T H E G E O RG E WA S H I N G T O N U N I V E R S I T Y L AW S C H O O L JURIS DOCTOR PROGRAM • WASHINGTON, D.C.
CONTENTS
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Why GW Law?
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Academic Accomplishments
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Practical Work Experience
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A Dynamic Community
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After GW Law
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Admissions and Financial Aid
Why GW Law? Legal Education in the Heart of the Nation’s Capital
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At the Center of the Legal World
An Intellectual Community
GW Law’s long history of academic excellence and innovation is complemented by our Washington, D.C., location. The law school is just four blocks from the White House, across the street from the World Bank, and within walking distance of influential international organizations and federal government agencies, law firms, courts, and international dispute settlement bodies. Amid this vibrant community, our students benefit from world-class legal instruction and abundant opportunities for externships and networking.
Approximately 430 events take place on the law school campus each year, an average of three per day during the school year. These events range from a two-day summit meeting of U.S. Supreme Court justices and judges from the European Court of Human Rights; to a cybersecurity working group featuring highranking officials from the U.S. Military’s Cybercommand; to conferences and workshops where leading scholars and policymakers discuss contemporary social justice issues.
The Ultimate Legal Network
Law in Action
Our full-time faculty members routinely testify before 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 the leading lawyers in the legal capital of the world.
Our students interact with Supreme Court justices, World Bank officials, environmental policymakers, military leaders, and Department of State lawyers. They gain practical experience working on public policy projects in externships or serving as student-attorneys representing actual clients through our clinics. This is how GW Law students experience “Law in Action.” Simply put, there is no better place to participate in the life of the law.
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ACADEMIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS 4 GW LAW
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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW
GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT LAW ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
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As the first law school in the nation’s capital, GW Law offers well-established academic programs long at the forefront of their fields.
Our
Credentials Within this dynamic community, GW Law students receive a rigorous education that paves the way toward success. Their hard-earned analytical, research, writing, and advocacy skills translate well to myriad jobs.
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Intellectual Property Law
Environmental and Energy Law
For more than 100 years, GW Law has been a national leader in intellectual property education and scholarship. The origins of GW Law’s Intellectual Property Law Program date back to 1895, when the law school established a master’s of patent law program; its alumni already had written the patents for Bell’s telephone, Mergenthaler’s linotype machine, and Eastman’s roll film camera, among hundreds of others.
Established at the beginning of the modern environmental law era, the law school’s Environmental and Energy Law Program has been at the forefront of education in the field for more than 40 years. The program has expanded its focus to encompass the international issues related not only to the environment but to energy sourcing as well.
International and Comparative Law Our program in International and Comparative Law is consistently rated among the best in the nation. The international law faculty includes a former judge on the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the first woman nominated by the United States to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and a renowned scholar of Chinese law.
The Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinics For more than 40 years, the Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinics have offered students the opportunity to tackle issues ranging from criminal justice to immigration to international human rights to the needs of small businesses, providing crucial hands-on experience while offering vital legal services to the Washington, D.C., community.
Government Contracts Established in 1960 by legendary Professors Emeritus Ralph C. Nash Jr. and John Cibinic Jr., GW Law’s Government Contracts Program is the only one of its kind in the United States and is recognized around the world as a leader in the field.
Litigation and Dispute Resolution The Litigation and Dispute Resolution Program attracts faculty that includes sitting judges from local and federal courts, officials from the U.S. Department of Defense, and litigators from top law firms.
National Security and U.S. Foreign Relations Law During the past five years, GW Law has continued to develop its offerings in the burgeoning area of National Security and U.S. Foreign Relations Law. With our location in D.C., at the epicenter of study in the field, GW Law can offer a wide array of courses, experts, and activities related to the field. Recently, the law school hosted international symposiums on cutting-edge issues of cybersecurity and Internet freedom.
Business and Finance Law The recently expanded Business and Finance Law Program highlights GW Law’s unique strengths, including an expert faculty, an extensive curriculum, access to both the Washington and international regulatory communities, and important links to the New York and international financial markets. The Center for Law, Economics & Finance, a think tank within the law school, was designed as a focal point for the study and debate of major issues in economic and financial law.
