Washington and Lee University School of Law
Encyclopedia
The Washington and Lee University
School of Law (also known as W&L Law) is a private American Bar Association
-accredited law school
located in Lexington
in the Shenandoah Valley
region of Virginia
. Facilities are currently on the campus of Washington and Lee University
in Sydney Lewis
Hall. W&L Law is known as one of the smallest top law schools in the country, with a total enrollment of approximately 400 students and a 9.52-to-1 student to faculty ratio.
and is the 17th oldest law school in the United States. The Law School was not integrated into Washington and Lee University (then known as Washington College) until after the Civil War
when Robert E. Lee
was president of the university. In 1866, the School of Law was annexed to the university and known as the School of Law and Equity. In 1870, former Virginia Attorney General John Randolph Tucker was appointed to the faculty and later became Dean followed by his son Henry St. George Tucker, Sr.
In 1900, the law school moved into the newly built Tucker Hall in memory of Dean Tucker. After significant periods of growth, the law school moved into new Tucker Hall after the original building was destroyed in a fire. After World War II
, enrollment increased despite a period of low enrollment during the war. In 1950, the School of Law established its chapter of the Order of the Coif
, one of only 80 such chapters in the country. The School of Law admitted its first female students in 1972, and opened its current home, Sydney Lewis Hall, in 1977. In 2008, Dean Rodney Smolla instituted the new third-year program. This new and unique program turned the entire 3L year into an experiential curriculum which emphasizes practice, professionalism, and service. The program became compulsory for W&L Law students in 2011.
Sydney Lewis Hall is the home of the school of law on the historic campus
of Washington and Lee in Lexington, VA. Lewis Hall was built with a $9 million gift from Best Products
founder Sydney Lewis
and his wife Frances of Virginia. In addition to lecture halls, classrooms, and offices for faculty and staff, Lewis Hall houses the 150-seat Millhiser Moot Courtroom, newly renovated in 2006, and the accompanying Robert E. Stroud Judge's Chambers and the Roger D. Groot Jury Room. Lewis Hall also has a cafeteria for students, staff, and faculty called the Brief Stop, which serves food, snacks, and drinks. As part of its newly initiated $500 million campaign, "Honor Our Past, Build Our Future," the School of Law plans on renovating and expanding Lewis Hall including an identifiable front entrance for motorists; instructional space; new space for consolidated clinics, including ease of access for clients; an improved faculty lounge; group study/interview rooms; faculty offices; and a trial court room.
Lewis Hall's cornerstones are the Wilbur C. Hall Law Library and Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Wing. The 58155 square feet (5,402.8 m²) Wilbur C. Hall Law Library includes a separate faculty library, a rare book room, and an audio-visual media center and is open 24-hours a day. The library houses more than 439,347 volumes and is unique in offering each student personally-designated work and storage space. The Powell Wing was built in 1992 to house the professional and personal papers and archives of the United States Supreme Court Justice and noted W&L alum. The Powell Wing includes an expanded main reading room space, in addition to stack area and work space for the papers. The archives are managed by full-time staff and are open to researchers, faculty, and students. Woods Creek Apartments, across the street from Lewis Hall, serve as on-campus residence apartments for law students, though most law students live off-campus.
program, one the smallest in the country, is the primary degree-program at the Law School. The Class of 2013 entered at 145-student strong with a median LSAT
of 166. The Class of 2012 had 3,416 applicants and 873 offers, for an admissions rate of 25.6%. International exchange programs are available for JD students with the Bucerius Law School
in Hamburg, University of Western Ontario
in London (Canada)
, Trinity College
in Dublin, and the University of Copenhagen
in Copenhagen. The School of Law also offers a small LLM program to foreign educated lawyers and a joint JD and Master of Health Administration
program with Virginia Commonwealth University
in Richmond.
ranked W&L Law's endowment-per-student as 14th in the country, at $214,000 per student, when adjusted for cost-of-living. National Jurist ranked W&L Law at 15 in its list of best law schools for standard of living. In 2011, W&L Law earned a passage rate of 95.83% on the Virginia bar exam, the highest of Virginia's law schools.
in the first two years followed by a new third-year program that focuses on practice.
First-year
In the 1L year, students take required foundational courses in contract law, tort law, civil procedure
, criminal law
, property law
, professional responsibility
, administrative law
, and international law
. Additionally, each student is assigned a small section in which one substantive required course also serves as a legal writing
course. This small section consists of approximately 20 students. 1Ls are also assigned to an upper-level student from the Burks Scholar Program who teaches legal research
and Bluebook
methods.
Second-year
In the 2L year, students focus on advanced coursework. W&L requires evidence law and constitutional law
in the second-year as well as the completion of an upper-level writing requirement. The writing requirement can be satisfied through a seminar course, through an independent writing project, or a note in one of the law journals. All other courses in the 2L year are electives and commonly include corporate law
and tax law
as well as many other classes and seminars.
Third-year
The 3L year is new and replaces further elective advanced coursework based on the casebook method as is the norm in most ABA
law schools. Instead, the program is meant to simulate client experiences. The 3L year requires students to exercise professional judgment, work in teams, solve problems, counsel clients, negotiate solutions, serve as advocates and counselors — the full complement of professional activity that engages practicing lawyers as they apply legal theory and doctrines to the real-world issues of serving clients ethically and honorably within the highest traditions of the profession.
Each semester begins with an immersion course. The two-week immersion focuses on litigation and alternative dispute resolution
in the Fall semester and transactional practice in the Spring semester. Each student is then enrolled in practicum courses of their choosing. These courses cover substantive and advanced law but do so through practical methods of drafting paperwork and problem-solving rather than casebook and the socratic method
. Students are also required to take a course in the legal profession as well as a law-related service requirement. Finally, each student is required to be involved in one of W&L's legal clinics, externship programs, or transnational programs to gain real-client experience. The program is flexible and allows students the ability to tailor their schedule and, if they wish, to take several traditional casebook method courses.
has been run by the student body since 1905 and is derived from Robert E. Lee during his tenure as President of the University. Any student found guilty of an Honor Violation by his or her peers is subject to a single penalty: expulsion. The Honor System is defined and administered solely by students, and there is no higher review. A formal review, occasionally including referenda, is held every three years to refine the tenets of the Honor System. Students continue to support the Honor System and its single penalty overwhelmingly, and alumni regularly point to the Honor System as one of the distinctive marks they carry with them from their W&L experience. W&L Law students enjoy several distinct benefits from the Honor System. These include more freedom in exam taking as well as an informal account system at the Brief Stop cafeteria in Sydney Lewis Hall. These are balanced by the strict penalty of a violation of the Honor System.
