Academics

At GW Law, academics are about more than just coursework; they are about creating a collaborative, distinctive legal education. With a broad curriculum, students are able to explore various areas of the law to find what they love.

In addition, we offer flexible pathways to legal education. Students may switch between full-time and part-time status easily, so they can take advantage of job opportunities while in law school, accommodate family responsibilities, and plan their education to fit changing needs. This dynamic combination of support and career development from the start of each student’s legal education sets the GW Law experience apart from all others.

Academic Information

GW Law offers five academic degrees:

The Juris Doctor (JD)
The Master of Laws (LLM)
The Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD)
The Masters of Studies in IP (MSL-IP)

Certain areas of law at GW have developed particularly rich curricular, faculty, and programmatic resources. Because each of these fields is available as an LLM degree specialization, they have come to hold particular prominence in the GW Law's academic program.

One of the Law School’s great strengths is the richness and diversity of its curriculum. It offers students the opportunity to sample a broad array of areas of the law with more than 275 elective courses offered each year.

Our intellectual community is enriched by the work of several research centers and exchange initiatives. These initiatives provide opportunities for student involvement while making significant contributions to the development of law and policy.

Building at the University of Groningen, Netherlands

GW Law offers five diverse programs for students to study in other parts of the world.

GW Law offers eight student-edited legal journals covering many diverse areas of the legal field.

Students at their laptops with papers splayed out on the table beside them

The Writing Center, a component of the Legal Research and Writing Program, offers one-on-one writing conferences, multi-person workshops, videos, tip sheets, and other resources to legal writers of any class year and ability.

Experiential Learning

The Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinics create an exciting and supportive educational environment in which law students are provided the opportunity to develop lawyering skills and to gain insights into law and the legal profession while providing vital legal services to people who need them.

Through the GW Law Field Placement Program, more than 500 students each year earn academic credit while they participate in dynamic, hands-on externships in government, public interest, and the judiciary.

GW Law's Public Interest and Pro Bono Program provides students with learning opportunities that not only contribute to their professional development, but also stress the value of service.