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THE STUDY OF LAW GW Law offers an academic experience tailored to each individual’s interests and goals. With a broad curriculum, students can explore various areas of the law in depth to find what they love. In addition to boasting an expansive curriculum, GW Law allows students to pursue flexible pathways to legal education. Our students may switch between full-time and part-time status easily, so they can take advantage of job opportunities while in law school, accommodate family responsibilities, and plan their legal education to fit changing needs.
COLLABORATIVE LEARNING From their first days on campus, GW Law students benefit from our emphasis on creating a collaborative, distinctive legal education for each student. To facilitate finding that “fit,” we ensure that our students obtain not only an exceptional legal education but also an enriched law school experience that enhances career outcomes. Students receive both individual and group advising from faculty, staff, and upper-class students who help them transition to and thrive in law school. To promote future career satisfaction, our Career Center assists students in determining the type of career that will be meaningful to them. We then teach students how to conduct effective informational interviews as well as other career strategies that will lay the foundation for their postgraduate job search. Finally, we connect students with practitioners for informational interviews. We also guide students toward mentorship relationships with our alumni and provide informal networking events. The more than 25,000 GW Law graduates worldwide practice in every area of the law. Through that vast network of engaged alumni, students build a wide circle of professional relationships and learn about a range of legal practice areas and settings. This dynamic combination of support and career development from the start of each student’s legal education sets the GW Law experience apart from all others.
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EXPLORE THE LAW IN DEPTH After completing the standard first-year requirements, JD students are free to pursue their interests. At GW Law, students choose from more than 275 elective courses—one of the largest course catalogs of any law school. Courses are focused in 18 practice areas, some of which offer more than 60 courses.
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Administrative Law Advanced Antitrust Law Seminar Antitrust Law Campaign Finance Law Congressional Investigations Seminar Energy Law and Regulation Food and Drug Law Genetics and the Law Government Lawyering Health Care Law Health Care Law Seminar Higher Education Law Homeland Security Law and Policy Information Privacy Law Law in Cyberspace Lawyers, Lobbying, and the Law Legislation Legislative Analysis and Drafting Local Government Law Public Justice Advocacy Clinic Public Law Seminar Race, Racism, and American Law Telecommunications Law Trademark Law and Unfair Competition Voting Rights Law
Alternative Dispute Resolution Client Interviewing and Counseling Consumer Mediation Clinic Environmental Negotiations Health Law Rights Clinic International Arbitration International Negotiations Labor and Employment Arbitration and Mediation Mediation Negotiations
ADVANCED TORTS Admiralty Complex Litigation Environmental and Toxic Torts Genetics and the Law Insurance Law and Medicine Products Liability Remedies Vaccine Injury Clinic
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BUSINESS AND FINANCE LAW Admiralty Advanced International Trade Antitrust Law Banking Law Business Bankruptcy and Reorganization Business Planning Chinese Business Law Commercial Paper—Payment Systems Consumer Protection Law Corporate Finance Corporate Taxation Corporation Law Seminar Corporations Creditors’ Rights and Debtors’ Protection E-Commerce Employee Benefit Plans Federal Income Taxation Foreign Direct Investment Insurance International Anti-Money Laundering International Arbitration International Banking and Investment Law International Business Transactions
International Business Transactions Seminar International Commercial Law The International Competition Law Regime International Finance International Negotiations International Project Finance International Taxation International Trade Introduction to Transactional Islamic Law Land Use Law Law and Accounting Law and Economics Law of Real Estate Financing Law of the European Union Modern Real Estate Transactions Nonprofit Organizations: Law and Taxation Partnership and LLC Taxation Regulation of Derivatives Regulation of Mutual Funds and Investment Advisers Secured Transactions Secured Transactions and Commercial Paper Securities Law Seminar Securities Regulation Small Business and Community Economic Development Clinic Takeovers and Tender Offers Trade and Sustainable Development Trade Remedy Law Unincorporated Business Organizations and Agency Law U.S. Export Control Law and Regulation Venture Capital Law White Collar Crime COMMERCIAL LAW Admiralty Banking Law Business Bankruptcy and Reorganization Commercial Paper—Payment Systems Consumer Mediation Clinic Consumer Protection Law Creditors’ Rights and Debtors’ Protection E-Commerce Entertainment Law Insurance International Banking and Investment Law International Business Transactions International Business Transactions Seminar International Commercial Law International Finance Introduction to Transactional Islamic Law Regulation of Derivatives Secured Transactions Secured Transactions and Commercial Paper Sports and the Law Venture Capital Law CONSTITUTIONAL LAW AND CIVIL RIGHTS Civil Rights Legislation Communications Law Conflict of Laws