Students pledge the following prior to turning in assignments and exams:
"On my honor, I have neither given nor received any unacknowledged aid on this (exam, test, paper, etc.)."
The Law School is host to four academic journals:
The Law School is home to two research centers:
The Law School offers six moot court programs:
, two Solicitors General of the United States, one major party candidate for President of the United States
, Presidential Cabinet members, as well as numerous state governors, United States Congressmen, United States Senators, federal and state judges, influential academics, business leaders, and distinguished attorneys. The list below is not exhaustive. The date following the name is the Law School class. Alumni with two dates also attended as undergraduates and the order is alphabetical.
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
School of Law (also known as W&L Law) is a private American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
-accredited law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
located in Lexington
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
in the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
region of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Facilities are currently on the campus of Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
in Sydney Lewis
Sydney Lewis
Sydney Lewis was a prominent Virginia businessman, philanthropist, and art collector.Born in Richmond, Virginia, he was the founder of Best Products Co. . He is the namesake of Lewis Hall at the Washington and Lee University School of Law, whose construction he and his wife, Frances, funded in...
Hall. W&L Law is known as one of the smallest top law schools in the country, with a total enrollment of approximately 400 students and a 9.52-to-1 student to faculty ratio.
History
The Lexington Law School, the precursor to W&L Law, was founded in 1849 by Judge John White BrockenbroughJohn White Brockenbrough
John White Brockenbrough was a Virginia lawyer, federal judge, educator, and the founder of the Washington and Lee University School of Law....
and is the 17th oldest law school in the United States. The Law School was not integrated into Washington and Lee University (then known as Washington College) until after the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
when Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
was president of the university. In 1866, the School of Law was annexed to the university and known as the School of Law and Equity. In 1870, former Virginia Attorney General John Randolph Tucker was appointed to the faculty and later became Dean followed by his son Henry St. George Tucker, Sr.
Henry St. George Tucker, Sr.
Henry St. George Tucker, Sr. was a Virginia jurist, law professor, and U.S. Congressman .-Biography:Tucker was born in Williamsburg, Virginia on December 29, 1780. As a young man, Tucker pursued classical studies at the College of William & Mary; he graduated in 1798...
In 1900, the law school moved into the newly built Tucker Hall in memory of Dean Tucker. After significant periods of growth, the law school moved into new Tucker Hall after the original building was destroyed in a fire. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, enrollment increased despite a period of low enrollment during the war. In 1950, the School of Law established its chapter of the Order of the Coif
Order of the Coif
The Order of the Coif is an honor society for United States law school graduates. A student at an American law school who earns a Juris Doctor degree and graduates in the top 10 percent of his or her class is eligible for membership if the student's law school has a chapter of the...
, one of only 80 such chapters in the country. The School of Law admitted its first female students in 1972, and opened its current home, Sydney Lewis Hall, in 1977. In 2008, Dean Rodney Smolla instituted the new third-year program. This new and unique program turned the entire 3L year into an experiential curriculum which emphasizes practice, professionalism, and service. The program became compulsory for W&L Law students in 2011.
Sydney Lewis Hall
Washington and Lee University Historic District
Washington and Lee University Historic District is a historic district that includes a set of buildings on the campus of Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.The row of brick buildings that form the Front Campus, which trace to 1824, is a U.S...
of Washington and Lee in Lexington, VA. Lewis Hall was built with a $9 million gift from Best Products
Best Products
Best Products is a defunct chain of American catalog showroom retail stores founded by Sydney and Frances Lewis, formerly headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.- History :...
founder Sydney Lewis
Sydney Lewis
Sydney Lewis was a prominent Virginia businessman, philanthropist, and art collector.Born in Richmond, Virginia, he was the founder of Best Products Co. . He is the namesake of Lewis Hall at the Washington and Lee University School of Law, whose construction he and his wife, Frances, funded in...
and his wife Frances of Virginia. In addition to lecture halls, classrooms, and offices for faculty and staff, Lewis Hall houses the 150-seat Millhiser Moot Courtroom, newly renovated in 2006, and the accompanying Robert E. Stroud Judge's Chambers and the Roger D. Groot Jury Room. Lewis Hall also has a cafeteria for students, staff, and faculty called the Brief Stop, which serves food, snacks, and drinks. As part of its newly initiated $500 million campaign, "Honor Our Past, Build Our Future," the School of Law plans on renovating and expanding Lewis Hall including an identifiable front entrance for motorists; instructional space; new space for consolidated clinics, including ease of access for clients; an improved faculty lounge; group study/interview rooms; faculty offices; and a trial court room.
Lewis Hall's cornerstones are the Wilbur C. Hall Law Library and Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Wing. The 58155 square feet (5,402.8 m²) Wilbur C. Hall Law Library includes a separate faculty library, a rare book room, and an audio-visual media center and is open 24-hours a day. The library houses more than 439,347 volumes and is unique in offering each student personally-designated work and storage space. The Powell Wing was built in 1992 to house the professional and personal papers and archives of the United States Supreme Court Justice and noted W&L alum. The Powell Wing includes an expanded main reading room space, in addition to stack area and work space for the papers. The archives are managed by full-time staff and are open to researchers, faculty, and students. Woods Creek Apartments, across the street from Lewis Hall, serve as on-campus residence apartments for law students, though most law students live off-campus.
