Washington University School of Law-St. Louis

Overview ²

A Washington University Law education will introduce you to all facets of the law, while also empowering you to personalize your curriculum and further investigate your areas of interest. Our program is designed to educate well-rounded, thoughtful attorneys. You will be well-prepared to make a difference for your clients, with a solid foundation in the history of the law and the skills to respond to new challenges.

Student-Faculty Ratio ³

7.5:1

Admission Criteria ⁴

	LSAT	GPA
25th-75th Percentile	160-169	3.15-3.81
Median	170	3.67

The above LSAT and GPA data pertain to the 2016 entering class.

Director of admissions	Mary Ann Clifford
Application deadline	August 15

Law School Admissions details based on 2016 data.

Admission Statistics ⁴

Approximate number of applications	4113
Number accepted	1311
Percentage accepted	31.9%

The above admission details are based on 2016 data.

Law School Cost ⁵

Tuition and fees Full-time:	$53,506 per year
Room and board	$14,400
Books	$2,000
Miscellaneous expenses	$7,211

Law School Cost details based on 2016 data.

Class Ranking and Grades ⁶

Effective with the class of 2013, the Washington University School of Law changed the grading system from number grades (70- 100) to letter grades (A, B, etc.), along with changing the GPAs to a 4.0 scale (based on 31 number grades separated by .06, ranging from 2.50-4.30) that continue to allow the Faculty to distinguish between students’ scores to a greater degree than the systems at most other Law Schools. The conversion scale is:

Letter Grades	Values
A+	4.00-4.30
A	3.76-3.94
A-	3.58-3.70
B+	3.34-3.52
B	3.16-3.28
B-	3.04-3.10
C+	2.92-2.98
C	2.80-2.86
D	2.74
F	2.50-2.68

Effective with the class of 2004 and ending with the class of 2013, the Washington University School of Law instituted a grading system with a scale of 70 - 100. Effective with that graduating class, the middle score in the scale was changed from an 83 to an 87. With this new scale, a grade of 74 or better was necessary to earn credit in a course. A 79 average was necessary to remain in good standing each year and overall in the new scale. The conversion of number grades to letter grades (updated in 2013) is:

A+	95-100
A	91-94
A-	88-90
B+	84-87
B	81-83
B-	79-80
C+	77-78
C	75-76
D	74
F	70-73

Additional Grades Codes:

The law school offers following additional grade codes:

AUD	Audit
CR# or CR	Credit
CIP	Course In Progress
N	Grade Not Recorded
HP	High Pass
NCR# or NCR	No credit
I – Incomplete	Incomplete
IP	In Progress
P	Pass
PW	Permitted to withdraw
RX	Reexamined in course
LP	Low Pass
RW	Required to withdraw
R	Course repeated

Honors ⁷

Boston College Law School does not rank its students. An approximation of grade distributions is issued for the 2L and 3L classes at the end of each semester, and for the 1L class at the end of the Academic Year.

Latin Honors are awarded at graduation as follows:

Honor	Criteria
Order of the Coif	The Order of the Coif is an honorary scholastic society (http://www.orderofthecoif.org) the purpose of which is to encourage excellence in legal education by fostering a spirit of careful study, recognizing those who as law students attained a high grade of scholarship, and honoring those who as lawyers, judges and teachers attained high distinction for their scholarly or professional accomplishments. J.D. students who rank in the top ten per cent of their class are selected, barring any disciplinary or honor issues. Based on Order of the Coif rules, in order to be eligible a student must have taken 75% of his/her credits "graded." If a student plans to graduate with the 86 minimum credits required for the J.D, this means s/he must take at least 64 credits graded, and no more than 22 credits non-graded. According to the Order of the Coif, "'Graded courses' are those for which academic accomplishment is recorded on the basis of educational measurement involving four or more discriminators." WUSL's modified pass/fail courses (HP94, P, LP78, F70), such as Pretrial and Trial, count as graded courses per this definition. Credit bearing activities such as publications, competitions (participants and board members), supervised research, Judicial Clerkship, Negotiation, and Non-Law courses do not count as graded courses because there are only two grade discriminators - Credit or No Credit. Students vying for the top 10% should keep this information in mind, especially if considering applying for a semester abroad (which would likely involve at least 12 non-graded credits) or doing an externship (the Congressional/Administrative Law externship has 8 non-graded credits, and other externships usually have 12 non-graded credits). Initiates receive certificates and the honor appears on the transcript.
Dean’s List	This honor is bestowed upon J.D. students at the end of the fall and spring semesters and is based on the semester grade point average. Students whose semester GPAs are in the top 1/3 of their J.D. Class make the Dean’s List for that semester. The honor appears on the transcript.
summa cum laude	J.D. students graduating in the top 2% of their class earn summa cum laude honors
magna cum laude	students in the top 10% earn magna cum laude honors
cum laude	students in the top 33 1/3% (top third) earn cum laude honors
Honor Scholar	This honor is bestowed upon J.D. students at the end of the academic year and is based on the yearly grade point. J.D. students who rank in the top 10% of their class according to their yearly GPAs are designated as Honor Scholars. Recipients receive a letter from the Dean and the honor appears on the transcript.

