Leaders for the Global Common Good
Founded in 1899, the University of Washington School of Law is one of the nation’s top public law schools and one of the world’s most respected centers for
“Seattle is just as intellectually active as it is physically active. Everything I want in a city, I’ve found in Seattle.” Josephine Ennis, Class of 2013
interdisciplinary legal studies. Guided by what is relevant in the 21st century, we provide our students with the skills that give them a competitive edge in the changing legal profession and an awareness of their ethical and public service responsibilities. The law school offers the unmatched assets of a place and partnership: a major research center located in a thriving city that is one of the world’s leading economic and cultural hubs. Clinical programs and law centers present students with the chance to collaborate and work alongside faculty and alumni to obtain the hands-on legal experience that propels professional success. The University of Washington School of Law is committed to effectively preparing our students as leaders for the global common good. We look forward to you joining our community.
Ten Reasons to Study at the UW School of Law Nationally recognized academic programs
Three mentoring programs for all entering students
A 10:1 student-faculty ratio
One of the best law libraries in the West
Our Communit y 6
Our commitment to public service
Affordable tuition
Ac a demic s, Schol arship, and Curriculum 9
Experiential learning
Our long-standing dedication to diversity in the law
State-of-the-art facilities
Ranked among the top public law schools in the country
Living in Se at tle 2 The U W School of L aw at a Gl ance 4
E xperience the L aw 10 Preparing for your Legal C areer 12 For More Inform ation and How to Apply back cover
Living in Seattle The Great Outdoors
Thriving City and Bustling Culture Renowned for its coffee shops, farmers’ markets,
The city itself is a haven for both city dwellers
Nestled between two mountain regions and
of the most scenic parks in the world: Mt. Rainier
mountain and water views, and vibrant arts scene,
and outdoor enthusiasts. In addition to many
adjacent to Puget Sound, Seattle offers a variety
National Park, Mount St. Helens National Monument,
Seattle provides countless opportunities for both
local community arts organizations, Seattle has
of opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. With
North Cascades National Park, Olympic National
professional and personal growth.
a professional symphony, ballet and opera.
endless miles of bike/pedestrian trails, bike routes,
Park, the Hoh Rain Forest and Columbia River Gorge
Concerts and other live performances take place
and bike lanes on city streets, it’s no surprise Seattle
National Scenic Area.
at downtown theaters, such as the Paramount,
is one of the top U.S. cities for bike commuters.
the Moore and Benaroya Hall as well as in UW
Other urban recreational activities, such as golf,
campus venues. Seattle’s biggest events include
kayaking and canoeing, fishing and clamming and
Bumbershoot (with everything from fire dancing
hiking, can be found near campus or just a short
to readings by famous authors to live concerts by
bus or bike ride away at local city parks, including
some of the hottest bands of the day), the Seattle
Discovery Park (Magnolia neighborhood), Seward
International Film Festival, Northwest Folklife
Park (Lake Washington), Woodland Park Zoo and
Festival, Bite of Seattle and Seattle’s traditional
Rose Gardens.
Some of the most prominent businesses in the city include Boeing, Microsoft, Nordstrom, Starbucks, Nintendo, Expedia, Costco, Amazon.com and REI. Seattle is also an innovative center for medical, biomedical, and biotechnology research and is a living laboratory for natural resource and environmental protection efforts.
summer festival, Seafair.
