J U R IS
D O C TOR
PRO GR A M
Legal Education to Change the World: Law in Action in Our Nation’s Capital
T H E
GE ORGE
WA SH I NGTON
U N I V E R SI T Y
L AW
S C HO OL
CONTENTS
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A Message from the Dean
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After GW Law
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The GW Law Experience
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A Vibrant City
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An Engaged Faculty
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GW + DC
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Personalized Pathways
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Admissions
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Elective Courses
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Financial Aid
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Engagement in the Real World
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GW Law at a Glance
THE GW LAW DIFFERENCE GW Law provides a legal education that cannot be found anywhere else–an education premised on law in action.
At GW Law, constitutional law is not just a course; it’s current events. At GW Law, we offer unparalleled opportunities to take part in the real world of law and policy practice. At GW Law, faculty members and students work daily on the key global challenges of the day. At GW Law, helping students build a successful career is the top priority from day one. This is a legal education to change the world, an opportunity to dynamically engage in law and policy that no other school can match.
A MESSAGE FROM DEAN PAUL SCHIFF BERMAN The George Washington University Law School provides a legal education like no other. We are located just four blocks from the White House and three blocks from the U.S. State Department. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are across the street. Supreme Court justices, as well as judges and top officials from around the world, visit routinely. Our students get to choose from hundreds of externship opportunities at the highest levels of government and law practice; they get to work on public policy projects with faculty; they have clinical and pro bono opportunities that are unrivaled anywhere.
The result is a legal education that truly positions you to change the world. From day one, you can participate in law not just as it exists in textbooks, but as it operates in the real world—and not just anywhere, but in the most vibrant city for law and policy on earth. Indeed, the opportunities that await you at GW Law are simply staggering. We offer literally hundreds of courses each year, taught by our world-class faculty, including 10 former Supreme Court clerks, authors of leading casebooks, former judges, and recognized leaders in their field. They’re highly sought after by the media as experts and they also frequently give expert testimony before Congress, but each one is first and foremost committed to teaching. You’ll see that both in the classroom and in their accessibility outside of class. Our adjunct faculty is equally impressive, including sitting judges, governmental heads, and recognized leaders. We also offer many opportunities for global engagement, from our many international and transnational courses, to our seminars featuring visiting scholars and judges, to our programs that allow students to study abroad both over the summer and during the school year. Finally, despite our large size we are committed to providing a personalized and nurturing approach to legal education. That means that we will work with each of you to build your unique pathway through law school; no matter what your area of interest, we have opportunities designed for you, and we will work with you one-on-one to help you launch your career from the moment you arrive. Law can confront global challenges. Law can help make the world safer and more just. Law can give voice to the voiceless. Law can help build the new rules and institutions that will allow an increasingly diverse and interconnected global population to live together in some semblance of peace. That is the forward-looking vision of law that we embrace and teach at the George Washington University Law School. The challenges of the 21st century await us; let’s tackle them together.
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THE GW LAW EXPERIENCE
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Each year, the George Washington University Law School attracts more applicants than nearly any other law school in the country because we’re unlike any other law school. GW Law students experience law in action, not just as it appears in books. Nearly every week of the school year, our school hosts leading lawyers, political figures, judges, and government officials from around the world. And through externships, clinics, pro bono work, public policy projects, and collaborations with our faculty, our students are constantly encouraged to take their learning out into the world; to be engaged; and to make real, positive contributions to society. This remarkable level of engagement and dynamism makes GW Law an educational experience like no other.
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Scholars. Thought leaders. Doers. That’s GW Law’s expert, nationally recognized faculty. These legal scholars and practitioners share real-world experience gained in judicial clerkships, private practice, government service, and other arenas. They’ve clerked for Supreme Court justices. They are authors of leading casebooks in their fields. They are among the most cited law faculty in the nation, regularly appearing in print, online, or on air, in media outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and National Public Radio. They are the world’s best legal minds, and they’re here to help you create your own path to success. Because in addition to being outstanding practitioners, they are dedicated teachers. Our student-faculty ratio of 15:1 ensures that you’ll benefit from the expertise and excellence of your professors.
