Study, Live, Work Open Doors
Our small size means small classes, and ample opportunity to have personalized and meaningful discussions about the law with professors and students, both inside and outside the classroom.
Our location in the quintessential college town of Lexington, Virginia provides plenty of social and recreational outlets to help you maintain a healthy balance between work and life. Our relentless focus on positive student outcomes is evident in our strong employment and bar passage rates, which lead to great job opportunities for our students at law firms, in the government and with other employers across the nation.
Facts & Figures 2026 CLASS PROFILE
2,022 APPLICATIONS received 31% ACCEPTANCE rate 125 CLASS SIZE 21%
grads
165 median LSAT
3.72 median GPA 46% FEMALE 37%
students
381 LAW STUDENTS from
41 U .S. STATES (80% from outside VA)
17 countries of citizenship
1ST GEN college
DIVERSE
174 years
Generations of Leaders
Founded in 1849, W&L Law has trained lawyers for more than a century and a half. Our tradition of excellence and innovation in legal education has produced generations of leaders. You will find our dedicated alumni across the United States and in 29 countries, practicing at law firms and in corporate counsel offices, serving as judges, prosecutors and public defenders, holding positions in government and launching start-up ventures. As you decide where you want to attend law school, consider a school that has burnished its reputation over many decades and created wellworn paths to success.
The Honor System at W&L Law makes our community a great choice for legal education. Over 150 years old, this student-run system governs student conduct and allows you to live and learn in an environment of civility and trust.
20 LEGAL WRITING & LEGAL RESEARCH class size OF STUDENTS work with real clients 100% 7:1 student-tofaculty ratio STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS 30+ 3 LAW JOURNALS LEGAL WRITING 6 IN-HOUSE legal clinics ABA PRESIDENTS (third most of any law school) 7 174 YEARS OLD
Study A Tradition of Innovation
Our liberal arts approach to legal education delivers small classes and unparalleled faculty access in a community built on trust. We don’t do tracks or certificates; we simply allow our students to build a legal education that is a custom fit for their career objectives.
Build a Foundation
Everyone takes the same first-year courses, creating a shared intellectual experience and spirit of collaboration that our students carry throughout their years:
FALL
n Torts
n Contracts
n Civil Procedure
n Legal Research/Writing
SPRING
n Property
n Constitutional Law
n Criminal Law
n Transnational Law
n Legal Writing
Explore and Advance
With full-time legal research and writing instruction, plus peer advising from the Burks Scholars and Kirgis Fellows program, first-year students receive extensive support. As an upper level student, two additional courses are required: Evidence and Professional Responsibility. From there, choose from 120 elective courses, including classes in our innovative experiential curriculum.
An upper-level writing requirement, working on one of our three law journals and competing in moot court competitions will further develop your professional abilities.
law.wlu.edu/academics
Experience, W&L Law
Our innovative practicebased curriculum enables students to create unique opportunities to learn in context, speeding the transition from law student to legal professional. As your education progresses, you will continue to learn the law, but increasingly you will do so as lawyers do, in the process of solving problems for clients.
Black Lung Legal Clinic
Community Legal Practice Center
Criminal Justice Clinic
Migrant Rights Clinic
Tax Clinic
Civil Rights and Racial Justice Clinic
Full-Time Externships (DC & beyond)
Prosecutors Externship
Judicial Clerkship Externship
Veterans Benefits Practicum
Human Rights Practicum
Law Firm Externships law.wlu.edu/experience
Go Global
Study Abroad. Through our exchange programs, students may study abroad for a semester at Trinity College in Dublin or the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
Overseas Internships. Assisted by our Transnational Law Institute, students complete international summer internships at sites ranging from USAID in Vietnam to corporate law in Germany.
law.wlu.edu/international
International Law. Our International Tribunals and Global Corruption and Human Rights Classes allow students to work with lawyers engaged in criminal defense, research and access to justice projects around the world. These projects have included working at the International Criminal Court in the Hague, fact-finding missions to Albania and human rights work and outreach in Tanzania, Liberia and Palestine.
law.wlu.edu/international
Live Lovable Lexington
Law school is hard. Life in law school doesn’t have to be. Located in the stunning Shenandoah Valley, the beautiful college town of Lexington offers all of the amenities with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. And, the scenery cannot be beat.
The close-to-campus downtown district offers locally-owned coffee shops, homemade ice cream and casual to high-end restaurants offering great variety—from the “Commonwealth’s finest hamburger” (so says Southern Living) to international fare. In addition, nearly a dozen wineries and breweries sit within a short drive of Lexington.
The town is very walkable, including grocery shopping, and features ample housing options for whatever your desired living arrangement. Rent for a one bedroom in Lexington is 38% lower than the national median, contributing to an overall low cost of living that helps make a W&L legal education one of the best values in the country.
Opportunities
Student Bar Association. From student government to professional development, the SBA is the center of student life at W&L Law. You can be a voice on campus and ensure that law students keep a healthy work/life balance.
Moot Court. Hone your advocacy skills and get your competitive juices flowing in one of the five intra-school lawyering competitions. Then go national representing the school at a variety of events, making professional connections along the way.
