Georgetown University Law Center

Georgetown University Law Center
source
Name	Georgetown University Law Center
Established	1870
Type	Private
Parent	Georgetown University
Location	Washington, D.C.
Dean	William M. Treanor
Students	2,500+
Faculty	300+
Campus	Urban

Georgetown University Law Center is an American law school located in Washington, D.C. on the campus of Georgetown University. Founded in 1870, it is one of the largest and most influential law schools in the United States, with a strong presence in federal agencies, international organizations, and judicial chambers. The school is noted for its programs in constitutional law, international law, tax law, and clinical practice, and for close proximity to institutions such as the United States Supreme Court, United States Department of Justice, and World Bank.

History

The law center traces roots to the post-Civil War expansion of legal education in the United States and to figures involved in Reconstruction-era jurisprudence. Early faculty and alumni were active in the U.S. Congress, lobbying efforts, and legal reforms during the Gilded Age. Through the Progressive Era and into the New Deal, graduates served in the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Internal Revenue Service, shaping regulatory and administrative law. In the late 20th century, the school expanded programs in international law, with faculty contributing to tribunals such as the International Court of Justice and advising on treaties like the North Atlantic Treaty. Recent decades saw growth in clinical education and public interest law, with alumni appointed to the United States Court of Appeals, the United States District Court, and cabinet-level posts.

Academics and Programs

The law center offers the Juris Doctor (JD), Master of Laws (LLM), and Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) degrees, as well as joint degrees with Georgetown University Medical Center, the McCourt School of Public Policy, and the Georgetown University Law Center's international partners. Concentrations include constitutional law, tax law, environmental law, and international arbitration, with faculty publishing in outlets such as the Harvard Law Review, the Yale Law Journal, and the Columbia Law Review. The curriculum features seminars on the First Amendment, administrative rulemaking tied to the Administrative Procedure Act, and clinics that litigate before the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and international bodies like the International Criminal Court. Graduate programs attract students from institutions including Oxford University, University of Cambridge, and the University of Toronto.

Admissions and Rankings

Admissions are competitive, drawing applicants from across the United States and abroad. Candidates often present credentials from undergraduate institutions such as Princeton University, Harvard College, Stanford University, and Amherst College, and LSAT scores comparable to peer schools like Columbia Law School and NYU School of Law. National rankings by publications that evaluate legal education frequently place the law center among the top law schools for clinical training, international law, and tax programs. Employment outcomes commonly include placements at firms such as Covington & Burling, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, government clerkships with judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and roles at NGOs like Human Rights Watch.

Campus and Facilities

The campus occupies a complex near Georgetown University's main quadrangle and adjacent to the Potomac River corridor, integrating lecture halls, moot courtrooms, and libraries. The law library houses collections on federal legislative histories, tax treatises, and international treaty compilations, serving researchers from the Library of Congress and visiting scholars affiliated with the Wilson Center. Facilities include dedicated spaces for journals such as the Georgetown Law Journal, the Georgetown Journal of International Law, and a center for dispute resolution where arbitration hearings and moot competitions are held against teams from the International Chamber of Commerce and the American Bar Association.

Clinical Programs and Centers

Clinical programs provide hands-on experience through clinics like the Appellate Litigation Clinic, the Immigration Clinic litigating before the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the Criminal Defense and Prisoner Advocacy Clinic representing clients in proceedings before the D.C. Superior Court. Centers and institutes focus on specialized fields: the Center on National Security and the Law engages with issues concerning the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency; the Institute for International Economic Law analyzes trade disputes brought to the World Trade Organization; and the Tax Policy Initiative collaborates with the Internal Revenue Service and the United States Treasury Department on policy research.

Student Life and Organizations

Student organizations cover a broad spectrum, including the Federalist Society, chapters of the American Constitution Society, the National Lawyers Guild, and specialty groups like the International Law Society which hosts delegations to events at the United Nations and the International Court of Justice. Journals run competitive membership processes and publish scholarship influencing debates at institutions such as the Supreme Court of the United States and regulatory agencies. Pro Bono programs partner with community organizations such as the Legal Aid Society and the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, providing experiential learning alongside advocacy fellowships funded by foundations like the Carnegie Corporation.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

Alumni include prominent figures in the judiciary, politics, and public service: justices and judges on the United States Supreme Court, federal appellate courts, and state supreme courts; cabinet officials in administrations of John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama; and diplomats at the United Nations and ambassadors to nations such as the United Kingdom and Germany. Faculty have included scholars who served as clerks to the United States Supreme Court, advisors to the European Commission, and authors of influential texts cited in opinions by judges on the D.C. Circuit and the Second Circuit. The community’s network extends into law firms, NGOs, and international tribunals, sustaining an influence on litigation, policy, and scholarship worldwide.

Category:Law schools in Washington, D.C.