JD Program

Washington and Lee University School of Law, founded in 1849, is in Lexington, Virginia, a three-hour interstate highway drive from Washington, DC. The School of Law is fully accredited by the ABA and is a member of the AALS. Washington and Lee is known for providing its students with an academically rigorous and professionally challenging legal education in an environment characterized by a commitment to students, small classes, a very low student-to-faculty ratio, and a collegial community. The law school is among the nation’s smallest law schools, with approximately 355 total students. Members of the 2024–2025 incoming class hailed from 28 states, plus the District of Columbia, and four foreign countries.

W&L Law offers an innovative curriculum in which students are engaged in distinct yet complementary ways over the course of their three years in law school. At W&L Law, each year of law school builds upon the lessons of the year before but also presents new and different challenges. In the second and third year, students select from an array of real and simulated client-based practice experiences as well as traditional elective offering, with emphasis on preparing students for their chosen path after graduation.

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Student Activities and Campus Life

Students have three journal opportunities: the Washington and Lee Law Review, a quarterly journal for scholarly discussion of legal issues; the Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice, focusing on legal issues having an impact on racial and ethnic minorities; and the German Law Journal, an online journal that publishes commentary and scholarship in the fields of German, European, and international law. A variety of moot court and advocacy competitions allow upper-level students to hone advocacy, counseling, negotiation, and trial skills. All second- and third-year students may participate in the moot court competitions.

W&L Law students have established over 30 student groups, including the Black Law Students Association, Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, Women Law Students Organization, OUTLaw, Jewish Law Students Association, Christian Legal Society, Law Families, Federalist Society, American Constitution Society, National Lawyers Guild, and chapters of three national professional fraternities.

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Career Placement and Bar Passage

W&L Law graduates practice in every state and throughout the world. More than 70 percent of recent graduates practice outside Virginia. The counseling professionals in the Office of Career Strategy (OCS) work with each student individually to develop a unique career plan, and there is no cap on the number of appointments that you can make with their team. OCS provides instruction in résumé and cover letter writing, networking, and other career development skills. It also provides programming on a wide variety of practice specialties and settings, and acts as a liaison between students and legal employers. Law students interview with prospective employers on campus and through in-person virtual interview programs, including thematic programs such as the Government and Public Interest Interview Program (GPIIP) and regional programs that target the New England; New York City; Washington, DC; and Texas legal markets. An active and committed alumni network assists students with contacts in every state and a variety of practice areas.

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Admission Decisions: Beyond the Numbers

W&L Law actively seeks a diverse student body whose members are of different backgrounds with a variety of life experiences. The admission process is highly individualized. Students are not ranked by any numerical index, nor is there an assigned weight given to any objective or subjective factor presented in the application.

The Admissions Committee considers the cumulative undergraduate grade-point average, trends in grades, the rigor of an applicant’s academic program, the quality of the school attended, the admissions test score(s) submitted (LSAT, GRE or both), extracurricular activities, community service, evidence of leadership, graduate study, work experience, assessments of recommenders, and any information presented in the applicant’s personal statement, among other factors. Applicants are encouraged to visit the school to sit in on classes, tour the facility, and talk with students and faculty. A generous scholarship endowment allows W&L Law to assist a large percentage of its students with merit-based scholarship awards.

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