Local Neighborhoods The neighborhoods in Seattle are just as diverse as the people who live there. From the suburban-styled Sandpoint and View Ridge to the pedestrian-friendly Wallingford and Green Lake to urban life on Capitol Hill, Central District, Beacon Hill, and International District, a variety of neighborhoods are a short bus
Of course, all of that’s just within city limits. It’s
ride from campus. Imagine yourself in your preferred
obvious why REI and Eddie Bauer found their niche
neighborhood and Seattle is sure to have one that is
here. A short drive out of the city leads to skiing,
both perfect for you and located near the UW.
snowboarding, river rafting, and camping in some 2
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UW School of Law at a G la n c e
Concentration Tracks
Clinics
LL.M./Ph.D. Programs
Journals
www.law.washington.edu/Students/ Academics/Concentration
www.law.washington.edu/Clinics
www.law.washington.edu/LLM_PHD
www.law.washington.edu/Students/Journals
Bankruptcy Client Representation Project Children & Youth Advocacy Entrepreneurial Law Federal Tax Immigration Law Innocence Project Northwest Legislative Advocacy Mediation Race and Justice Street Law Technology Law & Public Policy Tribal Court Public Defense Worker’s Rights Collaborative Externships
Asian Law (LL.M.) Global Business Law (LL.M.) Health Law (LL.M.) Intellectual Property Law and Policy (LL.M.) Sustainable International Development Law (LL.M.) Taxation (LL.M.) Asian & Comparative Law (Ph.D.)
Pacific Rim Law and Policy Journal Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts Washington Law Review Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy
Asian Law Dispute Resolution Environmental Law Health Law Intellectual Property International & Comparative Law Public Service Law
Scholarly Centers & Programs www.law.washington.edu/Programs Asian Law Center Barer Institute for Law and Global Human Services Center for Law in Science and Global Health Global Health & Justice Project Law, Business & Entrepreneurship Program Law, Technology & Arts Center for Advanced Study & Research on Intellectual Property (CASRIP) Native American Law Center Center for Public Service Law Summer Institute in Transnational Law and Practice Three Degrees Project Visiting Scholars Program
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Concurrent and Joint Degree Programs www.law.washington.edu/JointDegrees Over 100 programs are available in the University of Washington Graduate School, including: Biochemistry Business Civil & Environmental Engineering Communications Forestry International Studies Library & Information Science
Marine Affairs Pharmaceutics Philosophy Public Administration Public Health Social Work Sociology Urban Planning
International Exchange Programs and Partnerships www.law.washington.edu/ExchangePrograms UW Law students study abroad at prominent universities in the following international locations: Bangkok, Thailand Daegu, Korea Dresden, Germany Dusserldorf, Germany Hong Kong Jakarta, Indonesia Kobe, Japan Lyon, France
Mexico City, Mexico Rome, Italy Seoul, Korea Singapore Taipei, Taiwan Tokyo, Japan Utrecht, Netherlands And more‌
Mock Trial and Moot Court www.law.washington.edu/mchb In-House Competitions Peterson Young Putra 2L/3L Mock Trial Competition 1L Mock Trial Competition Judson Falknor Appellate Advocacy Competition Contracts Competition Hillis Clark Martin & Peterson 1L Appellate Advocacy Competition National Competitions AAJ Mock Trial Competition Jessup International Law Competition National Moot Court Competition Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition TYLA Mock Trial Competition Vis International Commercial Arbitration Team MCHB Funded Independent Teams
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Our Community “No matter what their interests, everyone here seems to really believe in giving back to the community.” Bryson Davis, Class of 2013
Our Vision and Mission www.law.washington.edu/About The Vision: To shape and define just and sustainable laws and policies through scholarly discovery, ethical advocacy, inspired teaching and generous public service. The Mission: To be a Leader for the Global Common Good and to educate our students to have both the capacity and the commitment to promote that mission.
Our Commitment to Diversity www.law.washington.edu/Admissions/Diversity The UW School of Law’s longstanding commitment to diversity is an extension of our commitment to excellence. The inaugural class of 34 students included three women, an African-American man, and a Japanese man – individually and collectively a rarity in 1899. From this foundation, the UW School of Law never lost sight of its roots. We believe the best legal education must include an integration of legal theory, doctrine and practice that is delivered by a diverse faculty to a diverse student body. This is evident in the number of alumni who are prominent in the legal profession, many breaking through the barriers of gender, race, and ethnicity along the way. With the Dean’s Advisory Committee on Diversity, and mentor programs of peer, faculty, and alumni mentors, the law school promotes and encourages diversity by creating an open, inclusive academic climate that is welcoming of all students of color, LGBTQI students, and students with disabilities.
