Georgetown Law: A Path To Legal Scholarship?

can i become a legal scholar from georgetown law

If you're interested in becoming a legal scholar, Georgetown Law offers a vibrant community of over 2,500 students, faculty, and staff, with a variety of resources to help you achieve your goal. The school, founded in 1870, is located near the Supreme Court, the United States Congress, and the Library of Congress, providing a unique environment for creative legal thought and learning. With a focus on both the philosophical, political, and ethical dimensions of law, as well as mastery of specific fields, Georgetown Law offers a wide range of courses and hands-on experiential learning opportunities in Washington, D.C. The school's Business Law Scholars Program provides practical training and business connections through access to top executives, mentorship, and specialized coursework. Additionally, the Federal Legislation Clinic allows students to gain practical experience in the legal and political intricacies of passing legislation.

Characteristics Values
Year founded 1870
Location Washington, DC
Number of courses offered per year 300+
Number of law journals 150+
Number of students 2,500+
Number of faculty One of the nation's largest
Number of academic institutions attended N/A
Number of academic honors or awards N/A
LSAT score age requirement Within the last 5 years
Number of clinics 16
Number of students per year in clinics 270

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Application requirements

Georgetown Law is one of the most prestigious law schools in the US, receiving the most applications of any other law school in the country. With an acceptance rate of 12.9% (or 20.13% according to another source), it is challenging to get into Georgetown Law School. The school ranks as the 14th-best law school in the nation, meaning it is one of the T14 law schools.

Georgetown Law grants merit- and need-based fee waivers on a case-by-case basis. Fee waivers are also granted to active Teach for America corps members and alumni, Peace Corps volunteers, military veterans and service members, and Truman Scholars. Applicants must secure a fee waiver before submitting their application, and those who received a fee waiver in the previous admissions cycle are not eligible to receive another one.

The application requirements for Georgetown Law are as follows:

  • A nonrefundable $85 fee must be submitted at the time of application by credit card through LSAC.
  • Only one letter of recommendation is required, but additional letters are welcome. Ideally, at least one of the letters should be from a professor who can speak to your academic accomplishments.
  • There is no minimum or maximum length for the personal statement, but it is recommended to keep it around two pages double-spaced. The personal statement can be on any subject that will enable the Admissions Committee to get to know you.
  • There are no numerical cut-offs for GPA or LSAT scores, but on average, admitted students have impressive academic records and diverse portfolios. The median GPA of matriculants is 3.92, and the median LSAT score is 171 (96th percentile).

Georgetown Law is located in Washington, D.C., the nation's capital, which offers unique learning experiences to students. The campus is within walking distance of the Supreme Court, the United States Congress, and the Library of Congress, providing a unique environment for creative legal thought and learning. The school has a vibrant community of more than 2,500 students, faculty, and staff and offers over 150 law journals, societies, organizations, and affinity groups.

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Business Law Scholars Program

Georgetown Law, founded in 1870, is a diverse and dynamic intellectual community for studying law. The curriculum includes a wide range of courses and seminars, and its distinguished full-time faculty is one of the largest in the nation. The school's campus is located within walking distance of the Supreme Court, the United States Congress, and the Library of Congress, providing a unique environment for creative legal thought and learning.

Georgetown Law offers several Scholars Programs, including the Business Law Scholars Program, which provides students with extensive practical training and business connections. This rigorous program combines unparalleled access to Georgetown alumni, practical coursework, and a unique mentoring program. Students selected for this competitive program work closely with faculty leads to develop the business acumen required for careers in corporate law.

The Business Law Scholars Program has three key components:

  • Access to top business executives and corporate attorneys: Students have the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and learn from their experiences.
  • Mentoring program: Scholars are paired with previous Scholars, GLAW alumni, and each other. This program is designed to guide students through law school and into their legal practice, providing invaluable support and guidance.
  • Coursework: The curriculum combines a broad base in corporate law with two exclusive courses for Business Law Scholars, ensuring a well-rounded education.

Students who complete the Business Law Scholars Program will be well-equipped to pursue careers in corporate law, whether as associates in law firms, as counsel in companies, or even as entrepreneurs starting their own businesses. The program's focus on practical training and business connections sets it apart and helps students develop the skills and network necessary for success in their legal careers.

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Clinical experience

One example is the Federal Legislation Clinic, where students work with nonprofit clients to advance their legislative priorities in Congress. In this clinic, students have the opportunity to represent clients facing real legal challenges, serving as the lead lawyer on cases and learning the practical art of lawyering. Another clinic mentioned is the International Monetary Fund externship, where students can build a network of lawyers from around the world.

Georgetown Law also offers the Business Law Scholars Program, which provides students with extensive practical training and business connections. This program includes access to top business executives and corporate attorneys, a mentoring program, and specialised coursework. The mentoring program, in particular, has been praised by students for its effectiveness in guiding them through their legal studies and into their legal practice.