Awards ⁸

Name of Award	Awarded for/to
The Breckinridge Academic Awards - First and Second Honors	The Breckinridge Academic Awards - First and Second Honors These awards are given at the end of each school year to the two students in each J.D. Class having the first and second highest academic averages for that academic year. The winners receive: certificates and the award appears on the transcripts.
Honor Scholar Awards	This honor is bestowed upon J.D. students at the end of the academic year and is based on the yearly grade point. J.D. students who rank in the top 10% of their class according to their yearly GPAs are designated as Honor Scholars. Recipients receive a letter from the Dean and the honor appears on the transcript.
Alumni Association Award	This honor is bestowed by the Alumni Association of the School upon the member of the J.D. graduating class who attains the highest grade point average in his or her entire School of Law career. The winner receives a certificate, and the honor appears on the transcript.
American Bar Association Section of State and Local Government Law, Student Excellence Award	This award recognizes an outstanding student in the areas of land use law and/or local government law. The honoree receives a current ABA Section of State & Local Government Law publication and a certificate of recognition from the ABA Section. The honor appear on the transcript.
Charles Trobman Memorial Award	This award is in memory of Charles Trobman, JD'95, and is presented to the graduating J.D. student with the highest grade in Immigration Law. The winner receives a certificate and the honor appears on the transcript.
Charles Wendell Carnahan Award	This award is given to the graduating J.D. student achieving the highest final grade in Conflict of Laws. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Christophine G. Mutharika International Law Award	This prize was created by Professor A. Peter Mutharika and his family in memory of his late wife, Christophine. The award is given to the graduating J.D. student with the highest grade in International Law. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Clinical Legal Education Association (CLEA) Outstanding Student Award	This award is presented to a J.D. graduating student for excellence in clinical fieldwork based on the high quality of representation provided to clients, and for outstanding participation in an accompanying clinical seminar as determined by exemplary thoughtfulness and self-reflectiveness in exploring pertinent legal and lawyering issues. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Dan Carter-Earl Tedrow Memorial Award	Established by the J.D. Class of 1958 in memory of their classmates, Dan Carter and Earl Tedrow, this award is given to the senior who, because he/she has demonstrated an agreeable and mature attitude, an active interest in law school affairs, a conscientious regard for studies, a helpful and understanding relationship with associates, and an inclination to further the ideals of the legal profession, is selected by the Senior Class as the exemplification of the aims of all those entering the profession of law. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
David M. Becker Public Service Fellow	This award is presented to a J.D. graduating student with demonstrated commitment to public interest legal issues both prior to and while attending the School of Law. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Dean's Leadership Award	This award is presented in some school years by the Dean to a graduating J.D. student in recognition of outstanding leadership and service to the School of Law. The winner receives a book from the Dean, a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Don Sommers Award in Professional Responsibility	Don Sommers Award in Professional Responsibility This award is presented to the J.D. graduating student who received the highest grade in Legal Profession. All ethics curriculum courses with enrollments of at least 30 qualify as “Legal Profession” for purposes of granting this award. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Equal Justice Works Award	This award is presented to J.D. students in recognition of outstanding commitment to pro bono and public service. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Excellence in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution Award	[formerly the Excellence in Alternative Dispute Resolution Award] This award is presented to students who have excelled in the Law School's NDR classes or the NDR competitions: Client Counseling, Negotiation, and Representation in Mediation Competitions.
F. Hodge O’Neal Corporate Law Award	This award is presented to the J.D. graduating student with the highest grade in Corporations. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Family Law Award	This award is presented to the graduating J.D. student receiving the highest grade in Family Law. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Gary I. Boren Memorial Award	This award was created by Michael Goldstein and the law firm of Suelthaus & Kaplan in memory of Professor Boren. This is awarded to the highest ranking student completing the LL.M. in Taxation. The winner receives a certificate and the honor appears on the transcript.
