Orientation

We hope this message finds you well. We are writing with some information we think might be helpful as orientation approaches. Please see the orientation 2020 web page for previous messages as well as upcoming events.

Although GW has transitioned to an online environment for the fall, we are still planning small, in-person gatherings for those in the D.C. area as well as virtual opportunities to engage your classmates. The SBA and other student organizations are planning activities ranging from walking tours of D.C. monuments to virtual yoga classes. Current students have been planning these small events. A full schedule and sign-ups are forthcoming.

STUDENT LIFE

SBA Student Mentor Program – The Student Bar Association (SBA) has recruited second and third-years students eager to impart wisdom about navigating the law school. If you would like to be paired with an SBA mentor, please complete this form. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with seasoned members of the community.

Student Organizations – GW Law has a vibrant and active student organization community and they plan to remain active, even in a virtual environment. If you are interested in getting more information from any of these organizations, please complete this form. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with seasoned members of the community.

ACADEMIC INFORMATION

Academic Calendar – The 2020-21 academic calendar for the law school can be found here. You might have received a message from the University Provost regarding updates to the academic calendar. That message relates to the undergraduate calendar. The law school calendar remains unchanged.

Inns of Court – Each 1L is assigned to one of six Inns of Court, named after former Supreme Court Justices, and take all 1L classes with their Inn. Their Inn remains their community for the next few years. You will receive your Inn assignment by Friday, August 7, 2020. Once assigned, you will also know your course schedule, corresponding professors, and book lists. Except for Jay Inn (reserved for our evening students) and Brandeis Inn, students are randomly assigned to Inns.

Brandeis Inn -Students may request placement in Brandeis Inn. You will find information on the admitted student portal about this section, including the thoughts of a couple of recent alums on their experience in the Brandeis Inn. Members of the Brandeis Inn of Court will have courses Monday-Thursday, between the hours of Noon and 9 p.m. EST. This Inn might be especially appealing to students who will be on the west coast. If you would like to be placed in the Brandeis Inn, please complete this Brandeis Request Form. Brandeis Inn assignments are made on a first-come, first-serve basis. Some students who have not requested Brandeis may nevertheless be randomly assigned to that Inn.

ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGY

Law School Email – If you have not done so, please claim your GW NetID and select a password. Once you do that, a university email (NetIDgwu [dot] edu (NetID[at]gwu[dot]edu)) will be generated along with a law school email address (NetIDlaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (NetID[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu)). Please claim your GW NetID no later than Tuesday, August 4 as we will begin emailing you at your @law.gwu.edu account next week. If you are having difficulty with this, please contact LawITlaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (LawIT[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu).

Laptop Computer Requirements – All students are expected to have a laptop computer that meets the following specifications for Exam4, the exam software used to administer exams. Specifications can be found here. For questions about this, please contact LawITlaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (LawIT[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu).

Finally, if you haven’t submitted your resume, please do so here. We use this information to help the faculty get a better sense of the 1L class.

We look forward to your virtual arrival! Please let us know if you have any questions.

The Dean of Students Office
The George Washington University Law School 
202-994-8320
deanofstudentslaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (deanofstudents[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu)

We hope this message finds you well. We are writing with some information we think might be helpful as orientation approaches. Please see the orientation 2020 web page for previous messages as well as upcoming events.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

As the beginning of your first semester of law school draws near, we wanted to reach out to all incoming part-time students and invite you to join a webinar created specifically for you. We know that balancing your work and personal commitments along with law school can be daunting and we are eager to support you.

Next Wednesday, August 5 at 12pm we will host a workshop entitled Beginning Your Academic Excellence Journey consisting of a panel with upper level students. We hope to answer as many of your questions as possible. Here is the link to join.  

Later that evening, at 7 p.m. we will host a special workshop entitled Strategies for Part-Time Students specifically geared towards supporting you. Here is the link to join.  

Both workshops will be recorded and you can find previous recordings of the summer conversation series on the orientation 2020 website. You should not need a password, but if prompted, it is gwlaw.