Constitutional Law II Constitutional Law and the Supreme Court Constitutional Law Seminar Counterterrorism Law Disabled People and the Law Domestic Violence Law Employment Discrimination Law Family, Child, and State Federal Courts Federal Indian Law Federal Sentencing Seminar Gender Discrimination and the Law History of the U.S. Constitution Homeland Security Law and Policy Immigration Clinic Immigration Law I Immigration Law II Intelligence Law Law and Religion Law in Cyberspace The Law of Democracy Law of Race and Slavery Law of Separation of Powers Lawyers, Lobbying, and the Law Legislation Military Justice National Security Law Public Interest Lawyering Race, Racism, and American Law Sexuality and the Law U.S. Foreign Relations Law Voting Rights Law CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE Adjudicatory Criminal Procedure Comparative Military Law Computer Crime Counterterrorism Law Criminal Law and Procedure Seminar Criminal Procedure Criminal Tax Litigation Drugs and the Law Environmental Crimes Project Federal Sentencing Seminar Forensic Science International Criminal Law Law and Criminology Law Students in Court Military Justice Prisoners Project White Collar Crime ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY LAW Administrative Law Advanced International Trade Law Air Pollution Control Animal Law Seminar 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 and Toxic Torts Environmental Crimes Environmental Crimes Project Environmental Issues in Business Transactions Environmental Law Environmental Law Clinic
Environmental Law Project Environmental Lawyering Environmental Legislation Project Environmental Negotiations Federal Facilities Environmental Law Issues Human Rights and Environmental Protection International Climate Change Law International Environmental Law International Trade Law Natural Resources Law Oil and Gas Law Regulation of Toxic Substances Risk Trade and Sustainable Development Water Pollution Control Wildlife and Ecosystems Law FAMILY LAW AND ESTATE PLANNING Domestic Violence Law Elder Law Estate Planning Family, Child, and State Family Justice Litigation Clinic Family Law Family Law Seminar Feminist Legal Theory Gender Discrimination and the Law International Family Law Sexuality and the Law Trusts and Estates Trusts, Estates, and Professional Responsibility Wealth Transfer Taxation Women, Money, and Law GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT 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 HEALTH LAW Client Interviewing and Counseling Elder Law Employee Benefit Plans Environmental and Toxic Torts Family Law Family Law Seminar (Reproductive Rights) Food and Drug Law Genetics and the Law Health Care Law Health Care Law Seminar Health Rights Law Clinic Insurance Law Law and Medicine Law and Psychiatry Vaccine Injury Clinic INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW Advanced Trademark Law Antitrust Law Art, Cultural Heritage, and the Law Seminar
Chemical and Biotech Patent Law Computer Crime Computer Law Copyright Law Design Law Enforcement of Intellectual Property in the U.S. International Trade Commission Entertainment Law The Federal Circuit Genetics and the Law Government Procurement of Intellectual Property Seminar Information Privacy Law Intellectual Asset 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 AND COMPARATIVE LAW Advanced International Trade Law Chinese Business Law Comparative Constitutional Law Comparative Law Comparative Law Seminar Comparative Public Procurement Counterterrorism Law Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in the U.S. International Trade Commission Foreign Direct Investment Human Rights and Environmental Protection Human Rights Lawyering Immigration Clinic Immigration Law I Immigration Law II International and Comparative Patent Law International Arbitration International Banking and Investment Law International Business Transactions International Business Transactions Seminar International Climate Change Law International Commercial Law The International Competition Law Regime International Copyright Law International Criminal Law International Environmental Law International Family Law International Finance International Human Rights Clinic International Human Rights of Women International Intellectual Property International Law International Law of Human Rights International Litigation
