The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law

Introduction

Founded in 1897, the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law is located on the 193-acre campus of the university. Students and faculty have easy access to nearly limitless legal resources: the Supreme Court, Congress, the United States and District of Columbia courts, and other federal, executive, and administrative agencies and branches of government. For a campus so close to a center of world power, it is peaceful, pleasant, and scenic, offering a sense of neighborhood and community. Classes are small and personal.

The law school is proud of its vibrant intellectual tradition and extends it to exploring new intersections of issues of law and morality. Students are trained and encouraged to use their hearts and minds, in concert with their skills, to practice effectively in the complex world of the twenty-first century. The school welcomes students of all religious, racial, and ethnic backgrounds to a program that is renowned for its consistently high number of graduates entering public and community service. The Columbus School of Law has been a member of the AALS since 1921 and was approved by the ABA in 1925.

Enrollment/Student Body

Total enrollment is typically more than 900 students. Law students come from nearly every state and a dozen foreign countries. More than 30 percent of the school's enrollment is part time, making its evening program one of the most flexible and accommodating available anywhere. First-year classes typically have 32 to 70 students. Upper-class courses range from 10 to 70 students. Faculty members keep posted office hours and are accessible for informal sessions, making for a more personalized education.

Faculty

The 70-member full-time faculty bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the classroom. The majority have practiced in the private sector. Adjunct faculty members are primarily active legal practitioners and complement the real-world flavor of course offerings. Classroom instruction is supplemented by many distinguished guest speakers, such as federal appellate judges, justices of the US Supreme Court, and leading academicians and theologians from around the world.

Library and Physical Facilities

The Library of Congress and specialized law collections throughout the city complement the law school's legal collections of over 425,000 volumes and numerous research databases. The law school facility, completed in 1994, houses all components of the law school. Law students have full access to other campus facilities, including a 40-acre athletic complex.

Curriculum

The prescribed first-year curriculum and method of teaching are designed to develop the analytical skills that characterize the able lawyer and to give the student familiarity with the major substantive areas of law. They are also designed as an introduction to jurisprudence and the Catholic intellectual tradition as it relates to the larger questions of social justice. While lawyers traditionally have been heavily involved with the commercial interests of private or corporate clients, law is becoming increasingly responsive to problems that affect the public interest. The CUA law school curriculum is designed to provide students with the basic knowledge to become effective lawyers in a changing legal environment.

Special Programs

CUA Law's institutes and special programs offer certification of a student's developed expertise in his or her chosen legal specialty. Each program provides invaluable externship opportunities, offering for-credit placements that are available nowhere else but in Washington, DC.

The Institute for Communications Law Studies offers unique specialized training in communications law, ranging from First Amendment law to FCC practices and procedures. Students are trained to think critically about the broader impact that mass media has upon society and human behavior.

The Comparative and International Law Institute provides superb background training to students who intend to specialize in international law. The institute offers a six-week summer-abroad program at the Jagiellonian University in Cracow, Poland.

The Law and Public Policy Program is designed for students who desire to make a difference through legislative change. The program combines classroom study in legislative and administrative processes with externships in government agencies and advocacy organizations that affect national public policy.

The Securities Law Program integrates a broad concentration of securities and corporate law courses with a required externship program. Adjunct instructors and program faculty bring vast knowledge to the classroom, as many have practiced with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), and private firms.

The Interdisciplinary Program on Law and Religion was created to provide a forum for study, research, and public discussion of the questions that arise from the nexus of law and religion. These include many of society's most challenging issues, such as bioethics, international human rights, and marriage law.

The Program of Studies in Jurisprudence exists to promote inquiry into the role of law in relation to culture and culture's orientation to the human good. The scope of its inquiry is both theoretical and practical. In its theoretical aspect, the program aims to contribute to the academic fields of jurisprudence, the philosophy of law, and Christian political and social ethics. In its practical dimension, it seeks to foster the renewal and transformation of culture, under contemporary circumstances, through law and law reform.

