Student Organizations

Discover Our Student Organizations

To learn more about each student organization, click on the individual links below.

Affinity Groups

Africa Legal ConferenceAfrica Legal Conference was founded in November 2015 by a group of four students. The conference attracts scholars, practitioners, and students from all over the world. The goal of the conference is to connect our legal community to Africa through the law.

Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA) The Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA) is dedicated to Asian Pacific American legal scholarship and cultural awareness at the American University Washington College of Law and within the District of Columbia area.

Black Law Students AssociationThe mission of our chapter at the Washington College of Law is to strengthen the bonds of friendship, community, and professional development of African-American students at WCL.

Italian-American Law Society (ITALSA) The Italian American Law Students Association is a student group that celebrates and connects Italian Americans in the legal field.

Jewish Law Students Association (JLSA) JLSA is a nondenominational organization, which strives to provide support and a sense of community for Jewish students. We are dedicated to creating fun programming for Jewish law students, professors, and our friends at the American University Washington College of Law.

Latino/a Law Students' Association (LaLSA)Founded in 1984-1985, the Latino/a Law Students' Association (LaLSA)* provides a forum for Latino/a issues, both international and domestic, that are important to current students of the American University, Washington College of Law (AUWCL).

General Organizations

Action for Human Rights Action for Human Rights (AHR) is a student organization that brings together students and faculty to promote awareness of domestic and international human rights issues and their legal implications.

ADVANCEADVANCE is WCL’s only mentorship program geared toward the retention of first generation law students. ADVANCE provides 1L members with a 2L or 3L mentor who has been in their shoes and knows what it’s like to navigate law school as a first generation student.

American Constitution SocietyAmerican Constitution Society seeks to restore the fundamental principles of respect for human dignity, protection of individual rights and liberties, genuine equality, and access to justice to their rightful - and traditionally central - place in American law.

Amnesty International AUWCLAmnesty International WCL Chapter shares the vision of Amnesty International and works to advance human rights. It provides Washington College of Law's student body with a forum to discuss and learn more about current rights issues with the aim of stopping both domestic and international human rights violations.

Animal Law SocietyWCL Animal Law Society Provides a forum for education, advocacy & scholarship aimed at protecting the lives & advancing the interests of animals through the legal system.

Business Law SocietyThe Business Law Society's goal is to provide law students with access to alumni who are working in the area of business law and with access to information concerning business law courses, programs and information regarding the study of business law and future careers in business law.

Communications Law SocietyThe Society provides a forum for members to network with communications attorneys in the Washington, DC area and for students to share their experiences from working in the field.

Criminal Law SocietyThe CLS is dedicated to creating opportunities for students interested in criminal law to interact with faculty, practitioners, judges, and community organizations that work in the field by holding panel discussions, networking events, field trips, career services programs, and volunteer community service.

Disability Law SocietyThe Disability Law Society works to create an open, sustainable and accessible environment for students to raise awareness of and advocate for disability rights in the Washington College of Law (“WCL”) community, the neighboring community, the legal profession, and society at large.

Equal Justice FoundationEstablished in 1989, the Equal Justice Foundation (EJF) is a non-profit, student-run organization that is dedicated to closing the justice gap for underrepresented populations.

Energy Law Society The Energy Law Society (ELS) connects students, alumni, and professors on developments in energy law. ELS builds awareness, creates opportunities, and is both a professional and social network for friends and colleagues sharing an interest in energy.

Environmental Law SocietyThe Society's mission is to encourage students and community members to support environmental initiatives.

European Law AssociationThe Association's mission is to create greater knowledge of European tradition and legal system via intellectual exchange and discussions.

Family Law Society The Family Law Society's mission is to enhance the education and raise awareness of the family law field and opportunities therein for the student body, to establish and maintain a networking relationship with practicing family law attorneys, and to enrich the role of family law practice in the community.

Health Law & Policy Students Association (HLPSA)HLPSA seeks to encourage professional development, explore career opportunities, expand the health law curriculum, and raise awareness of the right to health.

Information Security & Privacy LawThe Information Security & Privacy (ISP) Law student group is the first ever student group dedicated to data at the Washington College of Law. This group seeks to increase the level of discourse on campus and in our community on all things related to data security and information privacy.

Immigrants' Rights Coalition (IRC)The Coalition organizes several events each semester, including community service opportunities, experiential learning projects, and lunchtime discussions with legal practitioners and representatives from the immigrants' rights advocacy community.

Intellectual Property Law Society (IPLS)The Society provides a forum for the exchange of information and ideas in intellectual property law, the IPLS sponsors speakers, seminars, and conferences that cover a wide variety of current topics in patent, trademark, and copyright law.

International Refugee Assistance Project IRAP is a student-led organization that allows law students to work directly with clients to help them navigate complex refugee law. IRAP works with supervising attorneys to assist clients with Special Immigrant Visas, resettlement, Requests for Review, and other matters related to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

Juvenile Justice SocietyThe Juvenile Justice Society at WCL was created in 2015 by Charles Ross and Kieley Sutton. The organization seeks to fill the gap in the school and in the community when it comes to serving and representing juveniles.

Lambda Law SocietyLambda is dedicated to building awareness about LGBTQ legal issues, eliminating stereotypes about LGBTQ individuals, and fostering a supportive LGBTQ and ally community throughout the law school.

Law RevueWelcome to the most fun organization on campus, Law Revue! (jazz hands) If you like laughing, singing (off-key, sometimes), and poking fun at the law school experience, then you’ve come to the right place.

National Lawyers GuildThe Washington College of Law chapter of the National Lawyers Guild strives to bring human rights and legal activism to the law school community.

Sports and Entertainment Law SocietyThe Sports & Entertainment Law Society (SELS) seeks to provide students who have an interest in sports or entertainment law with a mechanism to become involved in and acquire a greater knowledge of the issues in these fields.

Women's Law AssociationThe Women’s Law Association (WLA) is a student organization providing a diverse feminist forum for Washington College of Law (WCL) students to address legal, social, political, and educational issues facing women today around the world.