Admissions and Application

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All courses can be taken for professional development. Upon completion of the program, a Certificate of Attendance will be presented to all the attendees.

To apply, candidates must hold a law degree from either an ABA accredited U.S. law school or from a foreign law school with equivalent standards. Please email the Institute Coordinator your request of attendance and a current resume litigationskills@wcl.american.edu. Attorneys licensed in the United Stated may obtain mandatory continuing legal education credit.

Registration:  Apply Online.

Applications must be submitted to the WCL Registrar's Office. External Students enrolling for summer courses must consult and have permission from their home institution. A letter of good standing and permission to enroll at the Washington College of Law must accompany the application. Visiting students can apply to use some or all credits towards a future LL.M. or Certificate from the Washington College of Law. Please contact the Institute Coordinator at litigationskills@wcl.american.edu for further information on this option.

International students must submit their English Proficiency Test scores along with their Applications to the Registrar's office. A Minimum of 95 must be earned by all International students in order to participate in the courses. For Spanish speaking individuals or law schools looking to send 10 or more students to the course, please visit Diplomado en Oral Litigacion Penal.  This is a Spanish language program. For more information on this option, please contact the Institute's Coordinator at litigationskills@wcl.american.edu.

To apply please complete the registration form and send it directly to the Registrar's Office at:

Office of the Registrar
American University Washington College of Law
4300 Nebraska Ave, NW, Suite C107
Washington, DC 20016-8125

Visiting students will earn the following number of credits per course:

Fact Witness Depositions (1 credit)
Expert Witness Depositions (1 credit)
Civil Trial Advocacy (2 credits)

Once the Registrar has received the completed application, a place will be reserved in the individual course using the online reservation process. If you have questions about registering for the appropriate courses, please contact the Institute Coordinator directly.

Please note that no credits will be awarded until attendance in the appropriate course is confirmed by the Institute Director and the final grades have been submitted.

All WCL JD and LL.M. students should register through the Registrar's Office or through your my.american.edu account:

LAW 733-001 Fact Witness Depositions (1 credit)
LAW 734-001 Expert Witness Depositions (1 credit)
LAW 795BP-001 Civil Trial Advocacy (2 credits)

If you have questions about registering for the appropriate courses, please contact the Institute Coordinator directly.

Applicants who have registered or paid a deposit will be informed promptly of any changes in the Summer Session's course offerings, and, in the unlikely event of a course cancellation, will receive a full refund for the course (excluding the application fee of $65, which is non-refundable).

For Academic Credit:
Applicants who have registered or paid a deposit should notify the Institute Coordinator immediately in case of withdrawal. Students who have registered to receive academic credit must also contact the Office of the Registrar for information about withdrawal forms and deadlines. You can contact the Office of the Registrar at:

Office of the Registrar
American University Washington College of Law
4300 Nebraska Ave, Suite C107
Washington, DC 20016
Tel: 202-274-4080
Fax: 202-274-4085

Cancellations and Withdrawals:
Refunds are available only if notice is given three business days prior to the start of classes. Requests for refunds should be directed to:

Litigation Skills Summer Institute
American University Washington College of Law
Attn: Professor Cynthia Goode Works
4300 Nebraska Ave, Rm. C111
Washington, DC 20016
litigationskills@wcl.american.edu
Tel: 202-274-4145