Columbus School of Law
Encyclopedia
The Columbus School of Law, also known as CUA Law, is the law school
of The Catholic University of America
, in Washington, D.C.
.
Over 900 Juris Doctor
students attend CUA Law. Incoming classes are typically composed of two to three hundred students, including day and night programs. Around 3,500 students apply annually. CUA Law touts itself as possessing highly ranked clinical and externship programs, an excellent trial advocacy program, and a commitment to preparing students to enter the legal profession. CUA Law is located slightly two miles north of the United States Capitol
and a five minute walk from a DC metro station.
. The law school's pioneering externship program was established in the 1970s; over 100 students pursue fieldwork for credit each semester at government agencies, non-profit organizations, law firms, and corporations. The CUA externship program has served as a model for many law schools across the nation. Columbus School of Law faculty members wrote the first and only textbook for use in externship seminars.
. The campus features a chapel with masses held daily. In 1994 the law school opened a state-of-the art 170000 square feet (15,793.5 m²) facility to house its program. The new building includes the Kathryn J. DuFour Law Library, the Walter A. Slowinski and Haislip and Yewell Courtrooms, and the three-story Keelty Atrium.
The school offers LL.M
programs in Banking and Commercial Law, Communications Law, Securities Law, Trusts and Estates, Comparative and International Law, and Jurisprudence.
The school also offers an exclusive LL.M program in American law with the Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University
in Krakow, Poland. It allows Jagiellonian law students and students enrolled in the CUA-JU LL.M. program to study the essential substantive and procedural elements of the legal system of the United States.
In addition to its J.D. program, Catholic University offers six institutes for specialized study. The program is designed to give students the opportunity to pursue a specified concentration of courses. Each institute accepts approximately 15 students each academic year. They are:
, the Journal of Contemporary Health Law and Policy, CommLaw Conspectus: Journal of Communications Law and Policy, and the Journal of Law, Philosophy & Culture. The school also has a very active moot court
program, with teams practicing in international law
, communications law, labor law, constitutional law
, securities law, national security, and a trials competition. Additionally, there are more than forty active student organizations on campus.
Founded in 1969, the Columbus Community Legal Services offers three distinct clinical courses: the General Practice Clinic; the Families and the Law Clinic; and Advocacy for the Elderly. In addition, the school offers a general practice clinic, a criminal prosecution clinic, a mediation clinic, an SEC Student Observer Program, and both a civil and criminal D.C. Law Students in Court Program.
's annual "Best Graduate Schools" edition for 2011 and is consistently ranked within the nation's top 100 law schools.
The law school's legal clinic, Columbus Community Legal Services, is consistently ranked among the top dozen in the nation.
of Iowa
, U.S. Senator Robert Patrick Casey, Jr. of Pennsylvania
, U.S. Rep.-elect Kathy Hochul
of New York
, Justice Peggy A. Quince of the Florida Supreme Court
, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission member Naomi C. Earp, Former FCC Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
and the presiding judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, Rhode Island House Minority Leader, Robert A. Watson, Chief Judge Edward J. Damich of the United States Court of Federal Claims
, former National Labor Relations Board
Chair John H. Fanning
, Chief Administrative Law Judge James G. Gilbert of the United States Postal Service
, B. Jeffrey Cravath, Senior Vice President of Fannie Mae, Christine Luchok Fallon
, Reporter of Decisions for the U.S. Supreme Court, and Arizona Cardinals
President Michael Bidwill
. Edie Burns also went there.
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
of The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
, in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.
Over 900 Juris Doctor
Juris 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...
students attend CUA Law. Incoming classes are typically composed of two to three hundred students, including day and night programs. Around 3,500 students apply annually. CUA Law touts itself as possessing highly ranked clinical and externship programs, an excellent trial advocacy program, and a commitment to preparing students to enter the legal profession. CUA Law is located slightly two miles north of the United States Capitol
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
and a five minute walk from a DC metro station.
History
The law school was established in 1897. Its name comes from ties to The Knights of ColumbusKnights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
. The law school's pioneering externship program was established in the 1970s; over 100 students pursue fieldwork for credit each semester at government agencies, non-profit organizations, law firms, and corporations. The CUA externship program has served as a model for many law schools across the nation. Columbus School of Law faculty members wrote the first and only textbook for use in externship seminars.
Campus
The Columbus School of Law remains close to its roots in the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. The campus features a chapel with masses held daily. In 1994 the law school opened a state-of-the art 170000 square feet (15,793.5 m²) facility to house its program. The new building includes the Kathryn J. DuFour Law Library, the Walter A. Slowinski and Haislip and Yewell Courtrooms, and the three-story Keelty Atrium.
Curriculum
Catholic University's J.D. program can be completed over three years of full-time day study or four years of part-time evening study.The school offers LL.M
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
programs in Banking and Commercial Law, Communications Law, Securities Law, Trusts and Estates, Comparative and International Law, and Jurisprudence.