Our Commitment to Public Service www.law.washington.edu/Pservice Public service is a core value at the UW School of Law, and students are presented with many opportunities to engage in public service, including volunteer activities, class offerings and special programs, such as: • Clinical Law Program • Pro Bono Honors Program • Public Service Externship Program • Moderate Means Program • Public Service Law Concentration Track • Gates Public Service Law Scholarship Program • Public interest/public service career and professional development coaching • Public service law and policy related programming on both substantive and career-focused issues • Gates Public Service Law Speaker Series • International public service summer fellowships and public service law conferences • Loan Repayment Assistance Program • Three Degrees Project 7
Our Students www.law.washington.edu/Admissions/Profiles
Our Faculty www.law.washington.edu/Faculty
The incoming student body at the UW School of Law is composed of about 180 individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and outstanding academic and professional credentials. Our students arrive from across the country and abroad, with experience ranging from years in the private sector to service in the Peace Corps, Teach for America, military, and government. With a passion for excellence and commitment to public service, our students are advocates, providing tens of thousands of hours to public legal service. Their experience at the UW School of Law prepares them to join the ranks of our alumni as thriving professionals and leaders in the legal community.
An expansive and deep legal education begins with exceptional faculty. At the UW School of Law, students have remarkable access to some of the brightest minds in law. Our faculty are recognized experts in such fields as constitutional law, criminal law, trial advocacy, intellectual property, taxation, technology law, international and human rights law, Asian and comparative law, Native American law, bankruptcy, evidence, health law, and environmental law. Through scholarship and service, the UW Law faculty is influencing public policy and shaping legal theory.
www.law.washington.edu/Admissions/Why/Building
Our Home In 2003, the law school moved into its new home, the beautiful and technologically advanced William H.
With more than 100 courses and seminars in specialized areas of the law, our students
Gates Hall. Gates Hall makes for an ideal environment to study the law. The building’s features include:
We emphasize thorough analysis of cases, statutes, and other legal materials, and
• Marian Gould Gallagher Law Library, the largest law library west of the Mississippi
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Academics, Scholarship, and Curriculum
learn both the law and the intellectual skills necessary for a successful legal career. an in-depth understanding of the structure and operation of the legal system.
• Wireless Internet access and interactive media throughout the building
• Curriculum emphasizing research, writing, and advocacy
• J.D., concurrent master’s degree, and LL.M./Ph.D. degree programs
• Computer labs, café, remote learning room for students with children
• 60-hour public service graduation requirement
• Quarter academic system, allowing for more elective courses.
• Countless locations to meet and to study
• First-year required curriculum includes International & Comparative Law
• Multi-functional trial courtroom and appellate courtroom for instructional use, competitions, and actual court proceedings.
• Two first-year curricular tracks: traditional and integrated
• Study abroad opportunities
• Seven upper-level concentration tracks
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Scholarly Centers & Programs
Clinics
www.law.washington.edu/Programs
www.law.washington.edu/Clinics
Experience the Law
The UW School of Law and its scholarly centers and programs contribute to the body of legal knowledge through research and scholarship. Faculty and students work closely to develop their interests through our dynamic and nationally recognized scholarly research centers and institutes. These centers provide a place for students and faculty to work together on challenging issues in collaboration with practitioners, constituent groups, the media and the general public.
At the UW School of Law, we believe the best way to educate future lawyers and leaders is to provide
The UW School of Law’s clinical law program is central to the law school’s public service and access to justice efforts. Each year, over a dozen clinics are committed to providing an innovative, student-focused learning environment that prepares our students to become highly skilled lawyers in a globally competitive world. Through the clinics, our students gain a strong foundation in legal theory, the skills necessary for success in the changing legal profession, and an awareness of their ethical and public service responsibilities.