International Money Laundering, Corruption, and Terrorism International Negotiations International Organizations International Project Finance International Taxation International Trade Law Introduction to Transactional Islamic Law Islamic Law Law of Japan Law of Race and Slavery Law of the European Union Law of the People’s Republic of China Law of the Sea Law of War Nation Building and the Rule of Law National Security Law Nuclear Nonproliferation Law and Policy Public International Law Seminar Refugee and Asylum Law Regional Protection of Human Rights Space Law Trade and Sustainable Development Trade Remedy Law Traditional Jewish Civil Law U.S. Export Control Law and Regulation U.S. Foreign Relations Law LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW Employee Benefit Plans Employment Discrimination Law Employment Law Gender Discrimination and the Law Labor and Employment Arbitration and Mediation Labor Law Sports and the Law Unincorporated Business Organizations and Agency Law LITIGATION AND THE JUDICIAL PROCESS Adjudicatory Criminal Procedure Admiralty Advanced Appellate Advocacy Appellate Practice Civil Procedure Seminar Comparative Constitutional Law Comparative Military Law Complex Litigation Conflict of Laws The Craft of Judging Criminal Procedure Criminal Tax Litigation Environmental and Toxic Torts Evidence Family Justice Litigation Clinic The Federal Circuit Federal Courts Federal, Criminal, and Appellate Clinic Government Lawyering Insurance Law and Rhetoric Law Students in Court Military Justice Nation Building and the Law Pre-Trial Advocacy Products Liability Race, Racism, and American Law Remedies
Role of the Federal Prosecutor Scientific Evidence Seminar Vaccine Injury Clinic NATIONAL SECURITY AND U.S. FOREIGN RELATIONS LAW Comparative Military Law Computer Crime Computer Law Congressional Investigations Seminar Counterterrorism Law Cybersecurity Law and Policy Disaster Law Homeland Security Law and Policy Human Rights Lawyering Immigration Law Information Privacy Law Intelligence Law International Criminal Law International Law International Law of Human Rights International Litigation Law of Separation of Powers Law of the Sea Law of War Litigation with the Federal Government Military Justice Nation Building and the Rule of Law National Security Law National Security Law Seminar Nuclear Nonproliferation Law and Policy Public International Law Seminar Refugee and Asylum Law Regional Protection of Human Rights Space Law U.S. Export Control Law and Regulation U.S. Foreign Relations Law Veterans Law PROPERTY AND LAND DEVELOPMENT Housing Law and Policy Law of Real Estate Financing Modern Real Estate Transactions Partnership and LLC Taxation Property and Real Estate Law Seminar Unincorporated Business Organizations and Agency Law TAXATION Business Planning Corporate Taxation Criminal Tax Litigation Employee Benefit Plans Federal Income Taxation International Taxation Law and Accounting Nonprofit Organizations: Law and Taxation Partnership and LLC Taxation Quantitative Analysis for Lawyers State and Local Taxation Law and Policy Tax Policy Seminar Wealth Transfer Taxation *Courses are typically offered at least once per year. Some courses are offered in multiple program areas and therefore may appear more than once in the lists above.
ACADEMIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS 11
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FACULTY GW Law faculty members are scholars and practitioners with strong reputations in the legal community. Our faculty members are among the most cited law faculty in the nation, appearing in print, online, and on air, in media outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, CNN, MSNBC, Huffington Post, and NPR. But first and foremost, each faculty member is devoted to teaching. Our faculty members are respected scholars and authors of leading casebooks and works for general readership alike. Many remain involved in practice, whether arguing cases before the Supreme Court or serving as counsel to foreign governments.
GW Law has approximately 100 full-time faculty and deans and more than 200 adjuncts providing instruction to our students. The law school’s adjunct faculty reflects the extraordinary wealth of talent in and around Washington, D.C. Federal judges, partners in law firms, counsel to U.S. government agencies, and officials from major international institutions teach specialized courses in their fields of expertise. Because of the size of our faculty, we are able to offer many small, seminar-style courses—ensuring that students have meaningful and frequent access to their professors. With years of experience at the bar and on the bench, our professors bring valuable insight to the classroom, affecting the life and education of each student as they influence and inform national and international legal opinion.
A SUPREME CONNECTION:
Nine GW Law professors are former Supreme Court clerks, and during the past decade, seven GW Law grads have clerked for Supreme Court justices.