Intramurals. Fall is for LSFL (Law School Football League) on the law
Get In(volved). Whether you are into politics, yoga, or intramural sports, one of our 30+ student organizations will give you a home to pursue your passions.
Get Out(side). Surrounded by mountains and rivers—outdoor activities abound. Stop by our Outing Club to grab a kayak or plan an overnight excursion in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.
school lawn. Tennis, golf, and the Dean’s cup softball tournament in the spring help students build a closer community and stay active during law school.
Volunteer. Public Interest Law Students Association, Phi Alpha Delta Service Fraternity, Pro Bono Board
Affinity. Asian Pacific Law Students Association, Black Law Students Association, Latin American Law Student Association, OutLaw, Women Law Students Organization
Law and Policy. American Constitution Society, Federalist Society, Washington and Lee Veterans Advocates
Work Outcomes Matter
W&L Law is student centered. We are committed to great outcomes for our graduates. We help our students get the jobs they want in their preferred location and work hard to ensure they are prepared to pass the bar exam.
It starts with a personal meeting in the fall of your first year. Counselors from our Office of Career Strategy (OCS) will work with you like executive search consultants to develop an employment plan tailored to your professional objectives.
Our whole university approach brings together OCS staff, the faculty and our nationwide network of dedicated alumni to build your contacts, whether with a law firm, the government, a corporation or a public interest position.
Class of 2023: Employment Highlights at Graduation
91%
EMPLOYED AT GRADUATION
Employment Overview
(2020–2022, all jobs)
92% (PLACED AT 10 MONTHS)
58% (TO LAW FIRMS)
13% (TO GOVERNMENT/ PUBLIC INTEREST)
72% EMPLOYED OUTSIDE OF VA
40% AT FIRMS WITH 100+ LAWYERS
18% TO FEDERAL AND STATE CLERKSHIPS
18% (TO FEDERAL/STATE CLERKSHIPS) Bar Pass Rates (2020–2022, July first-time takers)
91% NATIONALLY
95% NEW YORK
89% VIRGINIA
27 (AVERAGE # OF JURISDICTIONS WHERE STUDENTS TAKE THE BAR)
law.wlu.edu/ outcomes
Students receiving scholarships — over 90%
Apply to W&L Law through LSAC.org
We charge no application fee, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Unlimited
The number of Yellow Ribbon (YR) places offered to qualifying students (the VA YR benefit covers all W&L Law tuition and fees)
$28,975 average scholarship award APPLICATION FEE
$0
Alumni Legal Network
2023-24 COST OF ATTENDANCE
$74,950
(includes $53,120 tuition, mandatory fees and estimated off-campus living expenses)
Important Dates Check List
August 25: Application opens
December 1:
Deadline for both binding early decision applications
(Decision by December 15)
February 1:
Priority deadline for optimal scholarship consideration
April 15:
First deposit deadline
May 15 :
Second deposit deadline
August 19:
1L orientation begins
Foreign Countries: 32 Guam/Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands: 5 Military Stationed Overseas: 4
DC
1 – 50 50 – 100 100 – 200 200 – 300 300 – 400 400 +
*Numbers include W&L Law and Undergraduate Alumni who hold a JD degree and work with the Office of Career Strategy
What Our Alumi Say About W&L Law
law.wlu.edu/visit
During your visit you can:
Tour the law school with a current student
Attend a law school class
Meet with an admissions representative
*Both on-campus and virtual options are available. Scan the QR code for details.
Our Location
Living in historic Lexington is the perfect antidote to the pressures of law school. Located in the heart of the scenic Shenandoah Valley, just a short drive from our nation’s capital, Lexington provides students with easy, affordable living. In Lexington, our students experience a strong sense of community with easy access to great restaurants, local events, wineries and breweries and even our communityowned drive-in theater.
The experience that most prepared me for trial practice was being a member of the W&L BLSA Mock Trial team, which was coached and led by Professor Elizabeth Belmont. My BLSA Mock Trial experiences were the most valuable in terms of developing litigation skills.”
The Office of Career Strategy at W&L Law is fantastic. They are always willing to lend an ear, review a resume or cover letter, guide you through an interview process, connect you with an alum, and beyond! I continue to reach out to them to this day.”
Having only lived in big cities before coming to Lexington, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but there’s something about the close-knit community that draws you in and makes it a place you call home.”
Richmond Roanoke Charlottesville Washington, D.C. LEXINGTON VA 3 1 2 1 HOURS FROM LEXINGTON
Office of Admissions Sydney Lewis Hall Lexington, VA 24450-2116 lawadm@wlu.edu law.wlu.edu/admissions (540) 458-8503 Washington and Lee University is an equal opportunity institution. Complete statement at go.wlu.edu/eeo.
Ryan Redd ’15L Assistant U.S. Attorney Lubbock, TX
Alex Taylor-Lee ’20L Manager & Counsel, American Express New York, NY
Kimberly Shi ’21L Associate, Clifford Chance Washington, DC
Visit W&L
Law