American University Washington College of Law Receives Top Rankings for Diversity, International Law, and Environmental Law from PreLaw Magazine

Feb. 5, 2019

Three students standing at Capitol Hill
 

American University Washington College of Law received an A+ for International Law, an A grade for Diversity, and an A- for Environmental Law in rankings released in the Winter 2019 edition of PreLaw Magazine.

The grades for Diversity were based on how well law schools match up with the U.S. average for each minority population, considering both the student and the faculty populations. PreLaw notes that the AUWCL faculty is 20.7% minority and the student body is 38.6% minority.

“At Washington College of Law, a commitment to diversity and inclusion is at our core,” said Dean Camille Nelson. “We are pleased to be recognized among our peer law schools in this area, and will continue to provide a welcome environment and myriad opportunities to students of all interests and backgrounds.”

The grades for International Law and Environmental Law were based on the breadth of the schools’ curricular offerings in these specialty areas. The scores were given the following weights: 30% for a concentration, 24% for a clinic, 12% for a center, 12% for an externship, 8% for a student group, and 5% for a certificate.

AUWCL’s International and Comparative Law Program, which includes a Summer Abroad Program, 6 International JD Dual Degree Programs, and more than 20 specialized international programs, has consistently been recognized as a top international law program in the country by U.S. News and World Report. More than 26 full-time faculty teach in the area of international law at AUWCL.

“International and comparative law have long been a central focus of WCL, as our motto has been 'where the world meets to study law,'" said Professor Padideh Ala’i, director of international and comparative legal studies. "Our internationally focused faculty bring academic depth in many areas of international law, such as business, trade, investment, arbitration, gender, human rights and humanitarian law. WCL faculty are also engaged in the promotion and dissemination of international law around the world.  WCL currently welcomes students from over 50 countries into our law school and draws upon the expertise of over 4000 international alumni from around the world to enrich our academic community.  Our premier international law education offers unique global opportunities for our students’ careers."

The AUWCL Environmental Law program relaunched last year as the Program on Environmental and Energy Law. It includes a curriculum of more than 25 environmental and energy law-related courses, 4 student-run environmental, energy, and animal law organizations and more than 25 high profile adjunct professors who practice in the field.

“The AUWCL Program on Environmental and Energy Law provides students with numerous classroom and field opportunities to learn from professors and practitioners engaged with pressing international and domestic issues,” said the Program’s Director, Professor Amanda Leiter. “Our many D.C.-area alumni work in government, industry, private firms, and NGOs, and serve as mentors and professional contacts for graduates looking to build their careers in this dynamic field.”