The school's clinical offerings extend beyond traditional legal practice, with a focus on the intersection of law and other disciplines. For example, one student shares how they pursued their interest in the overlap between health equity and legal advocacy through their clinical experience at Georgetown Law.

Overall, the clinical programs at Georgetown Law provide students with a unique opportunity to apply their legal knowledge in real-world settings, develop their professional networks, and gain practical skills that will serve them well in their future legal careers.

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Campus and location

The Georgetown University Law Center is located in the Capitol Hill area of Washington, D.C. The campus is situated near Union Station and Capitol Hill, at 600 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC, 20001. It is easily accessible by various means of transportation. By taxi, the travel time to the Law Center from the airport is about 15 minutes, and the fare is approximately $15.00. It is important to specify to the driver that the destination is the Law Center, not the main undergraduate campus. By Metro, the travel time is approximately 30 minutes. The Metro station is located across the street from the main terminal at National Airport. Take the Yellow Line to Gallery Place, and from there, transfer to the Red Line (toward Glenmont) and disembark at Union Station. The campus can also be reached by taking the Orange Line toward New Carrollton and transferring at Metro Center to the Red Line (toward Glenmont).

The campus is within walking distance of several significant landmarks, including the U.S. Capitol Building, the United States Congress, and the Library of Congress, providing a unique environment for legal scholarship and learning. The campus consists of five buildings, each serving specific functions and housing various facilities. The academic centre of the campus is the Bernard P. McDonough Hall, which includes lecture halls, seminar rooms, faculty offices, a student dining area, and lounges. The hall was designed by Edward Durell Stone and underwent expansions in 1997 to accommodate the growing needs of the law school.

The Eric E. Hotung International Law Center, named after Hong Kong businessman and philanthropist Eric Edward Hotung, was added to the campus in 2004. This building brings together the major components of Georgetown Law's international programs and houses the John Wolff International and Comparative Law Library. The library, named after long-serving adjunct faculty member and supporter of international law programs, John Wolff, collects and makes available a diverse range of primary and secondary law materials from various countries. It also boasts an extensive collection of public and private international law resources, covering a wide range of topics.

The campus also features the Scott K. Ginsburg Sport and Fitness Center, which includes a four-lane lap pool, basketball and racquetball courts, and a café and lounge with wireless internet access. The Gewirz Student Center, added in 1993, provides on-campus living for 250-300 students and hosts offices for several academic centres and institutes. It also houses essential amenities such as a student health clinic, a prayer room, and a daycare centre. The Edward Bennett Williams Law Library, added in 1989, is one of the largest academic law libraries in the nation, supporting the research endeavours of Georgetown University Law Center students and faculty.

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Student life

The academic centre of the campus is McDonough Hall, which houses lecture halls, seminar rooms, faculty offices, a student dining area, and lounges. The Hotung Building brings together the major components of Georgetown Law's international programs and includes the John Wolff International and Comparative Law Library. The campus also features a sports and fitness centre with a four-lane lap pool, basketball and racquetball courts, and a café and lounge with wireless connectivity.

The Law Center's Edward Bennett Williams Law Library houses one of the largest academic law library collections in the nation. The school offers a wide range of courses and seminars, with a distinguished full-time faculty that is one of the nation's largest. The curriculum includes philosophical, political, and ethical dimensions of law, in addition to the mastery of law.

Students at Georgetown Law can join over 150 law journals, societies, organizations, and affinity groups to supplement their academic pursuits. The school also offers 16 clinics where approximately 270 students per year can represent real clients facing legal challenges and learn the practical art of lawyering. The Business Law Scholars Program provides students with practical training and business connections through access to top business executives and corporate attorneys, a mentoring program, and specialized coursework.

The Student Bar Association and various student-faculty committees allow students to share in the governance of the Law Center. The Office of Career Services (OCS) and the Office of Public Interest and Community Service (OPICS) offer counselling and programming on various career paths, including government and nonprofit internships and employment.

Frequently asked questions

The Business Law Scholars Program at Georgetown Law is a rigorous program that provides students with extensive practical training and business connections. It offers three unique components: access to top business executives and corporate attorneys, a mentoring program, and specialised coursework.

All applicants must register with LSAC's CAS to transmit academic transcripts to Georgetown Law. Transcripts from all schools attended must be sent to LSAC directly from the institution. Additionally, applicants are required to submit an LSAT, GRE, or GMAT score from the last five years. There are exceptions for applicants to the Evening Program and those applying through the Early Assurance program.

Georgetown Law offers 16 clinics that provide approximately 270 students annually with the opportunity to represent actual clients facing legal challenges. In these clinics, students act as lead lawyers and learn about lawyering while providing legal representation to underrepresented individuals and organisations.

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