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AN ENGAGED FACULTY
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Personalized Pathways GW Law offers students an academic experience tailored to each individual’s interests and goals. Armed with this rich experience, students graduate with excellent analytical, research, writing, and advocacy skills that translate well to myriad jobs. With more than 500 course offerings each year, GW Law provides focused paths of study in nearly every area of law. These pathways go far beyond course selection, however. At GW Law, students can combine • coursework; • unparalleled interaction with leading lawyers, judges, and policymakers in the field; • high-level externships; and • unique capstone experiences. The result is a seamless combination of theory and practice, where students develop an integrated series of skills, experiences, and contacts that cannot be found anywhere else. www.law.gwu.edu/academics GW Law’s 15-to-1 student-faculty ratio ensures that all students receive individualized attention, particularly in courses in which fundamental skills are learned. First-year students have two “small section” experiences. In the fall semester, each section is subdivided into groups of approximately 36 students for one of the four substantive courses. These small sections provide greater interaction between students and faculty and allow for innovative teaching techniques not feasible in larger classroom settings. Midterm exams are usually offered in the small
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ELECTIVE COURSES After completing the first-year requirements (which are standard at all American Bar Association approved law schools), J.D. students are free to pursue their interests, choosing courses from one of the largest course catalogs of any law school. Hands-on elective courses and highly specialized seminars are each capped at 20 students. Courts and Civil Litigation Administrative Law and Government Regulation Administrative Law Advanced Antitrust Law Seminar Animal Law Seminar Antitrust Law Campaign Finance Law Communications Law Congressional Investigations Seminar Food and Drug Law Health Care Law Health Care Law Seminar Lawyers, Lobbying, and the Law Legislation Legislative Analysis and Drafting Local Government Law Public Law Seminar Telecommunications Law Veterans Law
Commercial, Business, and Labor Law Admiralty Banking Law Banking Law Seminar Business Bankruptcy and Reorganization Business Planning Commercial Paper— Payment Systems Consumer Protection Law Corporate Finance Corporation Law Seminar Corporations Creditors’ Rights and Debtors’ Protection E-Commerce Employee Benefit Plans Employment Law Insurance Labor Law Regulation of Derivatives
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Regulation of Mutual Funds and Investment Advisers Secured Transactions Securities Law Seminar Securities Regulation Sports and the Law Takeovers and Tender Offers Unincorporated Business Organizations and Agency Law Venture Capital Law
Constitutional Law and Civil Rights Asian Americans and the Law Civil Rights Legislation Constitutional Law II Constitutional Law Seminar Constitutional Law and the Supreme Court Employment Discrimination Law Federal Indian Law The First Amendment Gender Discrimination and the Law Higher Education Law The Law of Democracy Law and Religion Law of the Separation of Powers Sexuality and the Law Voting Rights Law
Courts and Civil Litigation Advanced Evidence Seminar Appellate Practice Civil Procedure Seminar Complex Litigation Conflict of Laws Evidence Federal Courts Litigation with the Federal Government Remedies Scientific Evidence Seminar
Criminal Law and Procedure Adjudicatory Criminal Procedure Computer Crime Criminal Law and Procedure Seminar Criminal Procedure Criminal Tax Litigation Drugs and the Law Federal Sentencing Seminar Forensic Science Law and Criminology Prisoners Project Role of the Federal Prosecutor White Collar Crime
Environmental and Energy Law Air Pollution Control Atomic Energy Law Coastal, Navigation, and Wetlands Resource Law Control of Solid and Hazardous Wastes Energy and the Environment Energy Law and Regulation Environment and Energy Policy Practicum Environmental Crimes Project Environmental Law Environmental Issues in Business Transactions Environmental Law Seminar Environmental Lawyering Environmental Legislation Project Environmental Negotiations Environmental and Toxic Torts Federal Facilities Environmental Law Issues International Climate Change Law International Environmental Law Natural Resources Law Regulation of Toxic Substances Risk
Sustainable Regional Growth Seminar Trade and Sustainable Development Water Pollution Control Wildlife and Ecosystems Law