Programs and admissions
W&L Law's JDJuris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
program, one the smallest in the country, is the primary degree-program at the Law School. The Class of 2013 entered at 145-student strong with a median LSAT
Law School Admission Test
The Law School Admission Test is a half-day standardized test administered four times each year at designated testing centers throughout the world. Administered by the Law School Admission Council for prospective law school candidates, the LSAT is designed to assess Reading Comprehension,...
of 166. The Class of 2012 had 3,416 applicants and 873 offers, for an admissions rate of 25.6%. International exchange programs are available for JD students with the Bucerius Law School
Bucerius Law School
Bucerius Law School is a small, non-state university affiliated private law school located in Hamburg, Germany. The school is the first private law school in Germany and is often ranked as the best law school in the country. It admits 100 bachelor students per year, who achieve very high results in...
in Hamburg, University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
in London (Canada)
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
in Dublin, and the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
in Copenhagen. The School of Law also offers a small LLM program to foreign educated lawyers and a joint JD and Master of Health Administration
Master of Health Administration
The Master of Health Administration is a master's-level professional degree granted to students who complete a course of study in the knowledge and competencies needed for careers in health administration, involving the management of hospitals and other health services organizations, as well as...
program with Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
in Richmond.
Rankings and reputation
Washington and Lee University School of Law ranked 30th in the 2012 U.S. News and World Report ranking of America's law schools. The School of Law also ranked 18th on U.S. News ranking of law schools by recruiters from the top national law firms. Brian LeiterBrian Leiter
Brian Leiter is an American philosopher and legal scholar who is currently John Wilson Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School, and founder and Director of Chicago's new Center for Law, Philosophy, and Human Values and the editor of the Philosophical Gourmet Report. He taught from...
ranked W&L Law's endowment-per-student as 14th in the country, at $214,000 per student, when adjusted for cost-of-living. National Jurist ranked W&L Law at 15 in its list of best law schools for standard of living. In 2011, W&L Law earned a passage rate of 95.83% on the Virginia bar exam, the highest of Virginia's law schools.
JD curriculum
The JD curriculum at W&L consists of a traditional casebook methodCasebook method
The casebook method, also known as the case method, is the primary method of teaching law in law schools in the United States. It was pioneered at Harvard Law School by Christopher Columbus Langdell...
in the first two years followed by a new third-year program that focuses on practice.
First-year
In the 1L year, students take required foundational courses in contract law, tort law, civil procedure
Civil procedure in the United States
Civil procedure in the United States consists of the rules of civil procedure that govern procedure in the federal courts, the 50 state court systems, and in the territorial courts. Like much of American law, civil procedure is not reserved to the federal government in the Constitution...
, criminal law
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
, property law
Property law
Property law is the area of law that governs the various forms of ownership in real property and in personal property, within the common law legal system. In the civil law system, there is a division between movable and immovable property...
, professional responsibility
Professional responsibility
Professional responsibility is the area of legal practice that encompasses the duties of attorneys to act in a professional manner, obey the law, avoid conflicts of interest, and put the interests of clients ahead of their own interests....
, administrative law
United States administrative law
United States administrative law encompasses a number of statutes and cases which define the extent of the powers and responsibilities held by administrative agencies of the United States Government. The executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the U.S. federal government cannot always...
, and international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
. Additionally, each student is assigned a small section in which one substantive required course also serves as a legal writing
Legal writing
Legal writing is a type of technical writing used by lawyers, judges, legislators, and others in law to express legal analysis and legal rights and duties.- Authority :...
course. This small section consists of approximately 20 students. 1Ls are also assigned to an upper-level student from the Burks Scholar Program who teaches legal research
Legal research
Legal research is "the process of identifying and retrieving information necessary to support legal decision-making. In its broadest sense, legal research includes each step of a course of action that begins with an analysis of the facts of a problem and concludes with the application and...
and Bluebook
Bluebook
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, a style guide, prescribes the most widely used legal citation system in the United States. The Bluebook is compiled by the Harvard Law Review Association, the Columbia Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, and the Yale Law Journal....
methods.
Second-year
In the 2L year, students focus on advanced coursework. W&L requires evidence law and constitutional law
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
in the second-year as well as the completion of an upper-level writing requirement. The writing requirement can be satisfied through a seminar course, through an independent writing project, or a note in one of the law journals. All other courses in the 2L year are electives and commonly include corporate law
Corporate law
Corporate law is the study of how shareholders, directors, employees, creditors, and other stakeholders such as consumers, the community and the environment interact with one another. Corporate law is a part of a broader companies law...
and tax law
Taxation in the United States
The United States is a federal republic with autonomous state and local governments. Taxes are imposed in the United States at each of these levels. These include taxes on income, property, sales, imports, payroll, estates and gifts, as well as various fees.Taxes are imposed on net income of...
as well as many other classes and seminars.
Third-year
The 3L year is new and replaces further elective advanced coursework based on the casebook method as is the norm in most ABA
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
law schools. Instead, the program is meant to simulate client experiences. The 3L year requires students to exercise professional judgment, work in teams, solve problems, counsel clients, negotiate solutions, serve as advocates and counselors — the full complement of professional activity that engages practicing lawyers as they apply legal theory and doctrines to the real-world issues of serving clients ethically and honorably within the highest traditions of the profession.
Each semester begins with an immersion course. The two-week immersion focuses on litigation and alternative dispute resolution
Alternative dispute resolution
Alternative Dispute Resolution includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that act as a means for disagreeing parties to come to an agreement short of litigation. ADR basically is an alternative to a formal court hearing or litigation...
in the Fall semester and transactional practice in the Spring semester. Each student is then enrolled in practicum courses of their choosing. These courses cover substantive and advanced law but do so through practical methods of drafting paperwork and problem-solving rather than casebook and the socratic method
Socratic method
The Socratic method , named after the classical Greek philosopher Socrates, is a form of inquiry and debate between individuals with opposing viewpoints based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to illuminate ideas...
. Students are also required to take a course in the legal profession as well as a law-related service requirement. Finally, each student is required to be involved in one of W&L's legal clinics, externship programs, or transnational programs to gain real-client experience. The program is flexible and allows students the ability to tailor their schedule and, if they wish, to take several traditional casebook method courses.
