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Washington College of Law
Established	1896
Type	Private
Dean	Claudio Grossman
Faculty	Full-time: approx. 141; Adjunct: 145
Location	Washington, District of Columbia, USA
Campus	Urban
Nickname	WCL
Website	http://www.wcl.american.edu/

The American University Washington College of Law (WCL) was founded in 1896 as the culmination of the pioneering efforts of two women, Ellen Spencer Mussey and Emma Gillett, who wished to open the field of law to women. Their efforts yielded the Washington College of Law, the first women's law school in the world to be founded by women, the first to have a female dean, and the first to generate an all-female law class. Image File history File links Wiki_letter_w. ... Image File history File links Lawlogorow_1. ... The date of establishment or date of founding of an institution is the date on which that institution chooses to claim as its starting point. ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... A private university is a university that is run without the control of any government entity. ... In an educational setting, a dean is a person with significant authority . ... Claudio Grossman is the Dean of the Washington College of Law at The American University in Washington, DC. Grossman also serves as chairman of the Interamerican Court of Human Rights and Vice President of the UN Committee Against Torture. ... A faculty is a division within a university. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... ... An urban area is a term used to define an area where there is an increased density of human-created structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it. ... The athletic nickname, or equivalently athletic moniker, of a university or college within the United States of America is the name officially adopted by that institution for at least the members of its athletic teams. ... A website (or Web site) is a collection of web pages, typically common to a particular domain name or subdomain on the World Wide Web on the Internet. ... For other universities known as American University, see American University (disambiguation). ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... Ellen Spencer Mussey was born on May 13, 1850 in Geneva, Ohio. ... Emma Gillett was an American lawyer and womens rights activist who played a pivotal role in the advancement of legal studies for women. ... Womens colleges in the United States were primarly founded during the early 19th century. ... // A law school is an institution where future lawyers obtain legal degrees. ... In an educational setting, a dean is a person with significant authority . ...

WCL merged with American University in 1949. It is located on Massachusetts Avenue in the Spring Valley area of Northwest Washington, DC. For other universities known as American University, see American University (disambiguation). ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... Massachusetts Avenue is the name shared by several prominent streets in the United States. ... Spring Valley is an upper class neighborhood in northwest Washington, D.C. The neighborhood is situated west from American Universitys main campus on Massachusetts Avenue. ... Color-enhanced USGS satellite image of Washington, DC, taken April 26, 2002. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United...

Today, WCL enrolls 1,646 students, both male and female. Of the enrollment figures, 60 percent are female, WCL ranks 9th in racial diversity among top law schools, and all U.S. states and over 60 foreign countries are represented. In 2006, WCL was ranked 43rd of the top 100 Law Schools in the United States by U.S. News & World Report's college and university rankings. WCL is nationally renowned for its international law, clinical and trial advocacy programs (ranked 7th, 2nd and 11th in the country, respectively, by U.S. News & World Report). WCL is also reputed to have one of the strongest human rights programs in the world and has an excellent reputation for public interest work. WCL participates in several popular study abroad and student exchange programs with universities around the world, including a semester-long program with the School of Law at City University of Hong Kong. WCL has four student-edited law journals: American University Law Review, Administrative Law Review, American University International Law Review, and American University Journal of Gender, Social Police & the Law. The Administrative Law Review is the Official ABA Section on Administrative Law Publication. WCL's moot court program is consistently competitive--in 2002, the Jessup Moot Court Team was the top ranked team in the United States and Third in the World. WCL's newer Mock Trial Honor Society enjoyed success during the last several years and continues the school's commitment to excellence in Trial Advocacy. WCL's student magazine is The American Jurist, which has won the "Best Law Student Magazine" award from the American Bar Association on several occasions. In 2005, The Business Law Brief, a two-year old student-run publication, won the award for "Magazine of the Year" from the American Bar Association. U.S. News & World Report is a weekly newsmagazine. ... In higher education, college and university rankings are listings of educational institutions in an order determined by any combination of factors. ... U.S. News & World Report is a weekly newsmagazine. ... The City University of Hong Kong (CityU) (Traditional Chinese: 香港城市大學) is one of the universities in Hong Kong. ... The Administrative Law Review (ALR) is published four times annually by the students of the Washington College of Law in conjunction with the American Bar Associations Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice. ... American Bar Associations Washington, DC office The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. ... American Bar Associations Washington, DC office The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. ...

WCL offers the J.D. (Juris Doctor), LL.M. (Master of Laws), and S.J.D. (Doctor of Juridical Science) degrees. Additionally, students can enroll in one of several dual degree programs offered at WCL, including a J.D./M.A. program with the School of International Service, and J.D./M.B.A. and L.L.M/M.B.A programs with the Kogod School of Business. Juris Doctor (Latin for Teacher of Law) or J.D. is a degree in law offered by universities in a number of countries. ... The Master of Laws is an advanced law degree that allows someone to specialize in a particular area of law. ... Legum Doctor (English: Doctor of Laws; abbreviated to LL.D.) In the UK, Australia and New Zealand, the LL.D. is a higher doctorate usually awarded on the basis of exceptionally insightful and distinctive publications, containing significant and original contributions to the science or study of law. ... The School of International Service (SIS) is American Universitys school of advanced international study in the areas of international security, communications, development, economics, peace & conflict resolution, and American foreign policy. ... American Universitys Kogod School of Business is among the best business schools in the Washington, D.C. area, and is the school of choice for interdisciplinary business education. ...

Prominent faculty members include former U.S. Presidential candidate Ralph Nader, Stephen Wermiel, Paul Williams, Michael Tigar and Jamie Raskin. Prominent alumni include Senator Robert Byrd, Tom Goldstein, Reggie Walton and Gerald Bruce Lee. Ralph Nader Ralph Nader (born February 27, 1934) is an American attorney, multi-millionaire and political activist. ... Paul R. Williams holds the Rebecca Grazier Professorship in Law and International Relations at the American University where he teaches in the School of International Service and the Washington College of Law. ... Jamie Raskin (born Jamin B. Raskin[1]) is an American law professor and politician. ... Robert Carlyle Byrd (born November 20, 1917) is the senior United States Senator from West Virginia and a member of the Democratic Party. ... Tom Goldstein is a founding partner of Goldstein and Howe, a D.C. firm specializing in Supreme Court litigation. ... Judge Reggie B. Walton U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia Reggie B. Walton is a United States District Judge for the District of Columbia. ... Gerald Bruce Lee (born 1952 in Washington, D.C.) is currently serving as judge on the United States District Court in the Eastern District of Virginia. ...

While many alumni pursue law firm and government careers, the school is known for its focus on public interest law. For example, WCL offers grant money through the Equal Justice Foundation for students working in the public sector and offers special loan repayment assistance programs. The Equal Justice Foundation (EJF) is a public interest law organization at the Washington College of Law at American University. ...

External links

• Washington College of Law website
• Washington College of Law faculty listing