Washington University - School of Law

The once hidden gem of Washington University School of Law has now become one of the most well-respected law communities in the nation. The excellent academics, “generous” scholarships, and “great course selections” have made this a law school on the rise, and as firms in national metropolitan centers recognize this, WashU Law’s reputation only grows. This excellent reputation “has been priceless in the current job market” for recent graduates, and together, “the student body and administration create a fantastic environment which helps to lessen the inevitable stress of law school.”
The “expert” professors are “as accessible as you can possibly find,” and they “are very good at what they do, especially the adjuncts,” keeping the material “interesting” while “really challenging you to critically think.” They also “care a whole lot about your career after school is over if you take time to reach out.” Experience is not difficult to come by here, as WashULaw guarantees every interested JD student at least one clinical experience during their time in law school.
One student in particular agrees: “Washington University has provided me the opportunity to gain practical experience while obtaining my JD. Since I've started last year, I've had internships with the New Jersey Attorney General, Federal Public Defender's Office, and the New York Attorney General.” These individuals are “not short on theoretical understanding, either.”
The Career Services Office is “top notch” and serves as a huge draw to students in choosing WashULaw as their law school; it is “extremely engaged” and “goes out of their way to connect you with employers, alumni, and other resources to aid you in your job search.” “The CSO here is absolutely incredible and I wouldn't be at a different school for anything right now,” says one student. If you want to take an extra semester to do an internship, the office “will work with you to make sure you are getting the educational experience you want, while still completing the requirements for graduation.” Many students spend a semester in New York City working full time doing securities regulation while obtaining a full semester's worth of credits. Another claims, “When I was accepted to the school, they asked what city I wanted to work in when I graduated and what practice areas I was interested in. Soon after I provided this information, they began connecting me with countless attorneys doing exactly what I hope[d] to do in the same city that I want[ed] to do it.”
While WashU guarantees funding for 1L students working in the public interest and the school has a dedicated career advisor for public service, many students agree that there is “not enough support for public interest careers” (particularly after your 1L summer). Still, it is clear to anyone who attends WashU Law that the school truly “looks out for its students,” and administrators “are SUPER helpful and bend over backwards to accommodate individual situations.” The schools also host “a medley of workshops every day in order to foster students' employment prospects in what is a very bad legal market.” Hard work sees a direct result here. At WashULaw, students are not “guaranteed” interviews during on and off campus interview programs—they earn them on their own merit. Students are selected by employers based upon their unique qualifications.

Students at WashU Law are “very friendly and social,” as well as “relatively laid-back.” People are “competitive, but friendly;” if you miss class, “your friends will be more than happy to give you their notes.” The school does an excellent job of maintaining a culture of hard work and general sociability. “My classmates are extremely bright and I know they will be excellent connections to have throughout my career,” says a student. Student life is “amazing,” and everyone is “very happy…well-adjusted,” and “have a lot going on outside of the classroom, including good groups of friends.” “We are a very social school, I go out with my classmates frequently,” says one student.
The law school building is “beautiful,” particularly the twenty-four-hour library reading room (“like something out of Harry Potter”) and the central courtyard where “students gather during the day and at weekly Happy Hour each Friday.” “I feel like just being in the building makes me smarter,” says one student. Aside from the Friday Happy Hour, the SBA organizes a “well-attended” bar review every Thursday, which features drink specials and more socializing. St. Louis is “a great place to spend three years,” as “there's plenty of things to do, the housing is cheap, and the city has lots of personality,” according to one student. The student body is a mix of recent grads and older students, and though the older students with spouses and families are “less involved in the traditional social scene,” they do not feel “lost and alone amongst the twenty-two-year-olds.” Most people here are more liberal-minded, and there is a consensus that this “type of homogeny could use a little breaking up,” if only for the sake of discourse.