The Honor System
The Honor SystemHonor system
An honor system or honesty system is a philosophical way of running a variety of endeavors based on trust, honor, and honesty. Something that operates under the rule of the "honor system" is usually something that does not have strictly enforced rules governing its principles...
has been run by the student body since 1905 and is derived from Robert E. Lee during his tenure as President of the University. Any student found guilty of an Honor Violation by his or her peers is subject to a single penalty: expulsion. The Honor System is defined and administered solely by students, and there is no higher review. A formal review, occasionally including referenda, is held every three years to refine the tenets of the Honor System. Students continue to support the Honor System and its single penalty overwhelmingly, and alumni regularly point to the Honor System as one of the distinctive marks they carry with them from their W&L experience. W&L Law students enjoy several distinct benefits from the Honor System. These include more freedom in exam taking as well as an informal account system at the Brief Stop cafeteria in Sydney Lewis Hall. These are balanced by the strict penalty of a violation of the Honor System.
Students pledge the following prior to turning in assignments and exams:
"On my honor, I have neither given nor received any unacknowledged aid on this (exam, test, paper, etc.)."
Clinics, journals, moot court, and centers
The Law School houses nine legal clinics:- Black Lung Legal Clinic
- Community Legal Practice Clinic
- Criminal Justice Clinic
- Tax Clinic
- Virginia Capital Case Clearinghouse
- Citizenship and Immigration Program
- Judicial Clerkship Program
- General Externship Program
- Public Prosecutors Program
The Law School is host to four academic journals:
- Washington and Lee Law ReviewWashington and Lee Law ReviewThe Washington and Lee Law Review is a law review published four times each year by the Washington and Lee University School of Law. It presents lead articles contributed by leading scholars, judges, and lawyers, as well as student notes. Student writers are chosen during the summer after their...
- Journal of Energy, Climate, and the Environment
- Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice
- German Law JournalGerman Law JournalThe German Law Journal is a peer-reviewed, online-only open access law journal reporting on the developments in German, European and international jurisprudence....
The Law School is home to two research centers:
The Law School offers six moot court programs:
- The Robert J. Grey Jr. Negotiations Competition
- The John W. Davis Appellate Advocacy Competition
- Mock Trial Competition
- Client Counseling Competition
- Representation in Mediation Competition
- Sports Arbitration Competition
Student organizations
- American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar AssociationThe American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
/Law Student Division - American Constitution Society
- Asian Pacific American Law Student Association
- Black Law Students Association
- Burks Scholars
- Christian Legal Society
- Environmental Legal Society
- Epicurean Society
- Executive Committee
- Federalist Society
- Fieldsport and Angling Society
- Health Law Association
- Honor Advocates
- Intellectual Property & Tech Law Society
- International Law Society
- J. Reuben Clark Law Society
- Jewish Law Students Association
- Kirgis Fellows
- Latin American Law Students Association
- Law Ambassadors
- Law and the Arts Society
- Law Families
- Law News
- Law Revue
- Law Students for Reproductive Justice
- Middle-East and North Africa Law Society
- Moot Court Executive Board
- National Lawyers GuildNational Lawyers GuildThe National Lawyers Guild is an advocacy group in the United States "dedicated to the need for basic and progressive change in the structure of our political and economic system . ....
- OutLaw
- Phi Alpha DeltaPhi Alpha DeltaΦAΔ , or P.A.D., is the largest co-ed professional law fraternity in the United States of America. Phi Alpha Delta has members who are university students, law school students, lawyers, judges, senators, and even presidents. It was founded in 1902 and today has over 300,000 initiated members...
- Phi Delta PhiPhi Delta PhiPhi Delta Phi, ΦΔΦ, is the world's second largest legal fraternity. Phi Delta Phi is the second oldest legal organization in continuous existence in the United States and third oldest in North America...
- Secular Student Society
- Southwest Virginia Innocence Project
- Sports and Entertainment Law
- Sports Czars
- Student Bar AssociationStudent Bar AssociationStudent bar associations are student organizations that exist at many laws schools in the United States. Student bar associations take their name from bar associations, which are professional bodies of lawyers....
- Student-Faculty Hearing Board
- Tax Law Society/VITA
- Virginia Bar Association - Law School Council
- Washington and Lee Law Runners
- Washington and Lee Wine Law Society
- Women Law Students Organization
Alumni of note
W&L Law has produced many notable graduates in Virginia and at the national level. Included amongst the alumni ranks are two Justices of the United States Supreme Court, six Presidents of the American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
, two Solicitors General of the United States, one major party candidate for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, Presidential Cabinet members, as well as numerous state governors, United States Congressmen, United States Senators, federal and state judges, influential academics, business leaders, and distinguished attorneys. The list below is not exhaustive. The date following the name is the Law School class. Alumni with two dates also attended as undergraduates and the order is alphabetical.
- Edward L. AllenEdward L. AllenEdward L. Allen or E.L. Allen was a photographer in 19th-century United States. He kept a studio on Temple Place in Boston, Massachusetts . For some years he worked in partnership with Frank Rowell...
1987 — Vice-President of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and Partner at Allen, Allen, Allen & AllenAllen, Allen, Allen & AllenAllen, Allen, Allen & Allen is a United States law firm based in Richmond, Virginia. Founded in 1910 in Lunenburg County, Virginia the firm now has 21 attorneys and more than 125 employees in 8 offices in Virginia. They have offices in Richmond, Chesterfield, Mechanicsville, Petersburg,... - Ronald J. BacigalRonald J. BacigalRonald J. Bacigal is a professor of law at the University of Richmond School of Law. He is "nationally recognized as one of the leading scholars of Fourth Amendment Law."...
1967 — Professor of law, University of Richmond School of LawUniversity of Richmond School of LawThe University of Richmond School of Law , a school of the University of Richmond, is located in Richmond, Virginia... - Newton D. BakerNewton D. BakerNewton Diehl Baker, Jr. was an American politician who belonged to the Democratic Party. He served as the 37th mayor of Cleveland, Ohio from 1912 to 1915 and as U.S. Secretary of War from 1916 to 1921.-Early years:...