These events are sponsored by the GW Law Office of Academic Excellence who assists all students in their pursuit of strong academic performance and potential. You can contact Andrew Realon who heads up the program at arealonlaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (arealon[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu). If you are interested in scheduling a virtual meet-and-greet with him, you may do so here.

STUDENT LIFE

Although GW has transitioned to an online environment for the fall, we are still planning small, in-person gatherings for those in the D.C. area as well as virtual opportunities to engage your classmates. The SBA and other student organizations are planning activities ranging from walking tours of D.C. monuments to virtual yoga classes. Current students have been planning these small events and a full schedule and sign-ups are forthcoming.

SBA Student Mentor Program – The Student Bar Association (SBA) has recruited second and third-years students eager to impart wisdom about navigating the law school. If you would like to be paired with an SBA mentor, please complete this form. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with seasoned members of the community.

Student Organizations – GW Law has a vibrant and active student organization community and they plan to remain active, even in a virtual environment. If you are interested in getting more information from any of these organizations, please complete this form as the student leaders are eager to connect with you.

ACADEMIC INFORMATION

Academic Calendar – The 2020-21 academic calendar for the law school can be found here. You might have received a message from the University Provost regarding updates to the academic calendar. That message relates to the undergraduate calendar. The law school calendar remains unchanged.

Inns of Court – Each 1L is assigned to one of six Inns of Court, named after former Supreme Court Justices, and take all 1L classes with their Inn. Their Inn remains their community for the next few years. You will receive your Inn assignment by Friday, August 7, 2020. Once assigned, you will also know your course schedule, corresponding professors, and book lists. Except for Jay Inn (reserved for our evening students) and Brandeis Inn, students are randomly assigned to Inns.

ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGY

Law School Email – If you have not done so, please claim your GW NetID and select a password. Once you do that, a university email (NetIDgwu [dot] edu (NetID[at]gwu[dot]edu)) will be generated along with a law school email address (NetIDlaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (NetID[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu)). Please claim your GW NetID no later than Tuesday, August 4 as we will begin emailing you at your @law.gwu.edu account next week. If you are having difficulty with this, please contact LawITlaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (LawIT[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu).

Law School Zoom  - In preparation for the fall semester, the law school secured access to Zoom for all students. In the coming days you will receive a Zoom account invitation to your law school email account. Please accept this invitation before Friday, August 11 to ensure you can fully participate in orientation and be ready for online instruction.

Laptop Computer Requirements – All students are expected to have a laptop computer that meets the following specifications for Exam4, the exam software used to administer exams. Specifications can be found here. For questions about this, please contact LawITlaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (LawIT[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu).

Finally, if you haven’t submitted your resume, please do so here. We use this information to help the faculty get a better sense of the 1L class.

We look forward to your virtual arrival! Please let us know if you have any questions.

The Dean of Students Office
The George Washington University Law School 
202-994-8320
deanofstudentslaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (deanofstudents[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu)

We hope this message finds you well. Please see the message below from Dean Bracey:

Dear GW Law students,

I am writing to follow up on Provost M. Brian Blake’s message to graduate students sent earlier this evening in which he announced that the planned tuition increases will not be applied to graduate students for the 2020-21 academic year.   

As I mentioned in my letter to you earlier this week, the dean’s office had been advocating for some form of tuition relief for law students. The university heard us and has agreed not to increase this year’s tuition as planned. Accordingly, law school tuition for the 2020-21 academic year will remain the same as it was in the 2019-20 academic year. This is a one-time adjustment in recognition of the financial and personal challenges that many of you and your families are experiencing as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We know you have questions. Therefore, on August 7, Deans Matthew and Hammond will host an online discussion to provide further details about the fall schedule, tuition, and our plans to serve you during the fall semester.

As we look forward to the commencement of the fall semester, I extend my very best wishes to you and your loved ones for good health and a productive, peaceful close to the summer.

