George Mason Antonin Scalia Law School

George Mason Antonin Scalia Law School
Name	George Mason Antonin Scalia Law School
Established	1972
Type	Public law school
Parent	George Mason University
City	Arlington
State	Virginia
Country	United States
Dean	D. James Greiner
Students	800 (approx.)
Faculty	90 (approx.)

George Mason Antonin Scalia Law School is a public law school affiliated with George Mason University, located in Arlington County, Virginia, near Washington, D.C. and the Pentagon. The school, named for Antonin Scalia in 2016, emphasizes Constitution of the United States-focused scholarship, administrative law, and law and economics, attracting students and faculty engaged with institutions such as the Federalist Society, the American Bar Association, the Cato Institute, and the Brookings Institution. Its location positions it close to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and multiple federal agencies including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Trade Commission.

History

The law school began as the University of the District of Columbia School of Law affiliate branch in 1972 before becoming part of George Mason University in 1979 under President Ira H. Harkey Jr. and later University President Alan G. Merten. Under Dean Lawrence J. McQuillan and subsequent deans like McConnell (Dean) the school expanded programs in intellectual property, antitrust law, and international law. In 2016, the school received a major gift and a naming agreement honoring Antonin Scalia, prompting debate involving entities such as the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Law Journal, and the Washington Post. The school's growth paralleled regional developments including the expansion of the Rosslyn-Ballston Metro corridor and policy shifts in the United States Supreme Court.

Campus and Facilities

The campus sits in Arlington, Virginia near the Rosslyn (Washington, D.C.) neighborhood and the Potomac River, with proximity to the Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court building via Metro. Facilities include the Antonin Scalia Law School building, housing courtroom simulation spaces modeled after the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, specialized libraries with collections on Federalist Papers, Home Building and Loan Association v. Blaisdell-era resources, and research centers that collaborate with the National Archives and the Library of Congress. The building hosts centers such as the Mercatus Center-aligned research initiatives, clinics modeled on practice in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and lecture halls that have welcomed figures from the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, the American Bar Association Section of Legal Education, and industry leaders.

Academics and Programs

The law school offers a Juris Doctor accredited by the American Bar Association, alongside Master of Laws programs in areas like intellectual property, international law, and tax law, plus dual-degree programs with George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School Economics Department-aligned offerings and partnerships with institutions such as University College London, King's College London, and exchange relationships with National University of Singapore Faculty of Law. Curricula emphasize courses reflecting precedents such as Marbury v. Madison, Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., and Brown v. Board of Education, and include clinics in litigation, transactional practice, and policy drafting that reference work before bodies like the Federal Communications Commission and the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Degree pathways include experiential learning tied to externships at the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Office of the Solicitor General.

Faculty and Administration

Faculty have included scholars with backgrounds at institutions such as Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Columbia Law School, Stanford Law School, and the University of Chicago Law School, as well as former judges from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and clerks to justices from the Supreme Court of the United States. Administrators have engaged with policy organizations such as the Heritage Foundation, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Brennan Center for Justice. The dean’s office works with advisory boards including alumni who served in the United States Congress, the Department of Defense, and private firms like Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Latham & Watkins.

Admissions and Student Body

Admissions are competitive, drawing applicants from law schools and undergraduate institutions such as Georgetown University, University of Virginia, West Point, United States Naval Academy, Princeton University, and Harvard College. The student body includes J.D., LL.M., and joint-degree candidates who pursue clerkships with judges from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and district courts including the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Student organizations range from chapters of the Federalist Society and the American Constitution Society to moot court teams competing in tournaments like the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition and the National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition.

Employment and Clinical Programs

Career outcomes show placements in law firms such as Covington & Burling, Hogan Lovells, and Jones Day', as well as public service roles in offices like the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, the United States Attorney's Office, and policy positions within the World Trade Organization and the U.S. Department of State. Clinical programs include litigation clinics, transactional clinics, and regulatory clinics that work on matters before tribunals such as the United States Tax Court and agencies such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Externship networks connect students with internships at non-profits like Human Rights Watch and think tanks including the Urban Institute.

Notable Alumni and Controversies

Alumni have gone on to serve as federal judges, members of the United States Congress, policy advisors in the White House, and executives at firms like Google, Amazon, and Goldman Sachs. Notable graduates include judges appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and litigators who argued before the Supreme Court of the United States. Controversies have centered on the 2016 naming decision honoring Antonin Scalia and its implications for academic donations, with debate involving organizations such as the American Bar Association, the National Association for Law Placement, and media outlets including the New York Times and The Washington Post. Other disputes have involved faculty hires and ideological balance, prompting coverage by legal journals such as the Harvard Law Review and commentary from scholars at Yale Law School and Columbia Law School.

Category:Law schools in Virginia