1894 — Secretary of War under President Woodrow WilsonWoodrow WilsonThomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913... - Shawn Boyer 1997 - Founder and CEO of Snagajob.comSnagAJob.com-Company profile:Snagajob is a niche employment website used primarily by hourly workers and employers of hourly workforces.-Company history in brief:...
- Terry BrooksTerry BrooksTerence Dean "Terry" Brooks is an American writer of fantasy fiction. He writes mainly epic fantasy, and has also written two movie novelizations. He has written 23 New York Times bestsellers during his writing career, and has over 21 million copies of his books in print...
1969 — Author of fantasy fiction, 12 million copies in print - Nathan P. BryanNathan P. BryanNathan Philemon Bryan was a lawyer, federal judge, and United States Senator from Florida.-Personal:Bryan was born on April 23, 1872 near Fort Mason, Orange County , Florida. He attended the common schools but graduated from Emory College, Oxford, Georgia , in 1893...
1895 - US Senator from the State of Florida, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge - William James BryanWilliam James BryanWilliam James Bryan was a U.S. Senator from Florida who served as a Democrat. He was the brother of U.S. Senator Nathan P...
1899 - US Senator from Florida - Stokely G. Caldwell, Jr. 1986 - Sports law specialist and one of the most influential NASCAR lawyers in the country, listed as one of NASCAR's "Top 20 Most Influential Individuals" http://www.rbh.com
- Edmund Douglass Campbell 1922 - Notable civil rights attorney
- Preston C. Came, J.D., CFP 1996, Vice President, The Northern Trust Company
- Bruce L. Castor, Jr.Bruce L. Castor, Jr.Bruce L. Castor, Jr. is an American lawyer and Republican politician from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Castor was district attorney for Montgomery County from January 2000 through January 2008 when he took a seat on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners...
1986 — District Attorney, Montgomery County, PennsylvaniaMontgomery County, PennsylvaniaMontgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
(2000–2008), Commissioner, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (2008- ), - Lewis Preston Collins IILewis Preston Collins IILewis Preston "Pat" Collins served as lieutenant governor of Virginia from 1946 to 1952. He was usually known as L. Preston Collins or Pat Collins.-Early life:...
- Lieutenant Governor of Virginia - John J. DavisJohn J. Davis (congressman)John James Davis was an attorney and politician in West Virginia who served as a United States Representative in Congress from that state.-Early life:...
1856 - United States Representative from West VirginiaWest VirginiaWest Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east... - John W. DavisJohn W. DavisJohn William Davis was an American politician, diplomat and lawyer. He served as a United States Representative from West Virginia , then as Solicitor General of the United States and US Ambassador to the UK under President Woodrow Wilson...
1895, 1892 — 1924 DemocraticDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nominee for U.S. President; Ambassador to BritainUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
; Solicitor GeneralUnited States Solicitor GeneralThe United States Solicitor General is the person appointed to represent the federal government of the United States before the Supreme Court of the United States. The current Solicitor General, Donald B. Verrilli, Jr. was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 6, 2011 and sworn in on June...
; argued more cases before the Supreme Court than anyone else in the twentieth century; American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar AssociationThe American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
President; first President of the Council on Foreign RelationsCouncil on Foreign RelationsThe Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
; and named partner at Davis Polk & WardwellDavis Polk & WardwellDavis Polk & Wardwell LLP is an international law firm. The firm employs more than 800 attorneys worldwide and is headquartered in New York City. The firm represents many of the world's largest companies and leading financial institutions, and is best known for its corporate and litigation... - Mark Steven DavisMark Steven DavisMark Steven Davis is a United States federal judge.Born in Portsmouth, Virginia, Davis received a B.A. from the University of Virginia in 1984, and a J.D. from Washington & Lee University School of Law in 1988. He was a law clerk, Hon. John A. MacKenzie, U.S. District Court for the Eastern...
1988 - United States District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia - John DiPippa 1978 — Dean of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of LawUniversity of Arkansas at Little Rock School of LawThe William H. Bowen School of Law is part of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and was established in 1975. The law school is public, and has approximately 450 law students enrolled in full-time and part-time divisions. The annual entering class is approximately 155 students...
- John GoodeJohn GoodeJohn Goode, Jr. was a prominent Virginia Democratic politician who served in the Confederate Congress during the American Civil War and then was a three-term postbellum United States Congressman, as well as the acting Solicitor General of the United States.-Biography:Goode was born in Bedford...
- 3rd Solicitor General of the United States and United States Congressman from Virginia - Bob GoodlatteBob GoodlatteRobert William "Bob" Goodlatte is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in Roanoke and also includes Lynchburg, Harrisonburg and Staunton.-Early life, education and career:...
1977 - United States Congressman from Virginia - Robert J. Grey, Jr.Robert J. Grey, Jr.Robert James Grey, Jr., Past President of the American Bar Association is a partner with the Richmond, Virginia-based law firm, Hunton & Williams...
1976 - American Bar Association President 2004–2005 - Charles A. GravesCharles A. GravesCharles Alfred Graves was a legal scholar and law professor, who taught at the law schools of Washington and Lee University School of Law and the University of Virginia....
1872 - Professor at W&L Law and at the University of Virginia School of LawUniversity of Virginia School of LawThe University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program... - Morgan GriffithMorgan GriffithHoward Morgan Griffith is the U.S. Representative for Virginia's 9th congressional district. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was the majority leader of the Virginia House of Delegates and represented the 8th District, serving from 1994 until 2011...
1983 - Congressman from Virginia - Duncan Lawrence GronerDuncan Lawrence GronerDuncan Lawrence Groner was a United States federal judge.Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Groner received a LL.D. from Washington and Lee University in 1894. He was in private practice in Norfolk, Virginia from 1894 to 1921. He was a Delegate to every Republican National Convention from 1904 to 1920...