Sincerely,

Christopher A. Bracey
Interim Dean and Professor of Law, GW Law
Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, GW

Dear GW Law Community,

I write to follow up on President LeBlanc’s message this afternoon about the fall semester. As you know, the President has announced all instruction will be done remotely this fall, with some narrow exceptions for certain undergraduates and “discipline-based” exceptions for graduate programs. In light of the President’s message, the Dean’s Office, in consultation with the provost, has decided all law school courses will be delivered remotely for the duration of the fall semester. I wanted to inform you of this decision as soon as possible so that we can all begin to solidify our fall plans accordingly.  

In his email, President LeBlanc expressed his rationale to move to complete remote instruction. Our decision with respect to coursework at the law school was also informed by the opinions and concerns expressed by Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Center for Disease Control. GW is the largest university in the city, and it is incumbent that we—students, staff, and faculty—play a leadership role in preventing the further spread of the coronavirus.

The President also announced a limited tuition reduction for certain undergraduate student populations. Although the university sets the law school’s tuition rate, the Dean’s Office has and will continue to advocate for tuition relief to be granted to law students as well.

I imagine that some of you have questions about how the law school plans to operate this coming fall. Dean-Designate Dayna Matthew and Senior Associate Dean Emily Hammond will communicate to students by Wednesday, July 29 with additional details. Dean Hammond will continue to hold Town Hall meetings with students every other Friday; the next one is scheduled for August 7. In the meantime, currently, enrolled students can expect our early/extended add-drop dates to remain in place. Please continue to visit GW Law’s COVID-19 page for updated information, including FAQs. 

For faculty and staff, Senior Associate Dean Emily Hammond and I are hosting a joint Faculty and Senior Staff information session on Tuesday, July 28, at which time we will provide more information about the fall and respond to your questions.  

We deeply regret that the COVID-19 pandemic prevents us from returning to campus in person this coming semester. However, our shared sense of community and commitment to a world-class education remains strong as ever, and we fully intend to provide an excellent remote instructional experience to every student this coming fall. When it is safe to do so, we are eager to see you again on campus.  

Stay safe and healthy,

Christopher A. Bracey
Interim Dean and Professor of Law, GW Law
Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, GW

We hope this message finds you well. We are writing to remind you about today’s program, Academic Excellence: Introduction to Legal Analysis at noon. In addition to this reminder, below is information prepared by the GW Law and Information Technology office. They will be a crucial resource during your time at the law school. They prepared an online guide to help you accomplish all of the technology-related tasks necessary for success here at GW Law.

You can get a head start on your semester by taking care of the tasks below, with the exception of connecting to wireless, before you even arrive. When you are physically on campus you can easily set up wireless.

You will have one username which we refer to as a GW NetID.  When you claim your GW NetID and select a password a university email (NetIDgwu [dot] edu (NetID[at]gwu[dot]edu)) will be generated along with a law school email address (NetIDlaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (NetID[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu)).  

To log into your law school-specific systems, you will use your law school email address (NetIDlaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (NetID[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu)). Access to all law-school-specific systems can be obtained from your law school Google Apps menu on the top right of your inbox. GW Law IT prepared two instructional videos for your use:

• Logging into your law school email
• Using the Google Apps menu

Before classes begin you should be able to:

• Access your law school email and calendar
• Access the MyLaw Portal for your course sites 

For assistance with problems specifically related to your login accounts please email accesslaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (access[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu). Should you encounter any other technology issues please email lawITlaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (lawIT[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu).  

Law School Email - It is very important that you are able to check your law school email account (@law.gwu.edu). Announcements regarding classes and events are frequently sent there prior to the beginning of the semester. We recommend that you forward your @gwu.edu email to your @law.gwu.edu email. Here are GMail forwarding instructions. 

MyLaw - MyLaw is an information portal that will be used by your professors and the school to distribute information about your courses.  This includes your first week reading assignments and syllabi. You will access the MyLaw Portal via your law school Google Apps menu. Your course information should be available during or shortly before the week of orientation. This is explained in the video "Law School Portal". 

GWID - For certain services and transactions at GW you will be asked to provide your GWID. This is a 9-character identifier beginning with a G. The admissions office has provided you with this information. If you do not know your GWID you can obtain it here by expanding the GWID section and selecting GWid Retrieval Request.

