Robert William Schroeder III

American University Washington College of Law (WCL) is the law school of American University. It is located on Massachusetts Avenue in the American University Park section of Northwest Washington, D.C. The school is fully accredited by the American Bar Association, and a member of the AALS.

WCL is ranked 71st in the nation in the Best Law Schools by U.S. News & World Report. Begun in 1896, it was the first law school to be founded by women, the first with a female dean, and the first to graduate an all-female class.

According to WCL's 2013 ABA-required disclosures, 45.6% of the Class of 2013 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment nine months after graduation.

WCL's Master of Laws (LL.M.) program ranks 13th nationally in the 2012 AUAP rankings. The Brian Leiter Law School rankings placed the WCL 47th in the 2012 Top 70 Law Faculties in Scholarly Impact.National Jurist ranked WCL the fifth best law school for Hispanic students in 2008. It ranked WCL the fourth best public interest law school in the nation.

U.S. News & World Report ranks WCL 71 in the nation among the 145 ranked schools. WCL is also well known for its clinical training, international law, intellectual property, and part-time programs, which are ranked 2nd, 6th, 7th, and 16th in the nation respectively.

The school is well known for its strong programs in both human rights and public interest law. WCL's Equal Justice Foundation (EJF) provides scholarships to students who obtain unpaid summer internships with public interest organizations.