Georgetown Law

Georgetown Law
Name	Georgetown University Law Center
Established	1870
Type	Private law school
Parent	Georgetown University
Location	Washington, D.C.
Campus	Urban
Dean	William M. Treanor
Students	~2,600
Faculty	~500

Georgetown Law is a private law school located in Washington, D.C., affiliated with Georgetown University. Founded in 1870, it has grown into a leading center for legal education with strong connections to United States Congress, Supreme Court of the United States, Department of Justice, World Bank, and numerous international organizations. The school is noted for its programs in constitutional law, international law, and public policy, and for producing graduates who serve in courts, government agencies, and global institutions.

History

The school was established during the Reconstruction era and expanded alongside institutions such as Columbia University and Harvard Law School. Early growth saw partnerships with figures connected to the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Fourteenth Amendment, and other post-Civil War legal developments. Throughout the 20th century, alumni and faculty engaged with landmark matters including litigation before the Supreme Court of the United States, policy work at the White House, and treaty negotiations at the United Nations. During the Cold War, faculty testified before committees like those of the United States Senate and advised agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency and United States Department of State. The school’s modern expansion coincided with the rise of administrative law careers linked to the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Communications Commission, and regulatory litigation in federal courts.

Academics and Programs

The curriculum emphasizes experiential learning and offers concentrations in areas tied to legal practice at institutions such as the International Criminal Court, the European Court of Human Rights, and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Degree programs include the Juris Doctor, Master of Laws, and joint degrees with schools like the Georgetown University Law Center’s parent, as well as partnerships resembling dual degrees with the McDonough School of Business and the Walsh School of Foreign Service. Courses often cover subjects like constitutional litigation before the Supreme Court of the United States, international arbitration relevant to the World Trade Organization, and regulatory law involving the Securities and Exchange Commission. Clinics and seminars prepare students for clerkships with judges from the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Campus and Facilities

Located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, the campus sits near landmarks including the United States Capitol and the National Mall. Facilities include law libraries comparable in scope to collections used by scholars at the Library of Congress and reading rooms named after donors and jurists connected to the American Bar Association. Classrooms, moot courtrooms, and conference centers host events featuring speakers from institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, the Petroleum Regulatory Authority-style agencies, and visiting judges from the International Court of Justice. Student organizations maintain office space for advocacy groups that engage with policy debates at the White House and professional associations like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Federalist Society.

Admissions and Student Body

The school attracts applicants who have clerked for judges from the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the United States Supreme Court, worked in internships at the United States Department of Justice and the State Department, or served at NGOs such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Admissions compare applicants with credentials similar to those admitted to Yale Law School and Columbia Law School, emphasizing prior experience with litigation, policy advising for members of United States Congress, and international practice at organizations like the United Nations Development Programme. The student body includes domestic and international students who pursue externships at embassies, the World Health Organization, and trade delegations to the World Trade Organization.

Faculty and Research

Faculty have included scholars who published on matters heard by the Supreme Court of the United States, conducted empirical research used by the Federal Reserve System, and advised commissions such as the 9/11 Commission. Research centers host symposia with partners like the Brookings Institution, the Peterson Institute for International Economics, and the American Enterprise Institute. Professors have served as clerks for judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and held visiting posts at foreign universities including Oxford University and University of Cambridge.

Clinical and Experiential Education

Clinical programs place students in litigation and policy roles at venues like the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, international tribunals such as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and administrative hearings before agencies like the National Labor Relations Board. Externship pipelines connect to nonprofit law firms, public defender offices, and Congressional oversight committees of the United States House of Representatives. Moot court competitions simulate arguments modeled on proceedings at the International Court of Justice and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Notable Alumni and Impact

Alumni include justices, judges, cabinet secretaries, members of United States Congress, ambassadors to the United Nations, and leaders at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Graduates have served as counsel in landmark cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, led negotiations for treaties observed by the European Commission, and directed litigation at firms involved in major mergers reviewed by the Federal Trade Commission. The school’s alumni network includes leaders who have contributed to jurisprudence on issues litigated in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and policy formation at the White House. Category:Law schools in Washington, D.C.