Virtual Learning - Instructors will primarily use Zoom or Google Meet to conduct online class meetings.  The virtual learning guide will be published soon, please look for “Virtual Teaching & Learning @ GW Law” on the Office of Instructional Technology website.  

Wireless - When you are on campus you can use the wireless configuration utility on your specific device to connect to the internet.  The name of the wireless network is GWireless.  Most devices will simply ask you to provide your NetID and password to connect. 

Software - Select software and business apps are available to all students at George Washington University. A complete list with download information is available on the GW Information Technology website.

Electronic Textbooks & Study Aids - Some textbook publishers have discounted the purchase price for electronic textbooks.  The Law Library subscribes to the Wolters Kluwer Online Study Aids Library, providing the GW Law community access to over 150 online study aids. The Law Library has a website with more information.

Printing - The Law School participates in Colonial Printing, a pay for print service with many locations in the school and on campus. Colonial Printing is also referred to as WEPA. You can visit the guide on printing for more information. This is explained in the videos on "Colonial Printing".

Please feel free to visit, call (202-994-5772) or email (LawITlaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (LawIT[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu)) the Law School Help Desk with any questions you may have.



The Dean of Students Office
The George Washington University Law School
202-994-8320
deanofstudentslaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (deanofstudents[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu)

I hope this message finds you well. For those who were able to attend today’s conversation with Dean Ewert, we appreciated your questions. If you weren’t able to attend, the video will be posted on the Orientation 2020 website on Monday. In addition, you can also find previous e-mail messages on the site. As a reminder, Kami Sidman will lead a conversation on Being Well at GW Law on Monday, July 20 at 1 p.m. Below is some additional information we wanted to make sure you had:

Resume Information - If you have not done so already, please complete the resume form as instructed here on the portal. We have extended the deadline as we want to ensure we get information from everyone. 

Tuition Refund Policy - Please note that the University's tuition fee policy may be found on pages 53-57 of The George Washington University Law School Bulletin. 

In authorized withdrawals, leaves of absence, and changes in schedule, cancellations of semester tuition charges and fees will be made in accordance with the following schedule for the fall semester:

First Year Law Program - Fall Semester only (not including non-refundable deposits) 

• Withdrawal prior to the last Friday in July (by 11:59 p.m. Thursday)  - 100% 
• Withdrawal prior to the first day of the student’s scheduled orientation (by 11:59 p.m. the day before) - 90% 
• Withdrawal from the first day of the student’s scheduled orientation through the first week of the first-year law student classes of the semester (by 11:59 p.m. Sunday) - 75% 
• Withdrawal from the end of the first week of the first-year law student classes through October 5 (by 11:59 p.m. October 5) - 50% 
• Withdrawal after October 5 (beginning 12:00 a.m., October 6) - None

Please note that merit scholarships are automatically revoked in full with repayment required, starting with the semester from which the recipient withdraws, takes a leave of absence, or transfers between the full and part-time programs.

After all tuition and federal aid adjustments, the full revocation of the merit scholarship will require repayment from the student and may result in a balance due from the student to the University. It is imperative that students with merit scholarships discuss the financial impact of withdrawing prior to the end of the semester with a representative of the Law School Financial Aid Office. 

Tuition Refund Plan – As a reminder, information about the law school-specific tuition refund plan can be found here.

Monthly Payment Plan - The University's information about payment plans may be found here. The monthly payment plan enables students or their authorized users to pay current Fall and Spring semester tuition and fees in four equal payments per semester and current Summer semester tuition in three equal payments.

Law School Affinity Groups – If you have not done so, please complete this form to receive information from one or more of our law school affinity groups. They are eagerly anticipating your arrival and look forward to welcoming you to the law school community. 

As always, please let us know if you have any questions. 