1894- U.S. Attorney, Federal District Judge for the E.D. of Virginia, Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia - Ondray T. Harris - United States Department of Justice Community Relations Service Director
- James Hay 1877 - United States Representative from Virginia and Federal Judge on the United States Court of ClaimsUnited States Court of ClaimsThe Court of Claims was a federal court that heard claims against the United States government. It was established in 1855 as the Court of Claims, renamed in 1948 to the United States Court of Claims , and abolished in 1982....
- Robert HuntleyRobert HuntleyRobert E. R. Huntley is an American attorney, businessperson, retired law professor, and former president of Washington and Lee University....
1950, 1957 - Former Dean of W&L Law, former President of Washington and Lee University, former President, Chairman, and CEO of Best ProductsBest ProductsBest Products is a defunct chain of American catalog showroom retail stores founded by Sydney and Frances Lewis, formerly headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.- History :... - Charles E. James, Jr. 1999 - Chief Deputy Attorney General of Virginia (2010)
- Walter Kelley 1977, 1981 - Former federal judgeFederal judgeFederal judges are judges appointed by a federal level of government as opposed to the state / provincial / local level.-Brazil:In Brazil, federal judges of first instance are chosen exclusively by public contest...
in the Eastern District of Virginia and current partner at Jones DayJones DayJones Day is an international law firm founded in Cleveland, Ohio on March 1, 1893, by Judge Edwin J. Blandin and William Lowe Rice. Jones Day is the eighth largest law firm in the world by revenue, and the fourth highest grossing firm in the US with annual revenues of US$1.4 billion... - James L. KemperJames L. KemperJames Lawson Kemper was a lawyer, a Confederate general in the American Civil War, and the 37th Governor of Virginia...
-1842, Governor of Virginia, Confederate General Leading Pickett's Charge - Ruby LaffoonRuby LaffoonRuby Laffoon was a politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. He was the state's 43rd governor, serving from 1931 to 1935. At age 17, Laffoon moved to Washington, D.C. to live with his uncle, U.S. Representative Polk Laffoon...
1890 - Governor of Kentucky - Joseph Rucker LamarJoseph Rucker LamarJoseph Rucker Lamar was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court appointed by President William Howard Taft...
1878 — Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United StatesAssociate JusticeAssociate Justice or Associate Judge is the title for a member of a judicial panel who is not the Chief Justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the United States Supreme Court and some state supreme courts, and for some other courts in Commonwealth...
of the United States Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the United StatesThe Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
(1911–1916) - Sydney LewisSydney LewisSydney Lewis was a prominent Virginia businessman, philanthropist, and art collector.Born in Richmond, Virginia, he was the founder of Best Products Co. . He is the namesake of Lewis Hall at the Washington and Lee University School of Law, whose construction he and his wife, Frances, funded in...
1943 - Prominent Virginia businessman, art collector, and founder of Best Products Co. - Scott Marion Loftin 1899 - US Senator from Florida and President of the American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar AssociationThe American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
- Mary Beth LongMary Beth LongMary Beth Long was United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs from 2007 to 2009.-Biography:Mary Beth Long was educated at Pennsylvania State University, receiving a B.A. in communication studies in 1985...
1998 - Senior Vice President of NeuralIQ Government Services, Inc., former Assistant Secretary for International Security Affairs at the United States Department of DefenseUnited States Department of DefenseThe United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
and former attorney with Williams & Connolly LLP - Christopher C.S. Manning 1997 - Partner at Manning Sossamon, successfully defended a dry cleaner who was sued for $67 million by then administrative law judge Roy Pearson for a lost pair of pants, garnerning significant national and international media exposure
- Ross L. Malone, Jr. 1932 - United States Deputy Attorney GeneralUnited States Deputy Attorney GeneralUnited States Deputy Attorney General is the second-highest-ranking official in the United States Department of Justice. In the United States federal government, the Deputy Attorney General oversees the day-to-day operation of the Department of Justice, and may act as Attorney General during the...
, General Counsel to General MotorsGeneral MotorsGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, President of the American Bar Association - John Otho Marsh, Jr.John Otho Marsh, Jr.John Otho Marsh, Jr. served as the United States Secretary of the Army between 1981 and 1989. He also served in the United States House of Representatives from Virginia from 1963 to 1971. He graduated from Washington and Lee University, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity...
1951 - Secretary of the Army, 1981–1989, United States Congressman - Robert Murphy MayoRobert Murphy MayoRobert Murphy Mayo was a U.S. Representative from Virginia.-Biography:Born in Hague, Virginia, Mayo attended private schools and William and Mary College, Williamsburg, Virginia. He was graduated from Virginia Military Institute at Lexington, Virginia in 1858...
1859 - United States Representative from Virginia - John Ashton MacKenzieJohn Ashton MacKenzieJohn Ashton MacKenzie is a former United States federal judge.Born in Portsmouth, Virginia, MacKenzie received an LL.B. from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 1939. He was in private practice in Portsmouth, Virginia from 1939 to 1967, also serving in the U.S. Coast Guard during World...
1939 - Federal Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia - Thomas Chipman McRaeThomas Chipman McRaeThomas Chipman McRae was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives and was the 26th Governor of Arkansas from 1921 to 1925.-Biography:...
-Governor of Arkansas, United States Representative - Robert E. PayneRobert E. PayneRobert E. Payne is a United States federal judge.Born in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, Payne received a B.A. from Washington and Lee University in 1963 and a J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 1967. He was in the United States Army, JAG Corps from 1967 to 1971...
1967 - Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia - Miles PoindexterMiles PoindexterMiles Poindexter was an American politician. As a Republican and later a Progressive, he served as a United States Representative and United States Senator.-Early life:Poindexter was born in Memphis, Tennessee...
1891 - Senator from the State of Washington - Lewis Franklin Powell, Jr.Lewis Franklin Powell, Jr.Lewis Franklin Powell, Jr. was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He developed a reputation as a judicial moderate, and was known as a master of compromise and consensus-building. He was also widely well regarded by contemporaries due to his personal good manners and...
