896, it was the first law school to be founded by women, the first with a female dean, and the first to graduate an all-female class.
According to WCL's 2013 ABA-required disclosures, 45.6% of the Class of 2013 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment nine months after graduation.
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History
Early beginnings
Ellen Spencer Mussey and Emma Gillett began teaching in Mussey's law offices in 1898 after they were approached by three women who wished to study with them. Not originally intending to create a full-fledged law school, they requested the law school of Columbian College to accept the six women for their final year. When Columbian refused the request on the ground that "women did not have the mentality for law", the two women became determined to complete the students' education themselves and to found a co-educational law school that was specifically open to women. Although Gillett was a graduate of Howard University School of Law, Washington College of Law only accepted white applicants.
With its first graduating class, the Washington College of Law became the first law school to be founded by women, the first with a female dean, and the first law school to graduate an all-female class. Mussey's male law clerk enrolled in 1897, making the school officially coeducational.
Continuing growth
Washington D.C. incorporated WCL in 1898. After several temporary locations, the school moved to the Le Droit Building on 8th & F Streets in 1900. Enrollment rose to 55 students by 1908 and doubled in five years to 128 students. Dean Mussey secured a lease in 1909 in the Chesley Building on New York Ave, until the school outgrew the six-classroom lease. The school moved to its first permanent home in 1920; the former residence of Robert G. Ingersoll on K Street. Continually growing, WCL moved in 1924 to the former home of Oscar Underwood, and former residence of Archibald Butt. WCL merged with American University in 1949 and graduated its first African American student in 1953.
The Women & the Law Program was launched in 1948, to promote the integration of women's rights and gender studies into legal education, practice and doctrine.
After years of work by Dean Myers, the John Sherman Myers Law School building was constructed on the American University main campus and dedicated in 1963 by Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren. In the same year, Senator Robert Byrd graduated from WCL after ten years of night study classes, the first time a sitting member of Congress had begun and completed a law degree while serving.
By 1988, WCL had grown to over 1,000 students. Dean Milstein pushed for a new building, and in 1996 WCL moved less than a mile to The John Sherman Myers and Alvina Reckman Myers Law Center on Massachusetts Avenue in the American University Park section of Northwest Washington, D.C.. The building was two and a half times larger than the previous Myers building, and included the new Pence Law Library.
Move to Tenley Campus
In April 2012, the D.C. Zoning Commission approved the plans for American University Washington College of Law to relocate from Spring Valley to American University's Tenley Campus. The approval of plans for further processing and zoning variances for the law school was handed down after American University's full campus plan was approved in March. Construction began in the summer of 2013, with relocation of the law school to the new campus completed in early 2016. Spring 2016 semester classes began at the new campus on January 11, 2016.
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Academic reputation
WCL's Master of Laws (LL.M.) program ranks 13th nationally in the 2012 AUAP rankings. The Brian Leiter Law School rankings placed the WCL 47th in the 2012 Top 70 Law Faculties in Scholarly Impact. National Jurist ranked WCL the fifth best law school for Hispanic students in 2008. It ranked WCL the fourth best public interest law school in the nation.
U.S. News & World Report ranks WCL 71 in the nation among the 145 ranked schools. WCL is also well known for its clinical training, international law, intellectual property, and part-time programs, which are ranked 2nd, 6th, 7th, and 16th in the nation respectively.
The school is well known for its strong programs in both human rights and public interest law. WCL's Equal Justice Foundation (EJF) provides scholarships to students who obtain unpaid summer internships with public interest organizations.
Costs and student debt
The total cost of attendance (indicating the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses) at WCL for the 2014-2015 academic year is $73,002. The Law School Transparency estimated debt-financed cost of attendance for three years is $272,373. According to U.S. News & World Report, the average indebtedness of 2013 graduates who incurred law school debt was $158,636 (not including undergraduate debt), and 88% of 2013 graduates took on debt.
Employment outcomes
According to WCL's official 2013 ABA-required disclosures, 45.6% of the Class of 2013 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment nine months after graduation. WCL's Law School Transparency under-employment score is 28.6%, indicating the percentage of the Class of 2013 unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job nine months after graduation.
Enrollment
WCL receives over 5,000 applications annually for its full-time program. For the 2013 admissions cycle, WCL received 5264 applications. It enrolls 1,646 students, 55 percent of whom are female.