We hope this message finds you well. We are writing with some additional information to ensure your transition to the law school is as smooth as possible. As a reminder, the Dean of Students Office is hosting a series of web conversations that can be found on the Orientation 2020 website in addition to our previous e-mail messages. This week, you can attend Academic Excellence: Preparing for Class tomorrow at noon and a Conversation with the Dean of Students Friday at noon. 

NetID and University E-mail Account– All students are required to have a university NetID and @gwu.edu e-mail account. Beginning tomorrow, you can claim your NetID here by using your GWID, last name and date of birth. Among other things, your NetID grants you access to the health portal (immunization requirements due August 1) and most campus-wide resources such as computer workstations in Gelman Library (main campus library), Jacob Burns Law Library, and Colonial Printing. Once you have claimed your NetID, please wait at least 24 hours before trying to access the health portal. In order to access the health portal, use your university email address (@gwu.edu) and the password you just created. 

Please note that your law school e-mail account will only be created once you have claimed your NetID. You will receive instructions on how to access your @law.gwu.edu account in the coming weeks.

GWorld Card – Your GWorld card is your official university identification and allows you to access facilities on campus. By now you should have received a message from the GWorld Office with instructions on how to upload a photo for your card. Please upload this photo no later than July 31 to ensure you receive it at orientation. 

Student Health – The GW Colonial Health Center serves as the hub of health services. All currently enrolled students have access to certain medical, mental health and health promotion services, including virtual and in-person appointments. In addition, students may choose to enroll in the student health insurance plan (SHIP) provided through Aetna. While health insurance is required for all international students, it is optional for other law students. We strongly suggest students enroll in the SHIP plan or another comparable plan to ensure you have adequate healthcare should you need it as a student. 

Tuition Refund Plan – Although we hope each student will sail through the semester without incident, we know from experience that is not always the case. As a result, the law school partnered with A.W.G. Dewar Inc. to offer a tuition refund plan. Costing as low as $256.50 per semester based on coverage options, the plan protects your educational investment by reimbursing up to 75% of the covered educational costs in the event of a medical or mental health withdrawal. The plan significantly extends and enhances GW's published refund policy as stated in the University Bulletin. Information about the plan and coverage can be found here.

Covid-19 Related Information – To help centralize communications and resources related to Covid-19, the law school launched a page devoted to communication and resources related to its response to Covid-19. It includes a regularly update FAQ section as well as information on the university’s plan to reopen. 

GW Law Academic Rules and Policies – All law school rules and policies, including degree requirements, courses of instruction, and other university regulations are located in the GW Law School Bulletin. We update this document each summer, but you should familiarize yourself with this 2019-2020 edition as you will refer to it often during your time at GW Law. 

Law School Affinity Groups – The law school has over 70 student-led organizations who serve as the backbone of the law school community. Chief among them are the many student affinity groups which include:

• Asian/Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA)
• Atypical Student Society
• Black Law Student Association (BLSA)
• Christian Legal Society
• J. Reuben Clark Law Society
• Jewish Law Student Association (JLSA)
• Lambda Law
• Latino Law Student Society
• Law Association for Women (LAW)
• Middle Eastern and North African Law Society (MENA)
• Muslim Law Students Association (MLSA).

Each of these groups would like to welcome you personally. If you are interested in outreach, please complete the form here. 

Please let us know if you have any questions. 

The Dean of Students Office
George Washington Law
202-994-8320
deanofstudentslaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (deanofstudents[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu)

Welcome to GW Law and to the class of 2023! We hope you are excited and proud to be starting GW Law this fall. We are eagerly anticipating your start and planning for your orientation. We know the fall environment may be different than we had envisioned, but we are also confident that you will find many opportunities to engage, connect, and learn as we navigate hybrid courses, online meet-ups, and small group gatherings.

The Dean of Students Office (DOS) is the initial point of contact for all student issues and can assist with a variety of matters, including academic advising, disability support services, student wellness, and exam administration. The Office is also responsible for coordinating Orientation 2020. Please check the Orientation 2020 website as we will update it with important information throughout the summer. 