Intellectual Property & Technology Award	This is awarded to the highest ranking student completing the LL.M. in Intellectual Property and Technology Law. The winner receives a certificate and the honor appears on the transcript.
International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award	This award is made possible by the International Academy of Trial Lawyers for the encouragement of competent courtroom practice and is to be chosen from J.D. students demonstrating proficiency in advocacy and litigation skills, as demonstrated in classes or competitions. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
International LL.M. Best Advocate Award	This award is presented to a graduating LL.M. student for excellence in analysis and advocacy demonstrated in the Introduction to U.S. Law & Methods courses. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Jack Garden Humanitarian Award	This award is presented to a graduating J.D. student who has contributed significantly to the School of Law or the broader community. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Joseph Kutten Awards in Bankruptcy and Insurance	These awards are presented to the J.D. graduating students who received the highest grades in Bankruptcy and Insurance. The winners each receive a certificate and the awards appear on the transcripts.
Judge Amandus Brackman Moot Court Award	This award is presented to a graduating J.D. student for proficiency in briefing and arguing cases in Moot Court competitions. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Judge John W. Calhoun Trial Practice Award	This award is given to the graduating J.D. student who has demonstrated exceptional talent and enthusiasm for trial practice, as demonstrated in classes or competitions. The winner receives a certificate and the honor appears on the transcript.
Judge Myron D. Mills Administrative Law Award	This award is presented to the graduating J.D. student who has written the best paper on an Administrative Law topic in a course for credit during each academic year. The Associate Dean will solicit from members of the faculty nominations of student work in the Administrative Law field; the Associate Dean shall call upon one teacher with expertise in Administrative Law to choose the best paper from among those nominated. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Legal Practice Excellence Award	This award is presented for excellence in Legal Practice (first year course). The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
LL.M. Best Advocate Award	[See International LL.M. Best Advocate Award]
Mary Collier Hitchcock Prize	This award is presented to one J.D. graduating member of each of the four Washington University publications (Law Review, Journal of Law and Policy, Global Studies Law Review, and Jurisprudence Review) for outstanding writing. The winners receive a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Milton F. Napier Trial Award	This award is made possible by the Lawyers Association. It is presented to a graduating J.D. student who exhibits proficiency in trial advocacy, as demonstrated in classes or competitions. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
National Association of Women Lawyers Outstanding Law Graduate Award	This award is presented to a J.D. graduating student for academic achievement, professional image, and commitment to the advancement of women in society. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Philip Gallop Award	This award is presented to the graduating J.D. student receiving the highest grade in Real Estate Transactions. This award given in honor of Mr. Philip Gallop by his family. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Public Service Law Student of the Year	This award is presented to the graduating J.D. student who has demonstrated extraordinary commitment and dedication to serving those most in need. The winner receives a certificate and the honor appears on the transcript.
Stuart L. Oelbaum Public Service Fellow	This award is presented to a J.D. graduating student who has demonstrated commitment to public interest legal issues both prior to and while attending the School of Law. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
Washington University Association of Women Faculty Graduate Student Award	This award is presented to a graduating student in recognition of scholarly excellence and leadership potential among women students in the second year of graduate school or beyond. This is a University-wide award that may be awarded to a Law student The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.
William M. Pomerantz Trial Award	Established in May 1987 by the family of William M. Pomerantz, a prominent trial attorney in Hartford, Connecticut, for nearly fifty years, a graduate of Pennsylvania and Boston University Law School, and committed to excellence in the art of trial advocacy. This award is presented to a member of the J.D. graduating class for excellence in regional mock trial competition. The winner receives a certificate and the award appears on the transcript.