The 2013 incoming class had a median undergraduate GPA of 3.42 and a median LSAT of 157 (out of 180).
There was 31% minority representation in the 2011 entering class with representation from 42 States.
Degrees offered
WCL offers the Juris Doctor (J.D.), Master of Laws (LL.M.) in either international or constitutional law, and Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) degrees.
Additionally, students can enroll in one of several dual degree programs:
- J.D./M.A. program with the School of International Service
- J.D./M.B.A. and LL.M/M.B.A programs with the Kogod School of Business
- J.D/M.P.P and LL.M./M.P.P. with the School of Public Affairs,
- J.D./J.D. with the University of Ottawa in Canada
- J.D/J.D.(Master of Laws) with the Monash University Faculty of Law in Australia
- J.D./Master I/Master II with the Paris West University Nanterre La Défense in France
- J.D./LL.M. with the Universidad Carlos III in Spain
Clinical program
WCL's clinical program is one of the most comprehensive in the nation. The school was one of the first law schools to develop a modern clinical legal education program. With over 200 students participating in the 11 clinics every year, the program is one of the largest in the country.
The clinic serves a variety of clients including immigrants and refugees, victims/survivors of domestic violence, juveniles, criminal defendants, low-income taxpayers, individuals seeking help with family law, consumer, disability, and intellectual property issues, community groups and nonprofit organizations.
Clinics include the General Practice Clinic, Community and Economic Development Law Clinic, Criminal Justice Clinic, DC Law Students in Court Clinic, Disability Rights Law Clinic, Domestic Violence Law Clinic, Janet R. Spragens Federal Tax Clinic, Glushko-Samuelson Intellectual Property Law Clinic, Immigrant Justice Clinic, International Human Rights Law Clinic, and Women and the Law Clinic.
Study abroad programs
WCL's study abroad program is considered to be among the best in the country, with 30% of the student body studying abroad every year. In 2012, the National Jurist recognized it as one of the "most robust study abroad programs out of the 200 U.S. Law Schools."
Students are able to study law for a semester in over 18 countries. WCL also offers summer abroad programs in Chile, Europe (London, Paris, Geneva and The Hague), Turkey, and Israel.
Campus and facilities
The Washington College of Law is located on American University's Tenley Campus at 4300 Nebraska Avenue NW. in northwest edge of Washington, DC, approximately 1 mile from the Maryland state line. Construction on the Tenley Campus was completed in early 2016, and includes three primary buildings:
- Capital Hall - Historically preserved and renovated, this building includes administrative offices, student publications, 4 courtrooms, 2 classrooms and an atrium.
- Warren Building - Brand new construction, housing the Pence Law Library on two and a half floors, 9 classrooms, the ceremonial courtroom, an active learning lab, and a roof deck.
- Yuma Building - Brand new construction, housing 13 classrooms, faculty offices, clinical and international programs, dining, and Claudio Grossman Hall, which seats 500.
The law school campus is less than a mile from the main American University campus, however a shuttle system is available for students and staff to travel between the two locations. The campus is accessible to students and faculty 24/7 with the use of an AU ID card.
The Pence Law Library
The Pence Law Library is 54,000 square feet, with more than 600,000 volumes, access to multiple databases, 14 group-study rooms and seating for over 600. The library is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to students and faculty with the use of an AU ID card.
The library collection includes European Community and US government depositories and the Baxter Collection in International Law. Students and faculty also have access to the university's library, the Library of Congress, specialized agency libraries, and other area law libraries electronically.
The National Jurist placed WCL's Library 41st out of 199 in its Best Law Libraries ranking.
Programs and centers
- Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
- Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian law
- Clinical Program
- Externship Program
- Health Law Project
- Humphrey Fellowship Program (Fulbright Exchange)
- Center on International Commercial Arbitration
- 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
- UNROW Human Rights Impact Litigation Clinic
- War Crimes Research Office
- Women & International Law Program
- Women & the Law Program
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.
Publications
- Administrative Law Review
- The Alternative Dispute Resolution Newsletter
- The American Jurist
- The American University International Law Review (which publishes ASIL's annual Grotius Lecture).