Orientation for the full-time JD program will be held Wednesday, August 12 – Friday, August 14 and participation is mandatory for incoming students. Consistent with the law school's plans for the fall academic semester, all required information for students will be delivered online. Therefore, you will be able to participate remotely.  

However, the Dean of Students Office and the Student Bar Association (SBA) are also planning (within current public health guidance) an opportunity for in-person, community-building events which are optional (but fun!)

Pre-Orientation Conversations

We have developed a series of programs to allow you to engage with the law school community in advance of Orientation. We have sessions scheduled ranging from concrete strategies for academic excellence to how students with disabilities can find support. Below is a calendar of the summer conversations currently planned: 

 Academic Excellence: Preparing for Class - Andrew Realon will lead an interactive discussion on how 1Ls should prepare for class. (July 15 at noon) 

Conversation with the Dean of Students - Dean of Students Elizabeth Ewert will lead a conversation about the keys to success as a first-year student. (July 17 at noon) 

Being Well at GW Law - Kami Sidman will lead a discussion about strategies for wellness in law school. (July 20 at 1:00 p.m.)

Academic Excellence: Introduction to Legal Analysis- Andrew Realon will discuss some elementary legal analysis topics. (July 22 at noon) 

The ADA at 30 and Registering for Accommodations at GW - To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, this presentation will provide an overview of how the ADA came into being and provide information on how to register for accommodations at GW. (July 27 at noon) 

Academic Excellence: Succeeding Inside the Classroom – Andrew Realon will lead a discussion of classroom etiquette. (July 29 at noon) 

Q&A re: Accommodations at GW Law - Andra Chernack will lead a question-and-answer session about registering for accommodations at GW Law. (August 3 at noon)

Academic Excellence: Beginning Your Academic Excellence Journey - This event features a panel of upper-level students. (August 5 at noon) 

The password for each event is gwlaw should you need one. Be on the lookout for a message later today from Andrew Realon who heads the law school’s Academic Excellence program with specific instructions on four-part academic success series offered this summer. In addition, we will update you on additions to this schedule as the summer progresses. 

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

GW Law is committed to providing an equal educational opportunity and participation for students with disabilities. The University’s Disability Support Services Office is responsible for evaluating requests and helps coordinate reasonable accommodations. For information on how to request accommodations, please refer to the registration information for law students. As academic accommodations are not retroactive to the beginning of the semester, we suggest you begin the process as soon as you have your GWID in order to have your accommodations in place from the outset of your law school experience. 

Post-Deposit Requirements

Resume Submission – If you have not done so, please upload your current resume here. We use this information to help the faculty get a better sense of the 1L class. The deadline for submission is July 15. 

Undergraduate Transcript - If you have not already done so, you must have an official copy of your final undergraduate transcript sent directly to LSAC. Please ensure that your transcript shows the conferral of your undergraduate degree. Your final, official undergraduate transcript must accompany your law school application before it is archived by the Admissions Office. The deadline for submission was July 1.

Immunization Requirement - All entering students who will be under the age 26 as of August 1, 2020 must submit their immunization records directly to Colonial Health Center. Here you can find information on how to complete this task. The deadline for submission is August 1.

Application Supplements - In your application to GW Law, you were asked if you had any legal violations, college disciplinary matters or similar issues. If you had any such issues after the time you submitted your application, you are obligated to disclose this information to the law school. Similarly, if there are any such issues you neglected to disclose in your application, now is the time to update your file. Please make any necessary disclosures to the Admissions Office no later than Sunday, August 16, using the InatGWlaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (InatGW[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu) email address. Please err on the side of disclosure.  

Dean of Students Blog 

To remain engaged with students during remote instruction, we created Illuminate, the official Dean of Students blog. Subscribe and follow us to get the inside scoop on resources, thoughts about recent alumni, how we have been spending our time during quarantine, and more! 

The Dean of Students Office
George Washington Law
202-994-8320
deanofstudentslaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (deanofstudents[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu)

Welcome to GW Law and to the class of 2024! We hope you are excited and proud to be starting GW Law this fall. We are eagerly anticipating your start and planning for your orientation. We know the fall environment may be different than we had envisioned, but we are also confident that you will find many opportunities to engage, connect, and learn as we navigate hybrid courses, online meet-ups, and small group gatherings.