1931, 1929 — Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court (1972–1987), President of the American Bar Association, and named partner at Hunton Williams Gay Powell & GibsonHunton & WilliamsFounded in 1901, Hunton & Williams LLP is a US law firm that employs more than 800 lawyers. It has been called "one of the most well-connected legal and lobbying firms in DC." The firm was founded in Richmond, Virginia and has 18 other offices throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. In... - Prescott PrincePrescott PrincePrescott Prince is an American lawyer and officer in the United States Navy Reserve.Prince is notable for being assigned to represent Guantanamo captive Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.-Education:Member of Kappa Alpha Order.-Legal career:...
, 1983 — attorney defending Khalid Sheikh Mohammed - Tom SansonettiTom SansonettiThomas Lawrence Sansonetti, known as Tom Sansonetti , is an attorney and a government official from the U.S. state of Wyoming. He now resides in Greenwood Village, a suburb of Denver, Colorado....
1976 - Assistant United States Attorney General, Wyoming Attorney - William F. Stone, Jr. 1966 - Judge for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia
- Robert W. Ray 1985 - Partner at Pryor Cashman LLP in New York City and former head of the U.S. Office of the Independent Counsel (succeeded Kenneth StarrKenneth StarrKenneth Winston "Ken" Starr is an American lawyer and educational administrator who has also been a federal judge. He is best known for his investigation of figures during the Clinton administration....
) http://pryorcashman.com - Alfred E. ReamesAlfred E. ReamesAlfred Evan Reames was an American attorney and politician from the state of Oregon. A native Oregonian, he served as a United States Senator for nine months in 1938. A Democrat, he practiced law in Portland, Eugene, and Jacksonville.-Early life:Alfred Reames was born in Jacksonville, Oregon, as...
1893 — U.S. Senator from OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern... - Robert ShepherdRobert ShepherdRobert E. Shepherd, Jr. was professor of law at the University of Richmond School of Law, joining the faculty in 1978 and retiring from his professorship in 2001. Even after retirement, he served as professor emeritus and continued teaching until his death. Shepherd taught classes on "Children and...
1961, 1959 — Professor emeritus of law, University of Richmond School of LawUniversity of Richmond School of LawThe University of Richmond School of Law , a school of the University of Richmond, is located in Richmond, Virginia...
http://law.richmond.edu/faculty/index.php - Ashley L. Taylor Jr. 1993 - Partner with Troutman Sanders LLP and recognized as one of "The 50 Most Influential Minority Lawyers in America" in 2008 by the National Law Journal http://www.troutmansanders.com
- Charles L. Terry, Jr.Charles L. Terry, Jr.Charles Layman "Charlie" Terry, Jr. was an American lawyer and politician from Dover, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, who served as Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court and as Governor of Delaware.-Early life and family:Terry was born at Camden, Delaware,...
- Governor of Delaware 1961–1965 - Paul S. Trible, Jr.Paul S. Trible, Jr.Paul Seward Trible, Jr. is a former Representative and Senator in the United States Congress from Virginia and current president of Christopher Newport University. Trible graduated from Hampden-Sydney College in 1968 where he received his Bachelor of Arts in History...
1971 — Former U.S. Senator from Virginia, President of Christopher Newport UniversityChristopher Newport UniversityChristopher Newport University, or CNU, is a public liberal arts university located in Newport News, Virginia, United States. CNU is the youngest comprehensive university in the Commonwealth of Virginia... - William M. TuckWilliam M. TuckWilliam Munford Tuck served as the 55th Governor of Virginia from 1946 to 1950 as a Democrat.He was the youngest son of Halifax County, Virginia tobacco warehouseman Robert James Tuck and Virginia Susan Fritts. Tuck graduated from the College of William and Mary, earning a teacher's certificate....
-1921, Governor of Virginia - Henry St. George Tucker IIIHenry St. George Tucker IIIHenry St. George Tucker, III was a representative from the Commonwealth of Virginia to the United States House of Representatives, professor of law, and president of the American Bar Association. He was born to Laura and John Randolph Tucker in Winchester, Virginia, and received a B.L...
1876 - US Congressman from Virginia and President of the American Bar Association - David Gardiner TylerDavid Gardiner TylerDavid Gardiner Tyler , was a U.S. Democratic Party politician.-Early life:He was born in East Hampton, New York and was the first child born to former President John Tyler and his second wife, Julia Gardiner Tyler. He was named after his late maternal grandfather, David Gardiner. As a child, he...
1869 - United States Representative, Son of President John Tyler, Present at Lee's surrender at Appomattox - William R. Vance 1869 - Professor at Yale Law SchoolYale Law SchoolYale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
, and Dean of W&L Law, George Washington University Law School, and the University of Minnesota Law SchoolUniversity of Minnesota Law SchoolThe University of Minnesota Law School, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, is a professional school of the University of Minnesota. The school offers a Juris Doctor , Masters of Law for Foreign Lawyers, and joint degrees with J.D./M.B.A., J.D./M.P.A, J.D./M.A., J.D./M.S., J.D./Ph.D.,... - Sol WachtlerSol WachtlerSolomon Wachtler, born , is a lawyer and politician from New York. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1985 to 1993. Known for the remark, "A marriage license should not be viewed as a license for a husband to forcibly rape his wife with impunity" , Wachtler was a key figure in...
, former Chief Judge of the New York Court of AppealsChief Judge of the New York Court of AppealsChief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals refers to the position of chief judge on the New York Court of Appeals.The chief judge supervises the seven-judge Court of Appeals...
(1985–1993) - H. Emory Widener, Jr.H. Emory Widener, Jr.Hiram Emory Widener Jr. was a United States federal judge and then a Senior Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.-Early life and career:...
1953 - Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals - Christopher WolfChristopher WolfChristopher Wolf is an American attorney specializing in Internet and privacy law. He is a partner in the international law firm of Hogan & Hartson. He is the founding editor and lead author of the first Practising Law Institute legal treatise on privacy and information security law...
