George Washington University Law School

The George Washington University Law School, commonly referred to as GW Law, is the law school of The George Washington University. It was founded in 1825 and is the oldest law school in Washington, D.C. The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a charter member of the Association of American Law Schools. It is located on the main campus of The George Washington University at the corner of 20th and H Streets in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood. From 1959 to the mid-1990s, the law school was officially named the National Law Center (as a result of the 1954 merger with the National University School of Law). The name was changed to emphasize its position as The George Washington University's law school.

History

Though it would be decades before George Washington’s namesake university would be established by an Act of Congress, the George Washington University Law School—founded in 1825, closed in 1826 due to financial difficulty, and then reorganized in 1865—was the first law school in the District of Columbia.

In 1865, the president of Columbian College (now The George Washington University) facilitated the purchase of a building owned by Trinity Church for the purpose of holding law classes. In 1867, the school graduated its first class, who represented twenty two of the then thirty seven states.The Master of Laws degree program was adopted by the school in 1877.In 1900, the school was one of the founding members of the Association of American Law......
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