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THE JACOB BURNS LAW LIBRARY
Among the largest and most prestigious academic law libraries in the United States, the Jacob Burns Law Library houses more than 700,000 volumes and equivalents, along with a variety of legal and lawrelated databases and automated indexes. It offers a research collection rich in the historic and contemporary legal materials of America, as well as international and comparative materials.
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The Burns Library’s Special Collections Archive preserves more than 35,000 volumes of historical legal works printed during the 15th through 19th centuries, plus early manuscripts, some of which predate this period. The law library is noted for its continental historical legal materials, and the French Collection is considered one of the largest and most significant assemblages of early French law in the United States.
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WORLD BANK WHITE HOUSE
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EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING GW Law students experience real and practical preparation for their legal careers through a variety of opportunities, both within and outside the classroom.
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THE FIELD PLACEMENT PROGRAM Through the Field Placement Program, more than 600 students each year earn academic credit while they participate in dynamic, hands-on externships in government, public interest, and the judiciary. In addition to academic credit, students receive supervision by leading legal practitioners and practical experience that helps jump-start their careers. Recent placements include: • Federal Communications • •
Commission Human Rights Watch Judges from U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Court of Federal Claims, D.C. Court of Appeals, and D.C. Superior Court Nature Conservancy Public Defender Services Smithsonian Institution
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• U.S. Department of Justice • U.S. Department of State • U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office • U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission • U.S. Senate and House
of Representatives Judiciary Committees • White House Office of Legal Counsel • World Bank
During the summer before 2L, I worked in the Division of Enforcement at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. I was able to meet the commissioners, sit in on a closed commission meeting, and work closely with enforcement attorneys. I drafted two legal memos relating to discovery issues affecting ongoing investigations. As an intern, I wanted to learn, I wanted to work hard, and I wanted responsibility. I got all that and more. —DAVID GLANTON, JD ’14
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THE JACOB BURNS COMMUNITY LEGAL CLINICS GW Law was one of the first law schools in the nation to embrace clinical education. At the Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinics, our students learn important skills that they can apply across many kinds of law practice while representing actual clients. These clinics are not simulations; students do real-life legal work—with real impact—under the supervision of faculty and practitioners. In fact, in the past few years, our students have successfully argued for asylum for clients, litigated human trafficking cases, and argued a winning case before the Maryland Court of Appeals that changed how criminal trials are conducted across the state. Current clinics include: Animal Law Litigation Project Domestic Violence Project Family Justice Litigation Clinic Federal, Criminal, and Appellate Clinic Health Rights Law Clinic Immigration Law Clinic International Human Rights Clinic Law Students in Court Neighborhood Law and Policy Clinic Public Justice Advocacy Clinic Small Business and Community Economic Development Clinic • Vaccine Injury Clinic • • • • • • • • • • •
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The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is here in D.C., and some of our cases in the International Human Rights Clinic were on their docket. Since GW Law is only three blocks away, we as clinic students got the opportunity to interact with the commission. —CAILAN REMEDIOS, JD ’13
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25,822 Pro Bono Hours Volunteered by the Class of 2014
PRO BONO ACTIVITIES GW Law’s pro bono activities can be traced back to 1914, but the law school has recently expanded and re-energized its pro bono program. Headed by Alan Morrison, a legendary U.S. public interest lawyer, the program builds additional opportunities for engagement and practical training. Some programs are open exclusively to GW Law students, including the Cancer Pro Bono Project, the Veteran’s Law Pro Bono Project, and the District Record Sealing Service, among others. Students can participate in other projects during winter break, such as working with the Special Master in charge of assessing damages after the BP oil spill. Students also may undertake semester-long public interest externships for credit through the Field Placement Program. In addition, the school awards nearly 100 public interest summer fellowships annually and provides loan repayment assistance to graduates embarking on public interest careers.
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MOOT COURT COMPETITIONS Through moot court competitions, students augment the skills learned in class with realistic training in lawyering skills. Students present cases in competition before actual judges. Over the past five years, GW Law has won four prestigious international moot court competitions. Our renowned 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, Justice Elena Kagan in 2012, and Justice Sonia Sotomayor in 2014.
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS GW Law offers more than 50 student organizations. These groups sponsor speakers, arrange panel discussions, and hold social events, all designed to both foster camaraderie and increase the student body’s understanding of the law.