1980 - Partner at Hogan LovellsHogan LovellsHogan Lovells is an international law firm co-headquartered in London, United Kingdom and Washington, D.C., United States. It was formed on May 1, 2010 following the merger of Washington-based Hogan & Hartson and London-based Lovells. The two firms' agreement to merge was announced on 15 December...
and widely recognized as one of the leading American practitioners in the field of privacy and data security law - Christopher J. Yianilos 1997 - Deputy Chief of Staff & Legislative Director, United States Senator John Warner; author of "The Law School Breakthrough"
Notable faculty
- John White BrockenbroughJohn White BrockenbroughJohn White Brockenbrough was a Virginia lawyer, federal judge, educator, and the founder of the Washington and Lee University School of Law....
- Federal Judge, founder, and former Dean of the Washington and Lee University School of Law - Martin P. BurksMartin P. BurksMartin Parks Burks was born in Bedford County, Virginia. His father was Judge Edward C. Burks, who served on the Supreme Court of Appeals from 1876 to 1882. Martin Burks attended Washington and Lee University when he was only fifteen years old...
- Former Dean and justice on the Virginia Supreme Court - Judy ClarkeJudy ClarkeJudy Clarke is an American criminal defense attorney who practices law in San Diego, California and has served as a public defender in many high-profile cases throughout the United States. Clarke has previously served as President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers...
- Noted criminal defense attorney for Ted Kaczynski, Zacarias MoussaouiZacarias MoussaouiZacarias Moussaoui is a French citizen who was convicted of conspiring to kill citizens of the US as part of the September 11 attacks...
, Susan SmithSusan SmithSusan Leigh Vaughan Smith is an American woman sentenced to life in prison for murdering her children. Born in Union, South Carolina, and a former student of the University of South Carolina Union, she was convicted on July 22, 1995 of murdering her two sons, 3-year-old Michael Daniel Smith, born...
, and Jared Lee LoughnerJared Lee LoughnerJared Lee Loughner is an American man who is charged with the January 8, 2011 Tucson, Arizona shooting that killed six people, including Chief U.S. District Court Judge John Roll. The shooting also left 14 others injured, including U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords... - John W. DavisJohn W. DavisJohn William Davis was an American politician, diplomat and lawyer. He served as a United States Representative from West Virginia , then as Solicitor General of the United States and US Ambassador to the UK under President Woodrow Wilson...
1895, 1892 - 1924 Democratic nominee for U.S. President; United States Solicitor GeneralUnited States Solicitor GeneralThe United States Solicitor General is the person appointed to represent the federal government of the United States before the Supreme Court of the United States. The current Solicitor General, Donald B. Verrilli, Jr. was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 6, 2011 and sworn in on June...
; and American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar AssociationThe American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
President - Creigh DeedsCreigh DeedsRobert Creigh Deeds is an American politician who was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Virginia in 2009. He also ran in the 2005 race for Attorney General of Virginia. He was defeated in both of the above races by Bob McDonnell. Deeds lost by just 323 votes in 2005, but was defeated by a...
- Democratic nominee for Governor of VirginiaGovernor of VirginiaThe governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
in 2009 and Virginia State SenatorSenate of VirginiaThe Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. The Senate is composed of 40 Senators representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts. The Senate is presided over by the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia... - Charles A. GravesCharles A. GravesCharles Alfred Graves was a legal scholar and law professor, who taught at the law schools of Washington and Lee University School of Law and the University of Virginia....
1872 - Professor at W&L Law and at the University of Virginia School of LawUniversity of Virginia School of LawThe University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program... - Robert HuntleyRobert HuntleyRobert E. R. Huntley is an American attorney, businessperson, retired law professor, and former president of Washington and Lee University....
1950, 1957 - Former Dean of W&L Law, former President of Washington and Lee University, former President, Chairman, and CEO of Best ProductsBest ProductsBest Products is a defunct chain of American catalog showroom retail stores founded by Sydney and Frances Lewis, formerly headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.- History :... - Jeffrey P. MinearJeffrey P. MinearJeffrey P. Minear is Counselor to Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.. Minear began work at the Supreme Court on September 11, 2006. Previously he had been senior litigation counsel and assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice ....
- Counselor to Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. - David F. Partlett - Former Dean of W&L Law and of Emory University School of LawEmory University School of LawEmory University School of Law is a first-tier US law school that is part of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. It is ranked #30 among ABA-approved law schools by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report...
- Rodney A. SmollaRodney A. SmollaRodney A. Smolla, is an award-winning author and first amendment scholar. He is the 11th president of Furman University.Smolla went to Yale University as an undergraduate and to Duke University Law School, where he finished first in his class...
- Former Dean, First Amendment scholar, and President of Furman UniversityFurman UniversityFurman University is a selective, private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Furman is one of the oldest, and more selective private institutions in South Carolina... - Henry St. George Tucker, Sr.Henry St. George Tucker, Sr.Henry St. George Tucker, Sr. was a Virginia jurist, law professor, and U.S. Congressman .-Biography:Tucker was born in Williamsburg, Virginia on December 29, 1780. As a young man, Tucker pursued classical studies at the College of William & Mary; he graduated in 1798...
- Former Dean and Congressman from Virginia - Henry St. George Tucker IIIHenry St. George Tucker IIIHenry St. George Tucker, III was a representative from the Commonwealth of Virginia to the United States House of Representatives, professor of law, and president of the American Bar Association. He was born to Laura and John Randolph Tucker in Winchester, Virginia, and received a B.L...
1876 - Former Dean, Congressman from Virginia, and former President of the American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar AssociationThe American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation... - John Randolph Tucker - Virginia Attorney General, former Dean, and former President of the American Bar Association
- William R. Vance 1869 - Professor at Yale Law SchoolYale Law SchoolYale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
, and Dean of W&L Law, George Washington University Law School, and the University of Minnesota Law SchoolUniversity of Minnesota Law SchoolThe University of Minnesota Law School, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, is a professional school of the University of Minnesota. The school offers a Juris Doctor , Masters of Law for Foreign Lawyers, and joint degrees with J.D./M.B.A., J.D./M.P.A, J.D./M.A., J.D./M.S., J.D./Ph.D.,...