Howard Law School
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| Howard Law School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Howard University School of Law |
| Established | 1869 |
| Type | Private |
| Dean | Cornelius E. Pratt (interim) |
| City | Washington |
| State | District of Columbia |
| Country | United States |
| Campus | Urban |
Howard Law School is the law school of Howard University, a historically Black university located in Washington, D.C. Founded shortly after the American Civil War, the school has produced prominent jurists, civil rights advocates, and public officials. It is known for its emphasis on civil rights, constitutional litigation, and public interest law.
History
Howard Law School traces its origins to 1869 within Howard University, established by Congress and associated with Reconstruction-era reform efforts including the Freedmen's Bureau and debates following the American Civil War. Early students and faculty engaged with landmark issues addressed in the aftermath of Reconstruction and the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment and Fifteenth Amendment. In the early 20th century the school played a role in litigation strategies that culminated in Brown v. Board of Education through alumni and faculty connections to organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. During the mid-20th century Howard Law faculty and graduates were active in cases before the Supreme Court of the United States and in policy debates in the United States Congress and the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The school’s history intersects with figures associated with Thurgood Marshall, Charles Hamilton Houston, Mary McLeod Bethune, and advocates engaged in the Civil Rights Movement and school desegregation litigation. In recent decades, Howard Law expanded programs in international law, administrative litigation, and public interest law, connecting with institutions such as the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
Campus and Facilities
Howard Law School occupies facilities on the historic north quadrangle of Howard University in Washington, D.C. Its campus presence situates students near federal institutions including the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and agencies such as the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission. The law building houses moot courtrooms used for competitions like the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition and the National Moot Court Competition, as well as clinics with proximity to the D.C. Bar and legal aid providers like Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia. The campus environment connects to cultural institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution and civic landmarks like the United States Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial.
Academics
Howard Law School offers the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree and advanced degrees with curricular concentrations in constitutional law, international law, and trial advocacy. Courses engage with subjects litigated before the Supreme Court of the United States, debated in the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, and argued in forums such as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Faculty scholarship intersects with journals including law reviews that publish analyses of decisions like Brown v. Board of Education, statutes such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and precedents from courts such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The school hosts symposiums in collaboration with organizations like the American Bar Association, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Admissions and Rankings
Admissions to Howard Law School consider undergraduate records from institutions including Spelman College, Morehouse College, and Hampton University, as well as applicants from Ivy League schools like Harvard University and Yale University. The school attracts candidates with public interest commitments to organizations such as the NAACP, the National Urban League, and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Rankings and assessments by outlets such as U.S. News & World Report and analyses by the American Bar Association reflect metrics including bar passage rates measured against state bars like the District of Columbia Bar and employment outcomes including positions in federal clerkships with judges from the United States Courts of Appeals and roles within the Department of Justice and nonprofit practices at entities like the Equal Justice Initiative.
Student Life and Organizations
Student organizations at Howard Law intersect with national groups such as the Black Law Students Association, the National Lawyers Guild, and the American Constitution Society, as well as campus groups associated with Howard University Student Association. Moot court teams compete in events like the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition and domestic competitions through the National Moot Court Competition. Law students participate in internships with members of Congress from the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and with public interest employers including Public Citizen and the Southern Center for Human Rights. Social and cultural life engages with nearby institutions such as Howard Theatre and collaborations with schools like Howard University College of Medicine and Howard University School of Divinity.
Notable Alumni and Faculty
Alumni and faculty have served in roles across the judiciary, government, and advocacy. Graduates include judges who have sat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, solicitors who have argued before the Supreme Court of the United States, and leaders in organizations such as the NAACP and the National Urban League. Faculty and alumni have been affiliated with figures like Thurgood Marshall, Charles Hamilton Houston, Constance Baker Motley, and practitioners who worked on cases in the Civil Rights Movement and on voting rights litigation under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Other alumni have held executive branch positions in administrations of Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama, and served in the United States Congress and state judiciaries.
Clinics, Centers, and Public Interest Programs
Howard Law operates legal clinics and centers providing services in civil rights litigation, immigration law, and criminal defense, connecting students to advocacy before bodies such as the Board of Immigration Appeals and courts like the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Centers focus on issues including racial justice and international human rights with ties to the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Public interest programs facilitate fellowships and placements with organizations such as the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Equal Justice Initiative, and local legal aid offices including the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia.
Category:Howard University Category:Law schools in Washington, D.C.