- The American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law
- The American University Law Review
- The American University Business Law Review
- The Criminal Law Brief
- The Human Rights Brief
- The Intellectual Property Brief
- The Modern American
- National Security Law Brief
- Sustainable Development Law & Policy
- Health Law & Policy Brief
- Legislation & Policy Brief
- International Commercial Arbitration Brief
Notes and recognition
- The National Jurist, in its 100 Best Law Review rankings, placed the American University Law Review 47th and the International Law Review 84th.
- 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" (since renamed to The American University Business Law Review) as the "Magazine of the Year."
- On several occasions, the ABA has recognized The American Jurist as the "Best Law Student Magazine."
Notable current and former faculty
- Kristine Huskey
- Paul Williams
- Michael Tigar
- Jamie Raskin
- Judith A. Winston
- Gregory Stanton
- Michael W. Carroll
- Claudio Grossman
- Ralph Nader, political activist and author
- Perry Wallace, first African American scholarship athlete in the Southeastern Conference
Notable alumni
Judiciary
Federal
- George Arceneaux, Jr., Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
- Margaret Bartley, Judge, United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
- Sarah Evans Barker, Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
- Terrence Boyle, Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
- June Lazenby Green, Judge, United States District Court for the District of Columbia
- Claude M. Hilton, Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- Henry E. Hudson, Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- C. Darnell Jones II, Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- Gerald Bruce Lee, Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- Sharon Prost, Chief Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- Robert W. Schroeder III, Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- Margaret B. Seymour, Judge, United States District Court for the District of South Carolina
- Moody R. Tidwell, III, Judge, United States Court of Federal Claims
- Reggie Walton, Judge, United States District Court for the District of Columbia
State
- Michael William Farrell, Judge, District of Columbia Court of Appeals
- Warren R. King, Judge, District of Columbia Court of Appeals
- Frank Q. Nebeker, Judge, District of Columbia Court of Appeals and United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
- Warren Silver Judge, Maine Supreme Judicial Court
International
- Ricardo Ramírez-Hernández, Appellate Body Member, World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Body
Politics and Government
National
- Ilan Berman, Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council
- Robert Byrd, former United States Senator (D-WV).
- Thomas Downey, former Member, U.S. House of Representatives (D-NY) and head of Downey McGrath Group.
- Gwen Graham, Member, U.S. House of Representatives (D-FL)
- Joseph T. Kelliher, an American energy executive and former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
- Rick Lazio, former Member, U.S. House of Representatives (R-NY) and lawyer.
- M. Peter McPherson, special assistant to President Gerald Ford, head of USAID under President Ronald Reagan, president of Michigan State University from 1993 to 2004, and Chairman of Dow Jones beginning in 2007.
- Raymond Muir, White House Chief Usher (1933-1938) and Deputy Chief of Protocol, U.S. Department of State (1943-1954)
- Alice Paul, notable suffragist.
- Judy A. Smith, American crisis manager.
- Hugo Teufel III, Former Chief Privacy Officer of the Department of Homeland Security.
- Richard Verma, United States Ambassador to India
State
- Toney Anaya, former Governor of New Mexico
- Kim Guadagno, Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey
- Alison Lundergan Grimes, Kentucky Secretary of State
- Juan Mari Brás, Puerto Rico political leader
- Kirill Reznik, State Delegate, Maryland House of Delegates (D).
- Robert White, At-Large member of the Council of the District of Columbia.
International
- Karin Elharar, Israeli Knesset member for the Yesh Atid party and chair of the State Control Committee of the Knesset.
- Manjaagiin Ichinnorov, Mongolian human rights activist
- Juliane Kokott, German Advocate General at the Court of Justice of the European Communities (EJC) and Professor at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland.
- Vekuii Rukoro, Paramount Chief of the Herero people, Namibia.
Education, Business, Media, and Entertainment
- Tom Goldstein, co-founder of the firm Goldstein and Howe, and co-founder of Scotusblog.
- Gregory D. Hague, Serial Entrepreneur, Lawyer, Author
- Avram Glazer
- Stephen Latchford, America's earliest expert on aviation law.
- Roy Lee, film producer (The Departed and The Ring)
- Sophia A. Nelson, Attorney and Political Commentator.
- Judith Sheindlin, TV judge of Judge Judy fame (although she later transferred to the New York Law School)
- Ed Tapscott, Head coach of the Washington Wizards NBA team.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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