Journals ^9-12

The School publishes four student-edited journals:

Washington University Law Review

Inaugurated as the St. Louis Law Review in 1915 and retitled the Washington University Law Quarterly in 1936, the Washington University Law Review is a student-run academic journal that publishes six issues per year. Our staff selects and edits articles from legal scholars, practitioners, and students, and we welcome submissions on any legal topic.

Washington University Journal of Law and Policy

The Journal of Law and Policy is committed to generating a symposium-based publication that brings together communities of scholars, through a mutual and collaborative student and faculty process, emphasizing existing and emerging visions of the law in relation to interdisciplinary and multicultural perspectives, the implications of technology, and the consequences of economic globalization for the purpose of influencing law and social policy. In furtherance of this mission, the Journal of Law and Policy, unlike most law reviews, centers each volume around a pertinent theme or issue. The articles therein are authored by professors of law, legal practitioners, judges, and distinguished scholars from a variety of academic disciplines.

Washington University Global Studies Law Review

Welcome to the internet home of Washington University Global Studies Law Review. Building on Washington University's distinguished reputation, Global Studies presents outstanding articles, book reviews, essays, and notes from prestigious academics, practitioners and prominent students to expand the global community's knowledge and understanding of real-world issues. Global Studies Law Review publishes quarterly.

Washington University Jurisprudence Review

Washington University Jurisprudence Review is the only student-edited, in-print journal of jurisprudence in the United States. The Jurisprudence Review promotes academic discussion and scholarship at the nexus of law and legal theory by publishing two issues per year with works that contribute to analytic, normative, and comparative jurisprudence from scholars both within and without the legal academy. We also seek to enrich the law school experience by fostering critical analysis of the suppositions and theories that underpin the law school curriculum.

Moot Court ¹³

The School offers a rich program of lawyering skills competitions to the curricula. Both first-year and upper-class students are encouraged to refine their lawyering techniques through our various lawyer advocacy competitions. Some of the competitions earn academic credit, and all of the competitions provide excellent training in valuable lawyering skills and professional values. The trial and appellate skills competitions are administered by the Trial and Advocacy Program, and client counseling, negotiation, mediation, and other alternative dispute resolution (ADR) competitions are administered by the ADR Program. Below are the different moot courts offered here:

• Environmental Law Intramural Moot Court
• National Environmental Law Moot Court
• Wiley Rutledge Intramural Moot Court
• ABA National Appellate Advocacy Moot Court
• William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court
• Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court
• Niagara International Law Moot Court
• Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court
• Giles Sutherland Rich Moot Court

Clinical Programs ¹⁴

Recognizing that acquiring professional skills and values in a real world context is an essential component of legal education, Washington University Law guarantees every interested student at least one clinical opportunity during his or her second or third year of law school.

Listed below are clinical courses available to all law students at Washington University Law:

• Appellate Clinic
• Children's Rights Clinic
• Civil Rights, Community Justice & Mediation
• Congressional & Administrative Law Externship
• Corporate Judicial Externship
• Criminal Justice Clinic
• Entrepreneurship and Intellectual Property Clinic
• Government Lawyering Externship
• Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic
• International Justice and Conflict Resolution Externship
• Judicial Clerkship Externship
• Lawyering Practice Externship
• Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
• New York City Regulatory and Business Externship
• Post-Conviction Relief Clinical Practicum
• Prosecution Clinic
• Semester-in-Practice Externship
• Summer Clinical Opportunities
• Supervised Practicum
• Urban Revitalization Clinical Practicum

Placement Facts ¹⁵

Starting Salaries (2015 Graduates Employed Full-Time)

Private sector (25th-75th percentile)	$70,000 - $160,000
Median in the private sector	$112,500
Median in public service	$60,000