The Dean of Students Office (DOS) is the initial point of contact for all student issues and can assist with a variety of matters, including academic advising, disability support services, student wellness, and exam administration. The Office is also responsible for coordinating Orientation 2020. Please check the Orientation 2020 website as we will update it with important information throughout the summer.

Orientation for the full-time JD program will be held Tuesday, August 11 from 6 pm – 9:30 pm, and participation is mandatory for incoming students. Consistent with the law school's plans for the fall academic semester, all required information for students will be delivered online. Therefore, you will be able to participate remotely.  

However, the Dean of Students Office and the Student Bar Association (SBA) are also planning (within current public health guidance) an opportunity for in-person, community-building events which are optional (but fun!)

Pre-Orientation Conversations

We have developed a series of programs to allow you to engage with the law school community in advance of Orientation. We have sessions scheduled ranging from concrete strategies for academic excellence to how students with disabilities can find support. Below is a calendar of the summer conversations currently planned: 

Academic Excellence: Preparing for Class - Andrew Realon will lead an interactive discussion on how 1Ls should prepare for class. (July 15 at noon) 

Conversation with the Dean of Students - Dean of Students Elizabeth Ewert will lead a conversation about the keys to success as a first-year student. (July 17 at noon) 

Being Well at GW Law - Kami Sidman will lead a discussion about strategies for wellness in law school. (July 20 at 1:00 p.m.)

Academic Excellence: Introduction to Legal Analysis- Andrew Realon will discuss some elementary legal analysis topics. (July 22 at noon) 

The ADA at 30 and Registering for Accommodations at GW - To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, this presentation will provide an overview of how the ADA came into being and provide information on how to register for accommodations at GW. (July 27 at noon) 

Academic Excellence: Succeeding Inside the Classroom – Andrew Realon will lead a discussion of classroom etiquette. (July 29 at noon) 

Q&A re: Accommodations at GW Law - Andra Chernack will lead a question-and-answer session about registering for accommodations at GW Law. (August 3 at noon)

Academic Excellence: Beginning Your Academic Excellence Journey - This event features a panel of upper-level students. (August 5 at noon) 

The password for each event is gwlaw should you need one. Be on the lookout for a message later today from Andrew Realon who heads the law school’s Academic Excellence program with specific instructions on four-part academic success series offered this summer. In addition, we will update you on additions to this schedule as the summer progresses.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

GW Law is committed to providing an equal educational opportunity and participation for students with disabilities. The University’s Disability Support Services Office is responsible for evaluating requests and helps coordinate reasonable accommodations. For information on how to request accommodations, please refer to the registration information for law students. As academic accommodations are not retroactive to the beginning of the semester, we suggest you begin the process as soon as you have your GWID in order to have your accommodations in place from the outset of your law school experience. 

Post-Deposit Requirements

Resume Submission – If you have not done so, please upload your current resume here. We use this information to help the faculty get a better sense of the 1L class. The deadline for submission is July 15.

Undergraduate Transcript - If you have not already done so, you must have an official copy of your final undergraduate transcript sent directly to LSAC.  Please ensure that your transcript shows the conferral of your undergraduate degree. Your final, official undergraduate transcript must accompany your law school application before it is archived by the Admissions Office. The deadline for submission was July 1.

Immunization Requirement - All entering students who will be under the age 26 as of August 1, 2020 must submit their immunization records directly to Colonial Health Center. Here you can find information on how to complete this task. The deadline for submission is August 1.

Application Supplements - In your application to GW Law, you were asked if you had any legal violations, college disciplinary matters or similar issues. If you had any such issues after the time you submitted your application, you are obligated to disclose this information to the law school. Similarly, if there are any such issues you neglected to disclose in your application, now is the time to update your file. 

Please make any necessary disclosures to the Admissions Office no later than Sunday, August 16, using the InatGWlaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (InatGW[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu) email address. Please err on the side of disclosure. 