The school also offers an exclusive LL.M program in American law with the Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University
Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University
Faculty of Law and Administration is the oldest unit of the Jagiellonian University. In 1364, when the University was established, 8 out of 11 chairs were devoted to legal sciences. At the beginning only courses in Canon Law and Roman Law were available...
in Krakow, Poland. It allows Jagiellonian law students and students enrolled in the CUA-JU LL.M. program to study the essential substantive and procedural elements of the legal system of the United States.
In addition to its J.D. program, Catholic University offers six institutes for specialized study. The program is designed to give students the opportunity to pursue a specified concentration of courses. Each institute accepts approximately 15 students each academic year. They are:
- Institute for Communications Law StudiesInstitute for Communications Law StudiesThe Institute for Communications Law Studies, also known as the Communications Law Institute or CLI, is one of six institutes for specialized study within the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America, in Washington, D.C...
- Comparative and International Law Institute
- Law and Public Policy Program
- Securities and Corporate Law Program
- Interdisciplinary Program in Law and Religion
Academics & student activities
The Columbus School of Law has several law journals, including the Catholic University Law ReviewCatholic University Law Review
The Catholic University Law Review is a student-run quarterly law review published by the Columbus School of Law .- Overview :The journal was established in 1950 and is the Columbus School of Law's oldest legal journal...
, the Journal of Contemporary Health Law and Policy, CommLaw Conspectus: Journal of Communications Law and Policy, and the Journal of Law, Philosophy & Culture. The school also has a very active moot court
Moot court
A moot court is an extracurricular activity at many law schools in which participants take part in simulated court proceedings, usually to include drafting briefs and participating in oral argument. The term derives from Anglo Saxon times, when a moot was a gathering of prominent men in a...
program, with teams practicing in 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...
, communications law, labor law, constitutional law
Constitutional law
Constitutional law is the body of law which defines the relationship of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary....
, securities law, national security, and a trials competition. Additionally, there are more than forty active student organizations on campus.
Founded in 1969, the Columbus Community Legal Services offers three distinct clinical courses: the General Practice Clinic; the Families and the Law Clinic; and Advocacy for the Elderly. In addition, the school offers a general practice clinic, a criminal prosecution clinic, a mediation clinic, an SEC Student Observer Program, and both a civil and criminal D.C. Law Students in Court Program.
Rankings
The school was ranked 79th in the U.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
's annual "Best Graduate Schools" edition for 2011 and is consistently ranked within the nation's top 100 law schools.
The law school's legal clinic, Columbus Community Legal Services, is consistently ranked among the top dozen in the nation.
2009 Graduates facts
- Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation: 93.4%
- Percentage of class employed in private sector: 60%
- Percentage of class employed in public sector: 38.1%
- Private Practice Median Salary: $160,000
- Government Sector Median Salary: $62,000
- Business Sector Median Salary: $75,000
- Judicial Clerkship Median Salary: $52,000
- Public Interest Sector Median Salary: $55,000
Notable alumni
Graduates include several leading judicial, academic, and political figures, including U.S. Senator Tom HarkinTom Harkin
Thomas Richard "Tom" Harkin is the junior United States Senator from Iowa and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives ....
of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, U.S. Senator Robert Patrick Casey, Jr. of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, U.S. Rep.-elect Kathy Hochul
Kathy Hochul
Kathleen Courtney "Kathy" Hochul is the Democratic U.S. Representative for New York's 26th congressional district, serving since June 1, 2011. She prevailed in the four-candidate special election of May 24, 2011 to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Republican Chris Lee, and is the...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Justice Peggy A. Quince of the Florida Supreme Court
Florida Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of Florida is the highest court in the U.S. state of Florida. The Supreme Court consists of seven judges: the Chief Justice and six Justices who are appointed by the Governor to 6-year terms and remain in office if retained in a general election near the end of each...
, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission member Naomi C. Earp, Former FCC Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
The United States District Court for the District of Columbia is a federal district court. Appeals from the District are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit The United States District Court for the District of Columbia (in case citations, D.D.C.) is a...
and the presiding judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, Rhode Island House Minority Leader, Robert A. Watson, Chief Judge Edward J. Damich of the United States Court of Federal Claims
United States Court of Federal Claims
The United States Court of Federal Claims is a United States federal court that hears monetary claims against the U.S. government. The court is established pursuant to Congress's authority under Article One of the United States Constitution...
, former National Labor Relations Board
National Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board is an independent agency of the United States government charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices. Unfair labor practices may involve union-related situations or instances of...
Chair John H. Fanning
John H. Fanning
John Harold Fanning was an American lawyer and member of the National Labor Relations Board for a record 25 years . He was the Board's Chair from 1977 to 1981.-Early life:...
, Chief Administrative Law Judge James G. Gilbert of the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
, B. Jeffrey Cravath, Senior Vice President of Fannie Mae, Christine Luchok Fallon
Christine Luchok Fallon
Christine Luchok Fallon is the 16th Reporter of Decisions of the United States Supreme Court. Fallon began her service in 2011 and is the first woman to hold the position....
, Reporter of Decisions for the U.S. Supreme Court, and Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
President Michael Bidwill
Michael Bidwill
Michael Bidwill is a National Football League executive with the Arizona Cardinals. He is the son of franchise owner Bill Bidwill and the current President of the club.-Biography:...
. Edie Burns also went there.