Government Contract Law Comparative Public Procurement Formation of Government Contracts Government Contracts Government Contracts Advocacy Government Contracts Cost and Pricing Government Contracts Seminar Government Procurement of Intellectual Property Seminar Performance of Government Contracts
Intellectual Property Law Advanced Trademark Law Art, Cultural Heritage, and the Law Seminar Chemical and Biotech Patent Law Computer Law Copyright Law Design Law Enforcement of Intellectual Property in the U.S. International Trade Commission Entertainment Law The Federal Circuit Information Privacy Law Intellectual Assets Management Intellectual Property Intellectual Property Antitrust Seminar Intellectual Property Law Seminar International and Comparative Patent Law International Copyright Law International Intellectual Property Law in Cyberspace Licensing of Intellectual Property Rights Patent Appellate Practice Patent Enforcement Patent Law Patent Strategies and Practice Trademark Law and Unfair Competition
International Law Advanced International Trade Law Chinese Business Law Comparative Constitutional Law Comparative Law Comparative Law Seminar Foreign Direct Investment Human Rights and Environmental Protection Human Rights Lawyering Immigration Law I Immigration Law II
International Arbitration International Banking and Investment Law International Business Transactions International Business Transactions Seminar International Commercial Law The International Competition Law Regime International Criminal Law International Family Law International Finance International Human Rights of Women International Law International Law of Human Rights International Litigation International Money Laundering, Corruption, and Terrorism International Negotiations International Organizations International Project Finance International Trade Law Introduction to Transactional Islamic Law Islamic Law Law of the European Union Law of Japan Law of the People’s Republic of China Law of the Sea Law of War Nation Building and the Rule of Law Public International Law Seminar Refugee and Asylum Law Regional Protection of Human Rights Space Law Trade Remedy Law Traditional Jewish Civil Law U.S. Export Control and Regulation
Law and Other Disciplines Feminist Legal Theory Genetics and the Law History of the Common Law History of the U.S. Constitution Introduction to Legal Theory Jurisprudence Jurisprudence Seminar Law and Accounting Law and Anthropology Law and Economics Law and Literature Law and Medicine Law and Psychiatry The Law and Regulation of Science Law of Race and Slavery Legal History Seminar Professional Responsibility and Ethics Seminar Quantitative Analysis for Lawyers Race, Racism, and American Law
U.S. Legal History Women, Money, and Law
National Security and U.S. Foreign Relations Law Comparative Military Law Counterterrorism Law Cybersecurity Law and Policy Disaster Law Homeland Security Law and Policy Intelligence Law Military Justice National Security Law National Security Law Seminar Nuclear Nonproliferation Law and Policy U.S. Foreign Relations Law
Property, Family Law, and Torts Domestic Violence Law Elder Law Estate Planning Family, Child, and State Family Law Family Law Seminar Housing Law and Policy Land Use Law Law of Real Estate Financing Modern Real Estate Transactions Products Liability Property and Real Estate Law Seminar Trusts and Estates Trusts, Estates, and Professional Responsibility
Simulation Courses Advanced Appellate Advocacy Alternative Dispute Resolution Client Interviewing and Counseling Law and Rhetoric Legal Drafting Mediation Negotiations Pre-Trial Advocacy Trial Advocacy
Taxation Federal Income Taxation Corporate Taxation International Taxation Nonprofit Organization Law and Taxation Partnership and LLC Taxation State and Local Taxation Tax Policy Seminar Wealth Transfer Taxation
www.law.gwu.edu/academics
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ENGAGEMENT IN THE REAL WORLD GW Law students put their study of legal theory into practice every day, using knowledge and skills to influence the legal debate firsthand through interaction with faculty and outside legal experts. GW Law students and faculty don’t sit in an ivory tower, removed from the real-world practice of law. Our full-time faculty members routinely testify in Congress, litigate leading cases, collaborate with think tanks, serve on international courts and commissions, and work at the highest levels of government. Our adjunct faculty includes leading lawyers and sitting judges. And our students get to take part in it all. They interact with Supreme Court justices, World Bank officials, financial regulators, military leaders, and State Department lawyers. They work on actual public policy projects, tackling the most important challenges of our time. They take an active role in real legal matters. They study and compete abroad. You name it, and at GW Law, it’s probably happening right in front of you.