Dean of Students Blog 

To remain engaged with students during remote instruction, we created Illuminate, the official Dean of Students blog. Subscribe and follow us to get the inside scoop on resources, thoughts about recent alumni, how we have been spending our time during quarantine, and more! 

The Dean of Students Office
George Washington Law
202-994-8320
deanofstudentslaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (deanofstudents[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu)

Good afternoon!  Following up from the email you received from the Dean of Students Office this morning, I wanted to introduce you to Academic Excellence at GW Law.  Academic Excellence is the office that assists all students in their pursuit of strong academic performance and potential.  Academic Excellence offers workshops, 1-on-1 counseling, and tutor matching.  While this email is pretty long, it is full of helpful information, and I recommend you keep it saved for quick access!

Summer Workshops

You are invited to attend a workshop series for incoming students that was designed to demystify the law school experience and jumpstart your orientation to law school.  The Academic Excellence workshop programs cover topics such as “preparing for class” or “fundamentals of the legal system.”

Since the current pandemic prevents us from meeting in-person this year, Academic Excellence will offer this programming virtually.  Here are the LIVE virtual one-hour sessions for this summer:

Wednesday, July 15, 12 pm: Preparing for Class

Wednesday, July 22, 12 pm: Introduction to Legal Analysis

Wednesday, July 29, 12 pm: Succeeding Inside the Classroom

Wednesday, August 5, 12 pm: Beginning Your Academic Excellence Journey (in order to prepare, students may prepare questions to ask current students and DOS staff members).

All four summer workshops will be recorded with links made available for later viewing. Students may RSVP for these workshops in this Google Form. Access instructions will be automatically sent following the submission of the Google Form.  Links to 2020 workshop recordings will be published closer to the start of Orientation.  

2019 Video Links and Documents

The 2019 Academic Excellence pre-orientation programming was recorded. Substantively, that content is still very helpful, and similar content is being disseminated in the 2020 live virtual workshops.  If you are interested in preparing for the live 2020 summer workshop by viewing the 2019 workshop recordings, the links are below.  In the 2019 videos, you will hear reference to specific handouts. Those materials can be accessed here.  

8/12/2019: The Law School Student Experience & Preparing for Class; Fundamentals of U.S. Legal Structure 

8/13/2019: Introduction to Legal Analysis; Study Aids and Practice Resources 

8/14/2019: Strategies For Succeeding Inside the Classroom; Upper-Level Student Panel 

Summer Reading

You need not "pre-learn" legal doctrine!  Your faculty will take great care to explain the substantive law once you arrive in class.  There are about a thousand books written that discuss success in law school.  I’ve read most of them, and would encourage you to take anything you read with a grain of salt.  If you're resolved to read a couple of books like these before you begin law school, I like these two the most: Succeeding in Law School (Ramy), and How to Write Law Exams (Strong & Desnoyer).  

Zero-L

GW Law has partnered with Harvard Law School to make Zero-L available to its students.  Zero-L is an online course designed by Harvard Law School to introduce incoming law students to the American legal system, the vocabulary of law school, and what it means to be a law student in the U.S.  Self-paced, with engaging video lessons, vocabulary flashcards, and optional knowledge checks, the course is designed to ensure that all incoming students, whatever their backgrounds and previous areas of study, start with foundational knowledge that enables them to thrive at law school. 

In order to register and participate in Zero-L, GW Law students should complete this Google form.  Students will then be contacted by Harvard Law School directly to enroll in Zero-L.  Please reach out to hlsonlinelaw [dot] harvard [dot] edu (hlsonline[at]law[dot]harvard[dot]edu) if you have any account or technical questions.

Contact

Academic Excellence has a webpage with many additional resources.  I invite you to contact me directly with any questions you may have by emailing me at arealonlaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (arealon[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu).  If you are interested in scheduling a virtual meet-and-greet, you can do so here.

Congratulations on beginning law school!  Be excited!

Andrew D. Realon, Esq.
Program Administrator for Academic Excellence