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Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor (center), Chief Judge Robert Katzmann of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (left), and District Judge Lee Rosenthal of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (right) judged the finals of the 2014 Van Vleck Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition.
STUDENT-EDITED JOURNALS Students can apply for membership on one of eight legal journals: • The American Intellectual Property
Law Association Quarterly Journal • Federal Circuit Bar Journal • Federal Communications
Law Journal • The George Washington
International Law Review • The George Washington
Law Review • International Law in
Domestic Courts • Journal of Energy and
Environmental Law • The Public Contract Law Journal
STUDY ABROAD The law school offers students the opportunity to broaden their perspectives with study abroad programs during the summer or the academic year: ugsburg: A summer program A covering transnational economic law and the relevance of EU law to the global economy unich: A summer program in M intellectual property law he Netherlands and Milan: T Exchange programs with prestigious institutions—the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, and Università Commerciale “Luigi Bocconi” in Milan, Italy orth American Consortium N on Legal Education (NACLE): A one-semester program for second- and third-year students to study law at select Canadian and Mexican law schools xford: A summer program in O international human rights law Sydney: A one-semester student exchange program with the University of Sydney Law School in Australia
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A DYNAMIC COMMUNITY 24 GW LAW
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GEORGETOWN DUPONT CIRCLE ADAMS MORGAN CAPITOL HILL
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CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
LIVES HERE Within one mile of GW Law’s campus, you’ll find the National Archives, which houses the U.S. Constitution, as well as the Capitol and the White House, where the Constitution was shaped. Among the faculty, you’ll find numerous constitutional scholars teaching constitutional law.
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The law school is housed in a nine-building complex on GW’s Foggy Bottom campus. The complex features modern classrooms, three fully equipped moot court rooms, multiple student lounges and conference rooms, and WiFi access throughout.
1 THE WHITE HOUSE Four blocks from GW Law, the White House—seat of the nation’s executive branch—and nearby Executive Office Building provide several field placement opportunities in fields such as constitutional law and administrative law. 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 I NTERNATIONAL 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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5 U.S. COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS/U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT Five blocks from the law school, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims hears claims made against the U.S. government. At the same location, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has nationwide jurisdiction in a number of subject areas. GW Law students can find clerkships with judges in both courts.
18 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 placements in fields as varied as trade law and drug law. 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 D.C. All are 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 E NVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) Students interested in environmental law can find field placements at this federal agency charged with protecting human health and the environment. The EPA’s headquarters are a short Metro ride from GW Law.
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Recent field 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.
The highest court in the land is an ideal venue for students to observe high-profile legal proceedings, as well as pursue clerkships and field placements. During the past decade, seven GW Law grads have gone on to clerk for Supreme Court justices. The court is accessible by Metro.
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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.
GW Law students frequently find field 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. 17 U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA The federal trials court for Washington, D.C., offers clerkship opportunities in the chambers of its judges. The district court is Metro-accessible from GW Law.
18 PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE This Alexandria, Virginia, 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.
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THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY The George Washington University comprises more than 10,000 undergraduates, more than 11,000 graduate students, and 10 graduate schools. The campus offers students the resources of a large, world-class university, including the Lerner Health and Wellness Center, a 183,000-square-foot fitness facility with top-tier amenities, and Lisner Auditorium, one of the city’s leading performing arts centers.
GRADUATE HOUSING Two university-sponsored housing options are available to incoming law students. Both are within blocks of the law school and the Foggy Bottom–GWU Metro station. The Aston (pictured, top left), a 117-unit residential house at 1129 New Hampshire Ave., NW, is open to first-year law students. The Aston’s one-person efficiency apartments are furnished, and all utilities, including cable television and high-speed Internet access, are provided. he Columbia Plaza Housing Program provides T assistance to GW Law students in securing an apartment (by serving as a reference and guarantor) in a privately owned, multi-building complex at 2400 Virginia Ave., NW, adjacent to the GW campus. The complex offers spacious unfurnished apartments, with utilities included in the rent.
Explore GW at virtualtour.gwu.edu
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A DYNAMIC COMMUNITY 29
White House Neighbors
When new presidents are elected, our students step onto campus, walk four short blocks west to the White House, and join the festivities. Whether for a demonstration, a celebration, or simply a glimpse of the presidential helicopter landing on the West Lawn, GW Law students have a front-row seat.