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Externships Offering more than 600 approved placements each year and jumpstarting both the practical experiences and the job searches of our students, GW Law’s Outside Placement Office provides students with possibilities to earn academic credit for work in public interest, government, and nonprofit organizations. Recent placements include: •
Federal Communications Commission
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White House Office of Legal Counsel
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U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
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Human Rights Watch
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Department of Justice
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World Bank
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Smithsonian Institution
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Public Defender Services
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Nature Conservancy
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House and Senate Judiciary Committees
of Appeals, U.S. Court of Appeals for the
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Department of State
Federal Circuit, and the Court of Federal Claims
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Securities and Exchange Commission
Judges from DC Superior Court, DC Court
www.law.gwu.edu/op
Clinics GW Law was one of the first law schools in the nation to embrace clinical education, and today our clinics provide our students with intensive training and practical experiences. These clinics are not simulations; students learn about law and the legal system while they do real-life legal work with real impact. Current clinics include:
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Animal Law Litigation Project
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Law Students in Court
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Domestic Violence Project
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Neighborhood Law and Policy Clinic
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Family Justice Litigation Clinic
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Public Justice Advocacy Clinic
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Federal, Criminal, and Appellate Clinic
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Small Business and Community Economic
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Health Rights Law Clinic
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Immigration Law Clinic
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International Human Rights Clinic
Development Clinic •
Vaccine Injury Clinic
Pro Bono PROGRAM Our pro bono program—headed by the legendary public interest lawyer Alan Morrison—builds even more pathways for student engagement, with opportunities to help the wrongly convicted or to write legal documents for cancer patients or to work with the Special Master in charge of assessing damages from the BP oil spill. Last year, our students logged more than 10,000 pro bono hours. In addition, the Law School awards nearly 100 summer public interest fellowships annually and provides loan repayment assistance to graduates embarking on public interest careers.
MOOT COURT During the past two years, GW Law has won four international moot court competitions. Our prestigious Van Vleck Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition was judged by Chief Justice John Roberts in 2006, Justice Samuel Alito in 2007, Justice Antonin Scalia in 2009, and Justice Elena Kagan in 2012. www.law.gwu.edu/skillsboards
JOURNALS Students can apply for membership on one of eight legal journals. •
The George Washington Law Review
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The George Washington International Law Review
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The American Intellectual Property Law
The Public Contract Law Journal The Journal of Energy and Environmental Law
Association Quarterly Journal
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Federal Circuit Bar Journal
Federal Communications Law Journal
www.law.gwu.edu/journals
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International Law in Domestic Courts
STUDY ABROAD The Law School offers students the opportunity to broaden their perspectives with study abroad programs during the summer and during the academic year: •
Oxford: A summer program in international human rights law.
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Munich: A summer program in intellectual property law.
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Augsburg: A summer program covering transnational economic law and the relevance of EU law to the global economy.
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North American Consortium on Legal Education (NACLE): One-semester program for second- and third-year students to study law at select Canadian and Mexican law schools.