Mock Trial and Moot Court
them with the opportunity to experience the law first-hand. We also believe that the law is a calling
www.law.washington.edu/mchb
“ Brainstorming with other students, faculty, and all the experts [UW School of Law] would bring, was as much inspiring as it was educational. It let me develop an interest and a passion. I miss it. It was a great experience.” Mohamed Rali Badissy, Class of 2006
in the spirit of public service, and that professional responsibility is a quality that can be learned only through experience and dialogue. For these reasons, the UW School of Law provides a variety of opportunities for students to serve the broader community and to apply what they have learned through our centers, externships, clinical programs and public service.
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The UW School of Law’s Moot Court Honor Board provides students with substantive courtroom experience through mock trial and moot court teams and competitions. Our students have consistently won local, national and international competitions.
“Participating in a clinic has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in law school.” Edwin Lindo, Class of 2012
Externships
Journals
www.law.washington.edu/Admissions/Why/ Experiences
www.law.washington.edu/Students/Journals
Students may receive classroom credit for externships
All four of the UW School of Law journals are studentrun, and each publishes distinct, innovative articles by law professors and legal practitioners from across the country and around the world. Exceptional law student articles are also published in each journal. Law journal staff experience the law as they critically engage in current legal issues and collaborate closely with other students to study the nuances of contemporary legal scholarship. The experience enhances writing, editing and citation-checking skills.
with judges, government agencies, not-for-profit organizations, and state courts. Externships allow students to experience the law by developing relationships with alumni, government officials and faculty. Examples of participating organizations include the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, United States Department of Justice, Office of the Federal Public Defender, Northwest Intertribal Court System, Northwest Justice Project, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, International Justice Mission, International Labour Organization, Oxfam, and the Olympia Quarter Fellows Program. 11
“ I am exactly where I’m supposed to be, doing exactly what I’m supposed to do and I thank the University of Washington School of Law for that.” Felix Luna, Class of 1997
Preparing for your Legal Career Center for Professional and Leadership Development www.law.washington.edu/Career At the UW School of Law, we not only prepare our students for a career in the law, we train our students to be professionals and leaders in their communities. The Center for Professional and Leadership Development provides students: • Career advising and counseling • Professional development coaching • Recruiting opportunities • Electronic job-search tools • Mentoring
Law School Alumni Association Join the ranks of engaged UW School of Law graduates who are a part of our vast alumni network. The UW Law School Alumni Association (LSAA) was incorporated in 1949 to “promote the welfare of the law school.” Throughout its history, the association has carried out its purpose through a variety of activities reflective of the needs of the school. The association, with members all over the country and across the globe, serves to foster a continuing affiliation and
engagement with the UW School of Law by serving as advisors to the law school deans and mentors for current students, assisting in career planning, networking and recruitment, and offering community outreach opportunities for alumni. In addition, the alumni association offers regional events and networking opportunities for our alumni outside of the Northwest. Get involved with the LSAA and stay connected to the UW School of Law.
• On-Campus Interview programs • Participation in national and regional career fairs • Resume, cover letter and interview skills training • Judicial clerkship placement • Networking resources and opportunities to create and promote new relationships among attorneys, alumni, and UW law students Accordingly, the UW School of Law has maintained a consistently high employment rate for its current and graduating students. Our graduates are advancing their careers in all areas of the law, including private firms, judicial clerkships and public service work. 12
“ The alumni at UW School of Law are incredibly involved. I have been able to see my future in the law through their experience and mentorship.” Alyson Palmer, Class of 2013
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For more information about the UW School of Law, to visit our law school, and to apply, contact: University of Washington School of Law Office of Admissions and Financial Aid William H. Gates Hall, Box 353020 Seattle, WA 98195-3020 Phone: (206) 543-4078, Fax: (206) 685-4201 Email: lawadm@uw.edu www.law.washington.edu/Admissions