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Facts about the Washington College of Law
The Washington College of Law (WCL), founded in 1896, has been part of American University since 1949. WCL is a member of the Association of American Law Schools and is approved by the American Bar Association. The law school also meets the requirements for preparation for the bar in all states and carries the certification for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and the New York State Department of Education.
Our Students
As of October 1, 2006, there are 1,216 full-time JD students, 267 part-time JD students, 160 LLM students and 15 SJD students.
Location of WCL
Located in the northwest edge of Washington, D.C., near the Maryland state line, the law school is 20 minutes from the White House, yet it is set within the green boundaries of a residential neighborhood. WCL, in short, offers the best of Washington, D.C. WCL is located at 4801 Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, D.C., with another set of offices located down the street at 4910 Massachusetts Avenue.
History of WCL
WCL is an institution with a unique heritage. It was founded over one hundred years ago by two pioneering women - Ellen Spencer Mussey and Emma Gillett - at a time when women were generally excluded from the legal profession. The founders created a tradition of providing opportunities for those historically outside the mainstream of the legal profession. They also believed that lawyers had a crucial role to play in the development of society, business, government, and individual freedoms. Their extraordinary foresight and perseverance has formed the foundation for this law school. Over one hundred years later, as a center of educational scholarly excellence, where women and men from all backgrounds continue to pursue the founders' mission, WCL is a testament to these women's ideals and tenacity.
Incorporated by the District of Columbia in April 1898, the Washington College of Law became the first law school in the world founded by women; the first to have a woman dean; and the first to graduate an all-female law school class. Significantly, WCL's original articles of incorporation stated, "primarily the college aims to provide such a legal education for women as will enable them to practice the legal profession." It is noteworthy that male enrollment began as early as 1897.
Click here to learn more about the history of WCL.
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