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University of Groningen and Università Commerciale “Luigi Bocconi”: Exchange programs with prestigious institutions, the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, and Università Commerciale “Luigi Bocconi” in Milan, Italy.
www.law.gwu.edu/summer
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AFTER GW LAW Our alumni hold clerkships; work at large, medium, and small law firms; serve in government positions; and work in international and domestic business ventures. Wherever you want your law degree to take you, GW Law’s dedicated career counselors can help you along your path. The Career Strategy and Professional Development Training Center is committed to providing one-on-one counseling, nearly 100 public interest fellowships each summer, mentorships with leading practitioners, and practical pathways into the profession. The office is staffed by counselors— all former practicing attorneys—specializing in substantive areas of legal careers, including government, judicial clerkships, diversity opportunities, intellectual property, professional development, alumni, and public interest. These staff members, along with GW Law’s faculty and alumni, are committed to helping you build a life and career in harmony with your goals, ideals, personality, and talents. The center provides: • One-on-one counseling • Job announcements • Employment market insight • Recruitment programs • Legal career programs and panels • Public interest initiatives • Programming for first-year students • Diversity events and programs • Public sector careers support • Alumni contacts • Career Development Resource Library
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Professional Development Training Legal training is not just about the substantive knowledge you gain in law school; lawyers need to know how to work in teams to solve problems, how to understand the changing economics of law practice, how to develop clients, how to construct effective networks, and how to think creatively about building a lifetime of career options. Our new integrated professional development training program gives our students a sophisticated understanding of these crucial skills.
Mentoring, Counseling, and Networking for Careers With more than 25,000 alumni throughout the world and in every area of practice, GW Law can connect students with a vast network of mentors, advisors, and career contacts. But merely having a network isn’t enough. Our dedicated staff helps students bridge the gap from law school to law practice. The Alumni Career Advisor Network puts current students and recent graduates in touch with alumni who can provide career advice and opportunities. The Law School counts among its alumni several senators and executive cabinet officers; three former Internal Revenue Service commissioners; and many prominent leaders in business, industry, and government.
18% government
12% business/industry
Areas of Employment, Class of 2011 9% judicial clerkships
9% public interest 7% academic 1% other
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1% not identified
43% law firms
Bar Passage Rates Bar passage rates provided below are for first-time takers of the three bar exams most frequently taken by GW Law graduates.
STATE New York
93.84% (statewide average for first-time takers: 76.5%)
VirginiA
92.86% (statewide average for first-time takers: 81.55%)
Maryland
94.29% (statewide average for first-time takers: 81%)
Clerkships The Law School’s clerkship office helps students and alumni pursue postgraduate judicial clerkships. Two counselors dedicated to judicial clerkships provide strategic advice regarding all aspects of students’ judicial clerkship applications. Over the past seven years, the clerkship office has placed: • 6 U.S. Supreme Court clerks • 32 state supreme court clerks • 74 federal appellate court clerks
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Outcomes The CDO assists current students, recent grads, and alumni in seeking their first and/or subsequent legal jobs. For more than a decade, we have maintained a 95 percent employment rate for recent GW Law grads. Our alumni live and work in nearly every state.
International Employment Given the strength of the Law School’s International Law Program and the extent of its international alumni network, graduates pursue work or research throughout the world. In recent years, GW Law graduates have worked in more than 20 countries.
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A VIBRANT CITY
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As the first law school in the nation’s capital, GW has long been an integral part of the Washington, DC, community. The Law School is in the heart of the George Washington University’s Foggy Bottom home, giving students access to the resources of a world-class institution—from a 183,000-squarefoot fitness center and one of the city’s leading performing arts centers to nine other graduate schools. Part corporate hub, part government seat, part college town, part cultural center—DC is an ideal place to study the law, and GW Law puts students in the center of that world.
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GW + DC GW Law students are active participants in the legal dialogues taking place every day in the nation’s capital. At the Law School, students are minutes away from the institutions that will help them hone their skills and influence the way law is practiced.
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1 The White House
5 U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Four blocks from GW Law, the White House—seat of the nation’s executive branch—and nearby Executive Office Building provide several outplacement opportunities in fields such as constitutional law and administrative law.
Five blocks from the Law School, the Court of Federal Claims hears claims made against the United States government. GW Law students can find clerkships with judges at the court.