Clinical Programs

Columbus Community Legal Services recently observed its 40th year of assisting the underserved population of the nation's capital. The law school offers eight clinical programs, including five that emphasize client representation, case planning, and trial and administrative advocacy. Nine simulation courses are also offered that closely approximate real-life lawyering through simulated courtroom, mediation, and arbitration exercises. The two other clinical offerings are the SEC Observer Program and the Legal Externship Program.

Admission

While considerable weight is given to an applicant's grade-point average and LSAT score, admission decisions are also influenced by such factors as leadership potential, class rank, substantial involvement in volunteer community service activities, potential for contributing to diversity, and relevant work experience. Close attention is also paid to a candidate's personal statement and reasons for wanting to study at CUA.

Student Activities

The Catholic University Law Review, the Journal of Contemporary Health Law and Policy, and CommLaw Conspectus: Journal of Communications Law and Policy are scholarly law journals staffed and published by outstanding students. The Moot Court Board, in addition to facilitating at least eight intraschool competitions each year, also hosts two major contests at CUA: the National Telecommunications Competition and the Sutherland Cup. There are over 40 voluntary student organizations at the Columbus School of Law, encompassing a broad range of professional interests, ethnic and racial affiliations, political and religious perspectives, and recreational activities.

Financial Aid

Following the offer of admission, all prospective students are automatically evaluated for merit-based scholarships. Approximately 25–30 percent of each year's entering class has been awarded a scholarship. Given the significant financial investment of a law degree, the Office of Financial Aid is committed to providing all students with timely information and guidance.

Career Services

The Office of Career and Professional Development actively supports students and graduates in their search for employment by providing counseling as well as workshops, panel discussions, and access to a national alumni network. A comprehensive on-campus interviewing program is conducted annually. The school's small size makes it possible for all students to secure guidance with individualized career strategy and planning.

Housing

The Washington, DC, metropolitan area boasts many off-campus housing opportunities for prospective law students. Each summer, the Office of Admissions assists incoming students with the housing search by coordinating a roommate name exchange and an online housing forum. The law school is convenient to public transportation, including Washington's Metrorail system.

Applicant Profile

The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law

This grid includes only applicants who earned 120–180 LSAT scores under standard administrations.

	GPA
LSAT Score	3.75+ Apps	3.75+ Adm	3.50–3.74 Apps	3.50–3.74 Adm	3.25–3.49 Apps	3.25–3.49 Adm	3.00–3.24 Apps	3.00–3.24 Adm	2.75–2.99 Apps	2.75–2.99 Adm	2.50–2.74 Apps	2.50–2.74 Adm	Below 2.50 Apps	Below 2.50 Adm	No GPA Apps	No GPA Adm	Total Apps	Total Adm
LSAT score 170–180	4	4	5	4	5	4	4	4	2	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	21	18
LSAT score 165–169	17	17	30	29	25	18	14	11	12	10	7	4	4	1	0	0	109	90
LSAT score 160–164	47	45	115	107	114	107	75	66	47	36	19	4	24	7	11	7	452	379
LSAT score 155–159	82	63	213	121	231	77	172	59	82	14	44	8	29	0	17	5	870	347
LSAT score 150–154	75	10	128	16	196	33	166	24	96	5	57	2	43	1	16	0	777	91
LSAT score 145–149	27	4	56	4	91	12	119	19	76	8	41	0	32	0	6	0	448	47
LSAT score 140–144	5	0	18	0	38	0	46	0	34	0	28	0	24	0	3	0	196	0
LSAT score Below 140	2	0	5	0	11	0	24	0	23	0	23	0	36	0	7	0	131	0
Total	259	143	570	281	711	251	620	183	372	75	219	18	193	9	60	12	3004	972

Apps = Number of Applicants
Adm = Number Admitted
Reflects 99% of the total applicant pool; highest LSAT data reported.