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WASHINGTON, DC A CITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS
Few cities can match Washington, D.C.’s urban energy, international flavor, and cultural offerings. D.C. is home to world-class museums, including 17 of the 19 museums of the Smithsonian Institution— many of which are free or offer student discounts—as well as bookstores, theaters and concert halls, seasonal festivals, professional sports teams, coffee bars, and an eclectic mix of restaurants. GW Law students can easily access almost any part of the D.C.-metro area using Metrorail and Metrobus. From the Foggy Bottom–GWU Metro stop, located right on campus, students can arrive within minutes at internships on Capitol Hill, a game at Nationals Park, or an exhibit at the National Gallery. GW Law is close to several other D.C. areas that provide students and their families with a variety of diversions. Rock Creek Park, to the west of Foggy Bottom and more than twice the size of New York City’s Central Park, features biking and jogging trails, concert facilities, a nature center, and a planetarium. Primarily, D.C. is a city of neighborhoods, each with a unique character. The city’s population is highly educated and multinational. From vibrant neighborhoods full of nightlife and restaurants, like Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle, to charming residential areas such as Capitol Hill, to trendy new areas like the U Street Corridor and Columbia Heights, D.C. offers a diverse, engaging urban experience.
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AFTER GW LAW 32 GW LAW
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BIG K STREET LAW FIRMS DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE, THE HAGUE
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YOUR FUTURE Through a host of services, GW Law grads can prepare for and pursue diverse, exciting career opportunities in every sector, all over the world. CAREER CENTER The Center for Professional Development and Career Strategy (Career Center) is dedicated to helping students develop personalized career plans. GW Law has one of the largest legal career counseling teams in the country. All of our counselors are former practicing attorneys with extensive experience working in both the public and private sectors. Our counselors have expertise in multiple areas of employment, including law firms, judicial clerkships, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, federal and state courts, and private sector employers. As a result, our alumni hold clerkships; work at large, medium, and small law firms; serve in government positions; and work in international and domestic business ventures, among other positions.
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JOB RECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITIES The Career Center provides a range of services to students, including: • One-on-one career counseling • Job search workshops and
career panels • Professional development programs • One of the largest on-campus legal interview programs and multiple off- campus recruitment programs • Public interest job fairs • Thousands of job postings each year • Insight regarding multiple employment markets and sectors • Diversity events and programs • Public sector career support • Alumni contacts • A career development resource library
MENTORSHIP From the first days of their law school career, we work with students to develop an individualized strategy to approach their legal education and subsequent career. First-year students receive individual and group mentorship and benefit from weekly sessions on networking, informational interviews, and the job search process, among many other programs. In addition, second-year students may be paired with alumni mentors who can help advise them along the path to success.
ALUMNI NETWORKING 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. 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, state and federal judges, and many prominent leaders in business, industry, and government.
AFTER GW LAW 35
CLERKSHIPS
BAR PASSAGE RATES 2013
GW Law’s clerkship office helps students and alumni pursue postgraduate judicial clerkships. Our clerkship office provides strategic advice regarding all aspects of the judicial clerkship application process.
Last year, GW Law’s new graduates sat for the bar in more than 25 states. Bar passage rates provided below are for first-time takers of the three bar exams most frequently taken by GW Law graduates.
Over the past decade, the clerkship office has placed:
94.8%
Given the strength of GW Law’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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(STATEWIDE AVERAGE: 69%)
VIRGINIA
INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYMENT
87.2%
NEW YORK
(STATEWIDE AVERAGE: 61%)
(146 out of 154)
(109 out of 125)
94.1% (STATEWIDE AVERAGE: 71%)
MARYLAND
• 7 U.S. Supreme Court clerks • 60 state supreme court clerks • 140 federal appellate court clerks
(95 out of 101)
THE GW LAW NETWORK:
More than 25,000 living alumni
20%
GOVERNMENT
46%
CAREER OUTCOMES GW Law has consistently been one of the top law schools in placing graduates with large law firms and public sector employers. This chart indicates the employment outcomes for 2013 graduates— 94 percent of whom are employed.
