Juris Doctor (J.D.)

The decision to attend law school remains a sound, smart, and fulfilling investment in yourself and your future. In a complex world facing many serious challenges, the need for competent, ethical, and compassionate legal practitioners is stronger than ever.

Located near the heart of Washington, D.C., a city like no other and the centre of our nation’s legal system, The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (Catholic Law) is among the best choices you can make if your goal is to graduate with the skills — such as critical legal analysis, legal writing, and effective oral advocacy—that are essential to successful legal practice in the 21st century.

At every turn, our approach to legal education can be summarized with three words: practical, focused, and connected. Practical means you will learn by doing; focused offers the chance to choose among many different areas of legal study for academic emphasis; connected describes professors who take a personal interest in you, students who treat each other like family, and a supportive alumni network.

The Columbus School of Law shines as a hidden gem within legal education in Washington, D.C. It is an academy composed of collegial and compassionate students, a supportive and academically distinguished faculty, and an accomplished and well-connected alumni base that stands ready to help today’s students reach their goals. Our students excel individually and collectively. They earn fellowships, externships, and scholarships; some also publish in law journals. Our moot court and trials teams win accolades in competitions from Puerto Rico to Vienna to Hong Kong. CUA Law students advocate for live clients through our pioneering legal clinic, proving daily the truth of the ancient maxim: I do and I understand. The faculty-student ratio is small. Professors go the extra mile to assist students with recommendations and in making professional connections. Add to this a law school environment noted for camaraderie, where students want to see each other succeed, and you have the foundation of an unforgettable law school experience. Teachers and doers, our full time and adjunct faculty members are professors, scholars, researchers, practitioners, and legal commentators of the first order. Some remain active in the courtroom. Others have authored benchmark texts in subjects such as torts and securities law. They present at conferences and on panels around the world. They are read, quoted, cited, and respected. Above all, our faculty is devoted to excellence in the teaching of law and to the performance success of our students. Our state-of-the-art building is located just minutes from the heart of Washington, D.C., the nation’s legal epicentre and the best city in America for the study of law. The Columbus School of Law has been a member of the Associa­tion of American Law Schools (AALS) since 1921 and the Ameri­can Bar Assoc­iation (ABA) since 1925. We invite you to explore our Web site and learn about what makes the Columbus School of Law stand apart. Since 1897, the law school has welcomed students of every faith and background, teaching, guiding, and assisting their transformation into some of the very best legal practitioners in America.