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Studying Law in Washington, DC

Turn Your Aspirations into Practice

There is no place for law students quite like the nation’s capital. With government agencies, international organizations, top law firms, and numerous NGOs located within a short metro ride of American University Washington College of Law, opportunities to gain practical experience and to access DC’s greatest legal minds abound.

Year-Round Access to Top DC Externships and Internships

While law students from other areas are limited to summers or a single semester in DC, AUWCL students hone their skills and build resumes year round at federal government agencies, international organizations, and top NGOs. Jamie Rosenberg ’19 completed a legal internship at the Department of Justice Civil Division following her 1L year.

Top Programs with a DC Focus

Washington, DC Capitol Building

Our location in the nation's capital allows the entire city to become an extension of the classroom. An American University Washington College of Law education builds upon the first year doctrinal courses with a wide variety of experiential opportunities as you enter your second year and beyond. And our 8.5 acre campus connects students with hundreds of DC internship and externship opportunities each year. See examples of our government and policy-related programs below.

Conferences and Symposia Bring the World to AUWCL

Our location in Washington, DC gives American University Washington College of Law access to the greatest legal minds the nation’s capital has to offer, and our innovative programs continuously invite policymakers and top speakers to campus to address today’s hottest topics. At AUWCL, you will hear from, meet, and network with the best!

Faculty With a DC Impact

Professor Jeremi Duru
Professor Jeremi Duru

This is a law school with tremendous faculty who are both practitioners and top scholars in their fields. They take on some of the latest issues in intellectual property, international law, environmental law, and more. Our professors have connections in Washington, DC, and around the world, and they stand ready to introduce you to their networks and work side by side with students in our specialized programs. Check out a few of our faculty members’ latest activities, congressional testimony, and service outside the classroom.

Public Interest – Your Opportunity to Give Back

The Environmental Law Society (ELS) is a student organization dedicated to creating an awareness of current environmental matters. The ELS keeps students and the community informed of important issues in environmental law and policy, promotes scholarship, and provides opportunities to protect the natural environment and its irreplaceable creatures.