LAW FIRMS
AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT
11%
BUSINESS
CLASS OF 2013
9%
JUDICIAL CLERKSHIP
1%
ACADEMIC/ OTHER
7% 6%
PUBLIC INTEREST
UNEMPLOYED AFTER GW LAW 37
ADMISSIONS Applications must be submitted electronically through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) at www.lsac.org. All applicants also must register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) and send their official transcripts to LSAC.
All applicants must submit: • LSAT scores (taken
within the last five years) • a completed application, including résumé • a two-page personal statement • at least one letter of recommendation or evaluation via CAS
Regular Admission Process The fall JD 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.
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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. The early admission deadline is January 10. Early admission decisions will be sent no later than January 31. For updated information, visit www.law.gwu.edu/Admissions. 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 initiate applications at any other law schools after notification of admission to GW Law
• not
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 course work, an official undergraduate transcript, and a letter from 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. Transfer applications are due June 15 for fall entry or November 15 for spring entry. Visiting student applications are due June 15 for the fall semester, November 15 for spring, or May 10 for summer. Applicants who apply by March 1 will be considered under the Early Action Transfer Program. Applicants accepted through this program will receive provisional acceptance on the basis of fall semester transcripts; final acceptance will be determined after spring transcripts are received. The Law School will not issue an I-20 form for visiting international students.
FINANCIAL AID The Law School Financial Aid Office works with students on an individual basis to ensure that each receives the most generous aid package available.
Presidential Merit Scholarship Program
Merit Scholarships and Public Interest Scholarships
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.
All admitted applicants will be considered for merit-based scholarships. These awards, which vary in amount, are based on the strength of applications; no separate scholarship applications are required. Starting in late January, we will send e-mails regarding merit scholarships on a rolling basis to those who have been admitted.
A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS RECEIVE SOME AID, INCLUDING MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS, NEED-BASED GRANTS, AND LOANS.
Grants Grants are awarded to admitted and continuing students based on financial need 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 NeedAccess Form.
Financial Aid for Transfer and Visiting Students Financial aid for transfer and visiting students is available in the form of loans only.
Financial Aid Office The GW Law Office of Financial Aid can be reached at 202.994.6592 or finaid@law.gwu.edu.
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STUDY WHERE LAW IS MADE GW Law
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GW LAW AT A GLANCE 2013 ENTERING CLASS
VISIT US
Applicants: 6,543
Prospective JD candidates are invited to visit the law school Monday through Friday, from 10 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.
Enrolled: 481 Women: 53% Minorities: 37% Median GPA: 3.71
Sophia Sim, Associate Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid
Median LSAT: 165
JoSie Shelby-Wilson, Director of Admissions
Distribution: The 2013 entering class represented 206 colleges and 11 countries. Of these students, 47 graduated summa cum laude and 60 graduated magna cum laude from their colleges. Fifty-four students had advanced degrees.
Matthew Dillard, Assistant Director of Admissions
SELECTED JOINT DEGREE PROGRAMS • • • • • • • • • • • •
J D/Master of Business Administration JD/Master of Public Administration JD/Master of Public Policy JD/Master of Public Health JD/MA in International Affairs J D/MA in Security Policy Studies JD/MA in Asian Studies JD/MA in European and Eurasian Studies JD/MA in Middle East Studies JD/MA in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies JD/MA in Women’s Studies JD/MA in History with a concentration in U.S. Legal History
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 résumé 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 2015.
DEADLINES Regular Decision: March 1 Binding Early Decision/ Presidential Merit Scholarship: January 10 Applicants admitted through the Binding Early Decision/Presidential Merit Scholarship Program will be awarded a full-tuition scholarship.
FACULTY Full time: 100 Adjunct: More than 200
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORING
LAWC_1314_35
All incoming students receive comprehensive professional development throughout their first year and access to an individual alumni mentor.
COSTS AND FINANCIAL AID (2014-15) JD full-time tuition: $52,033 JD part-time tuition: $1,830 per credit hour GW Law offers comprehensive financial aid packages based on merit, need, and availability of funds.
Admissions Office The George Washington University Law School 700 20th Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20052 202.994.7230 Admissions@law.gwu.edu
FSC LOGO PLACEHOLDER
THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL 700 20th Street, NW | Washington, D.C. 20052
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202.994.7230
WWW.LAW.GWU.EDU
| Admissions@law.gwu.edu