Employment Details

Graduates known to be employed at graduation	61.1%
Graduates known to be employed ten months after graduation	85.6%

Areas of Legal Practice

Graduates Employed In	Percentage
Law Firms	55%
Business and Industry	17.6%
Government	10.4%
Judicial Clerkships	8.6%
Public Interest Organizations	6.8%
Academia	1.8%
Unknown	0%

Externships/Internships ^16-17

Externships

Externship Courses

Our rich and diverse group of lawyering courses place students out in the community as members of law offices and community organizations at which students provide legal services under the direct supervision of an on-site attorney or judge. These courses expose students to a variety of legal settings in non-profit, community, governmental law offices, and judicial chambers, and a variety of experiences in litigation, policy, judicial and organizational advocacy settings. These externships are local, national and international and include such placements as federal public defender offices, United States Attorneys offices, local, national and international courts, legal services organizations, and Congressional and Administrative offices in Washington, D.C. Washington University Law faculty supervise the experiences of the students in these courses, staying in close contact with the students and their externship supervisors to help them develop their legal skills and to provide a framework for reflection and insight into the legal profession and professional possibilities.

Summer Clinical Opportunities

During the summer, Washington University Law offers a variety of intensive local, national, and international externships. Summer clinical course offerings include the Judicial Clerkship Externship and the Lawyering Practice Externship (LPE). In the summer LPE, students either may seek placements in the regular offices the that the LPE utilize by during the regular academic year or in similar placements in other locations in the United States and abroad.

Internships

IP/TL LLM students are encouraged to apply for unpaid internships either during their academic program or the summer after the program. Alumni and friends of the LLM program offer students opportunities at in-house counsel settings and at law firms of all sizes.

Student Organizations ¹⁸

• American Constitution Society
• American Indian Law Students Association
• Animal Law Society
• Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA)
• Barely Legal Theater
• Black Law Students Association (BLSA)
• China Law Society
• Christian Legal Fellowship
• Community Development, Housing and Real Estate Law Society
• Criminal Law Society
• Education Law & Policy Society
• Energy & Environmental Law Society
• Federalist Society
• Fitness Club
• Future Advocates in Training
• Graduate-Professional Council
• Health Law Association
• Immigration Law Society
• Intellectual Property Law Society
• International Law Society
• Jewish Law Society
• JD/MBA Association
• Latin American Law Students Association(LALSA)
• Law and Social Work Society
• Labor & Employment Law Society
• Law Students for Reproductive Justice
• Law Students For Life
• Middle Eastern Law Students Association
• Negotiation and Dispute Resolution Society
• OUTLaw
• Phi Alpha Delta
• Public Interest Law Society (PILS)
• Real Estate & Economic Development Law Society
• Sidebar Wine Society
• South Asian Law Students Association (SALSA)
• Sports & Entertainment Law Society (SLES)
• Student Bar Association (SBA)
• Student Law Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
• Student Veterans Association (SVA)
• Tax Law Society
• Technology and Privacy Society
• WashU Law Gateway to the West
• Women's Law Caucus (WLC)
• Women of Color Law Society

References

1. http://law.wustl.edu/contact/pages.aspx?id=
2. http://apply.law.wustl.edu/academic-overview
3. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/washington-university-in-st-louis-03092
4. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/washington-university-in-st-louis-03092/admissions
5. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/washington-university-in-st-louis-03092/cost
6. http://law.wustl.edu/registrar/pages.aspx?id=2236
7. http://law.wustl.edu/registrar/pages.aspx?id=2550
8. http://law.wustl.edu/registrar/pages.aspx?id=2550
9. http://law.wustl.edu/WashULaw/lawreview/about-the-publication/
10. http://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_journal_law_policy/
11. http://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_globalstudies/
12. http://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_jurisprudence/
13. http://law.wustl.edu/competitions/pages.aspx
14. http://law.wustl.edu/clinicaled/pages.aspx?id=6898
15. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/washington-university-in-st-louis-03092/career-prospects
16. http://law.wustl.edu/clinicaled/pages.aspx?id=6898
17. http://law.wustl.edu/llmip/
18. http://law.wustl.edu/students/pages.aspx?id=1005