2024-2025 School of Law Catalog 
    
    Jul 01, 2024  
2024-2025 School of Law Catalog

Academic Opportunities


 

The German Law Journal:

The German Law Journal (GLJ) is the world’s leading forum for the publication of legal research from a transnational perspective, with #1 Google Scholar Journal Rankings in the fields of European and International Law. The GLJ pairs W&L law students with a Senior Editorial Board of world-renowned scholars for the editorial and production work that leads to the publication of up to 10 issues each year, including several curated special issues.  The GLJ pioneered the online and open-access model that is emerging as the standard for the publication of legal research.  Beginning with its twentieth volume, the GLJ launched a publication partnership with Cambridge University Press.  W&L students work intensively on the full-text of the Journal’s content, providing substantive, editorial, and stylistic feedback to authors from around the world.  Association with the GLJ serves as a framework for deeper exposure to comparative and European law.   
 

Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice:

The Washington and Lee Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice (JCRSJ) is a scholarly publication focusing on legal issues that affect historically underrepresented classes of persons in a wide variety of subject matters, including real estate, education, healthcare, family, environment, public welfare, and international rights. For more information click here.
 

W&L Law Review:

Students are selected on the basis of a yearly Write On competition held in the early summer, based on a holistic review including legal writing and research abilities and unique legal academic perspectives. They edit and publish a print journal with five yearly issues and an online journal, both consisting of professional articles and student scholarship.
 

Moot Court Board Competitions:
Students are selected to take part in the following Moot Court Board sponsored competitions based on their performance in intramural competitions, or interested students may seek faculty coaching and supervision for competitions not sponsored by the Moot Court Board:

  • Appellate Advocacy Competition (LAW 916). The competition involves a contemporary question of constitutional law consisting of two components: preparation of an appellate brief and presentation of oral arguments as well as write briefs.  
  • Arbitration Competition (LAW 915). Students conduct a simulated arbitration on behalf of a client. 

  • Client Counseling Competition (LAW 917). This competition involves the simulation of a law firm consultation with a client. Students interview the client to elicit information needed to handle the legal problem presented and then discuss preparation of a post interview memorandum.

  • Mediation Competition (LAW 913). Students simulate advocates and clients in a mediation setting.   

  • Mock Trial Competitions (LAW 919). Students interview witnesses and then conduct a mock trial. In recent years, students have competed in the National Mock Trial Competition, the ATLA Mock Trial Competition, and the ABA Criminal Justice Mock Trial Competition.

  • Moot Court Competitions (LAW 918). Students write a brief and argue orally in a hypothetical appellate court during inter-school competition. In recent years, students have competed in the National Moot Court Competition, the Jessup International Moot Court Competition, and the J. Braxton Craven Moot Court Competition, among others.

  • Negotiation Competition (LAW 914). Students simulate representation of a client in negotiating a contract or settling a dispute. 

Students may receive ungraded academic credit for participation in the above listed competitions. In order to receive academic credit students must meet with Moot Court Board faculty advisor prior to participation. Moot Court competitions may not be repeated for additional academic credit.
 

Summer Internship:
Students working in a summer internship (paid or unpaid) in a country other than their home country may request to enroll in Law 612, Reflections on Experience in Legal Practice.

Students who enroll in this course will receive one ungraded credit upon successful completion of a required scholarly paper (minimum 4,000 words) on a topic that relates to their work experience in a country other than their home country. The topic must relate to a legal issue encountered during the summer internship. The paper will be due no later than October 15 and must be original work completed for the purpose of this course; it cannot be work product that was submitted to the employer.

Students who meet the eligibility criteria and wish to enroll in this course for credit should contact the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Study Abroad

Law School Exchange Programs:

The following international exchange programs are available:

Trinity College Dublin, founded in the 16th century by Queen Elizabeth I, is a leading European university.  A broad array of international courses - with a particular emphasis on the law of the European Union - is available there.  In recent years, the city of Dublin has been one of the most dynamic in Europe, offering numerous cultural, commercial, and political activities.  

The University of Copenhagen, is the largest educational institution in Denmark. The University of Copenhagen offers a significant number of courses in English each semester.  This allows exchange students to put together a comprehensive study program, which will meet the demands of their home institutions.  

W&L exchange participants spend one semester on an exchange program.  The fall semester of the 3L year is the recommended term in which to study on an exchange program. Openings are limited. Those planning to participate in an exchange program should meet with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and with the Assistant Dean of Law Admissions prior to applying to ensure they can meet the law school’s experiential credit and other graduation requirements.

Law School students pay regular Law School tuition and mandatory fees during their time abroad on one of these exchange options; financial aid packages are not affected by participation in these programs.

After consultation with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and with the Assistant Dean of Law Admissions, law students interested in an exchange program should first complete the Washington and Lee University study abroad application. Selected students will then be nominated to the host institution and the student will subsequently need to submit an application directly to that university. For additional information about the study abroad program, policies, procedures, or additional questions, please contact Lisa Rodocker, Assistant Dean of Law Admissions, at rodockerl@wlu.edu or (540) 458-8503. Cindy Irby, Assistant Director of International Education and Study Abroad Advisor at cirby@wlu.edu or (540)458-8193.

Statement of Educational Objectives for Foreign Legal Study:

W&L Law School recognizes that learning about other countries’ legal systems is an increasingly important part of legal education.  Legal study abroad allows students to gain insight into other legal systems and to develop cultural competency. 

W&L’s primary educational objectives for legal study abroad are: (1) to provide students an opportunity to become familiar with another legal system, and (2) to learn about different world cultures and increase students’ capacity to represent a diversity of clients.  

Other Study Abroad Programs:

Law students seeking to participate in other study abroad programs, such as summer study abroad programs offered by other ABA accredited law schools, should meet with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to discuss program choice and eligibility for transfer credit.