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The George Washington University Law School, Washington, DC [By Devon Pryor] Our featured law school this week is The George Washington University Law School, located in Washington, DC. GW Law, as it is commonly referred to, was the first law school in the District of Columbia. It was founded in 1825 but was forced to close due to financial hardship only a year after its founding, in 1826. Nearly 40 years later, the law school reopened and became the foundation for the development of the rest of The George Washington University. Since enrolling its first official class in 1865, The George Washington University Law School has built a reputation for excellence and churned out many well-respected figures in the legal profession; the school continues its success today as one of the top 20 law schools in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report.
As one of the oldest law schools in
Washington University and was awarded
opportunities for students to assemble
the country, The George Washington
the George Washington University Law
and interact in the contexts of various
University Law School has had many
Association’s “Distinguished Alumnus”
legal topics. Among these organizations
years to establish a solid reputation. In
award in 1975. The library upholds the
is the Student Animal Legal Defense
the year 1900, the law school played an
highly-regarded reputation of its namesake
Fund (SALDF), which has advocated for
instrumental role in establishing the
by providing extensive legal and law-
animal welfare and works in association
Association of American Law Schools. In
related databases with information about
with the Animal Law Litigation Project
1936, it was declared an official graduate
U.S. national, international, and foreign
and The Humane Society of the United
school, allowing it to award Juris Doctor
laws. The library also holds a wealth of
States. The Anarchist Collective (GWLAC)
degrees.
information related to the school’s major
states their objectives as giving voice to
law programs, including its environmental
anti-tyrannical social ideals and providing
Well-known alumni of The George
law, intellectual property law, and
a forum for a freely discursive populace.
Washington University Law School include
federal government programs, as well as
The Culture of Life Society offers pro-life
Belva Lockwood, the first woman to
material about growing areas of focus,
students chances to debate stem cell
argue before the Supreme Court, and
such as international organizations and
research, abortion, and death penalty
Leon Jaworski. According to online
international human rights.
issues. The Moot Court Board sponsors
information source Wikipedia, Jaworski
legal debate competitions internally
was the youngest person ever admitted
In addition to these essential library
among students; it also sponsors teams
to the Texas bar, and he participated
accoutrements, the Jacob Burns Law
who compete in other schools around
as Special Prosecutor in the Watergate
Library also holds many precious artifacts,
the nation. GW Law’s Moot Court Board
case against former President Richard
some of which are particularly interesting
judges competitors based on written
Nixon. Distinguished legal professionals
to us as we celebrate Halloween. The
appellate briefs and oral arguments. The
regularly address the law school’s
special collections department of the
top 10% of competitors are usually invited
graduating class. Recent speakers
library holds more than 10,000 rare
to join the Moot Court Board.
include Sandra Day O’Connor, the first
books, incunabula, and manuscripts. Two
female Associate Justice of the Supreme
such incunabula are editions of Malleus
Students at The George Washington
Court, and Antonin Scalia, who is currently
Maleficarum (The Witch Hammer) that date back to the years 1494 and 1500. The library’s website announces plans to develop a number of special collections web pages, including one called “Trials: Witchcraft, Heresy, and the Inquisition.”
University Law School are not alone in
serving as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Among the facilities at The George Washington University Law School is the Jacob Burns Law Library. As the
their passions to express their legal views and opinions. Many professors at the school are notably involved in the media, expressing their opinions in well-respected print media publications and weighing in on legal issues that are prominent in the
university’s website explains, Burns,
The law school at The George Washington
public consciousness. In October of this
a 1942 graduate of GW Law, served on
University also features a number of
year, Professor Jonathan Turley wrote and
the board of directors at The George
student organizations. These provide
contributed an Op-Ed piece for the Los
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Angeles Times addressing the overcrowded
courts. Steinhardt suggested that, due to
prison system in the United States. In
confusion surrounding the applicability of
this piece, Turley discussed the possibility
international law in domestic cases, law
of removing prisoners who were elderly
schools may need to elevate the status
and considered low-risk. In a September
of international law education within the
2006 edition of Legal Times, Professor
curriculum, where it is currently designated
Wikipedia
Ralph Steinhardt weighed in on issues
as an upper-level elective.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
surrounding the Supreme Court case of
Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, which focused on the applicability of international law in domestic
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ON THE NET The George Washington University Law School www.law.gwu.edu/default.htm
The Association of American Law Schools www.aals.org