2 World Bank Through its work helping fund improvements in developing countries, the World Bank—only a block from GW Law—is a valuable resource for students interested in international law and finance law. 3 International Monetary Fund (IMF) Located right across the street from the Law School, the IMF oversees the global financial system and gives students the chance to observe international law and finance law in action. 4 Department of State The executive branch’s agency of foreign affairs, the State Department is a Foggy Bottom landmark three blocks from GW Law. It provides students with a first-hand look at international law at the highest level.
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6 Organization of American States Made up of 35 nations in North and South America, the OAS works to preserve peace and further development on both continents. GW Law students can find outside placements in fields as varied as trade law and drug law. The OAS headquarters is a short walk from campus. 7 Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts As the nation’s official center for performing arts, the Kennedy Center hosts a variety of cultural events and is home to the National Symphony Orchestra, the Washington Ballet, and the Washington National Opera. 8 Lincoln Memorial 9 Washington Monument 10 Jefferson Memorial These three monuments to American presidents are some of the most recognizable landmarks in DC. All are
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within walking distance of the Law School. 11 Smithsonian Institution The famed Smithsonian “Castle” is the headquarters of the institution, which oversees 17 Washington museums, including the National Air and Space Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. 12 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Students interested in environmental law can find outside placements at this federal agency charged with protecting human health and the environment. The EPA’s headquarters is a short Metro ride from GW Law.
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Foggy Bottom
13 U.S. Capitol and Congressional Offices Recent outside placements on Capitol Hill have included the Senate Health, Education, and Pensions Committee; the Senate Judiciary Committee; and the House Republican Judiciary Committee. The Hill is easily accessible from GW Law by Metro. 14 U.S. Supreme Court The highest court in the land is an ideal venue for students to observe high-profile legal happenings, as well as pursue clerkships and outside placements. During the past seven years, six GW Law grads have gone on to clerk for Supreme Court justices.
The Court is accessible by Metro. 15 Library of Congress With the world’s largest collection of legal materials, the Library of Congress is an excellent research resource for law students in all areas of specialization. 16 Department of Justice GW Law students frequently find outside placements at the government’s legal headquarters, working in fields ranging from counterterrorism to intellectual property litigation. The Justice Department is a short Metro ride from the Law School.
Metro Center
17 U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia The federal trials court for Washington, DC, offers clerkship opportunities in the chambers of its judges. The district court is Metroaccessible from GW Law. 18 Patent and Trademark Office This Alexandria, Va., office is a center of the intellectual property law community. Recent GW Law students have been placed in the Office of the Commissioner. The Patent and Trademark Office is easily reached by Metro and is a 20-minute drive from the Law School. 27
ADMISSIONS Applications must be submitted electronically through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) at www.lsac.org. All applicants must also register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) and send their official transcripts to LSAC. All applicants must submit: • completed application • nonrefundable application fee • LSAT score(s) taken within the last five years • all transcripts (submitted through CAS) • personal statement (submitted through CAS) • resume • one letter of recommendation or evaluation (submitted through CAS)
Regular Admission Process The fall J.D. application deadline is March 1 for those seeking admission through the regular—not early decision—process. Regular admission decisions will be made between December and May. Admitted applicants will be required to make nonrefundable seat deposits between April and July.
Binding Early Decision Process (Presidential Merit Scholarship) Applicants who are certain that GW Law is the right school for them may apply through the Binding Early Decision/Presidential Merit Scholarship Program. Outstanding applicants who are admitted through this program will be awarded a full-tuition scholarship. Applicants must fulfill all of the requirements for regular admission and must sign an Early Decision Agreement stating that, upon acceptance, they will: • commit to attending GW Law • pay a nonrefundable seat deposit • withdraw all applications pending at other law schools • not initiate applications at any other law schools The Binding Early Decision application deadline is January 5, 2013. Early admission decisions will be mailed no later than January 30, 2013. 28
Transfer and Visiting Students The Law School accepts a limited number of transfer and visiting students each semester. Applicants must submit a completed application, an official transcript of all law school work, an official undergraduate transcript, and a letter from the dean of the applicant’s law school stating that the applicant is in good academic standing. Transfer students also must submit a copy of their CAS report. Admission will be based primarily on space availability. Transfer applications are due June 15 for fall entry or November 15 for spring entry. Early action transfer applications for fall entry are due March 1. Visiting student applications are due June 15 for fall semester, November 15 for spring, or May 10 for summer. The Law School will not issue an I-20 form for visiting international students.
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FINANCIAL AID The Law School Financial Aid Office works with students on an individual basis to ensure that each new student receives the most generous aid package available. Eighty-five to 90 percent of students receive some aid. Presidential Merit Scholarship Program Each year, GW Law offers a number of full-tuition Presidential Merit Scholarships to the most outstanding applicants who apply and are admitted through the Binding Early Decision Process. These awards are based on the strength of applications for admission; no separate scholarship application is required.
Merit Scholarships and Public Interest Scholarships All admitted applicants will be considered for merit-based scholarships. These awards are based on the strength of applications; no separate scholarship applications are required. Public interest scholarships are available to admitted students whose applications demonstrate a strong commitment to public interest work. Starting in late January, e-mails regarding merit scholarships will be sent on a rolling basis to those who have been admitted.
Grants Grants are awarded to admitted and continuing students based on financial need, academic promise, and availability of resources. Students must apply for grants each year by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after January 1, along with a GW Law Financial Aid Request Form.
Financial Aid for Transfer and Visiting Students Financial aid for transfer and visiting students is available in the form of loans only. These students are not eligible for merit scholarships or grants.
Financial Aid Office The GW Law Office of Financial Aid can be reached at finaid@law.gwu.edu or 202.994.6592.
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GW LAW AT A GLANCE 2011 Entering Class Applicants: 8,652 Enrolled: 474 Women: 45% Minorities: 27% Median GPA: 3.82 Median LSAT: 167 Distribution: The 2011 entering class comes from 44 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 15 foreign countries, and represents more than 235 undergraduate institutions. Selected Joint Degree Programs • J.D./Master of Business Administration • J.D./Master of Public Administration • J.D./Master of Public Policy • J.D./Master of Public Health • J.D./M.A. in International Affairs • J.D./M.A. in Security Policy Studies • J.D./M.A. in Asian Studies • J.D./M.A. in European and Eurasian Studies • J.D./M.A. in Middle East Studies • J.D./M.A. in Latin American and
Hemispheric Studies • J.D./M.A. in Women’s Studies • J.D./M.A. in History with a concentration in U.S. Legal History
Externships: More than 300 per semester Alumni Network: More than 25,000 living alumni Professional Development and Mentoring: All incoming students receive comprehensive professional development throughout their first year and access to a one-to-one alumni mentor.
Faculty Full time: 100; adjunct: 288 Student-faculty ratio: 15:1
Costs and Financial Aid (2012-13) J.D. full-time tuition: $47,535 J.D. part-time tuition: $1,672 per credit hour GW Law offers comprehensive financial aid packages based on merit, need, and availability of funds. Visit Us Prospective J.D. candidates are invited to visit the Law School Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Schedules for guided tours are posted on our website at www.law.gwu.edu/admissions. Contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@law.gwu.edu. Sophia Sim, Associate Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid JoSie Shelby-Wilson, Director of Admissions Matthew Dillard, Assistant Director of Admissions
How to Apply Applications must be submitted electronically through the Law School Admission Council at www.lsac.org. A two-page personal statement and a resume are required. All undergraduate transcripts and at least one letter of recommendation or evaluation must be processed through LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service. Applicants must sit for the LSAT by February 2013. Deadline for Regular Decision: March 1, 2013 Deadline for Binding Early Decision/Presidential Merit Scholarship Program: January 5, 2013 Applicants admitted through the Binding Early Decision/Presidential Merit Scholarship Program will be awarded a full-tuition scholarship.
The George Washington University Law School Office of Admissions 700 20th Street, NW Washington, DC 20052 admissions@law.gwu.edu www.law.gwu.edu/admissions 202.994.7230
www.law.gwu.edu