Study, Live, Work
A Rigorous Education in a Community of Trust Our small size means small classes, and ample opportunity to have personalized and meaningful discussions about the law with professors and students, both inside and outside the classroom.
Dean Melanie Wilson teaches law students each semester.
Our location in the quintessential college town of Lexington, Virginia provides plenty of social and recreational outlets to help you maintain a healthy balance between work and life. Our relentless focus on positive student outcomes is evident in our strong employment and bar passage rates, which lead to great job opportunities for our students at law firms, in the government and with other employers across the nation.
“W&L Law ranks high on all of the important metrics of a law school, but the true value of a law school is the people that shape it – and the incredible faculty, staff and students at W&L are why I choose to call Lexington home.” — ROBBIE SANTOS ’27L
Facts & Figures 2029 CLASS PROFILE
2,196 APPLICATIONS
median
received
LSAT
23%
3.81
ACCEPTANCE rate
W&L Law students pledge each year to be honorable practitioners of the law.
168 median
LAW STUDENTS
from
36
U.S. STATES (79% from outside VA)
GPA
130
21-45
CLASS SIZE
AGE RANGE
15%
32%
1ST GEN
DOMESTIC students of color
college grads
370
15
countries of citizenship
W&L Law student running club
177 years
Generations of Leaders Founded in 1849, W&L Law has trained lawyers for more than a century and a half. Our tradition of excellence and innovation in legal education has produced generations of leaders. You will find our dedicated alumni across the United States and in 27 countries, practicing at law firms and in corporate counsel offices, serving as judges, prosecutors and public defenders, holding positions in government and launching start-up ventures. As you decide where you want to attend law school, consider a school that has burnished its reputation over many decades and created well-worn paths to success.
7:1
30+
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
student-tofaculty ratio
22
LEGAL WRITING & LEGAL RESEARCH class size
100% OF STUDENTS work with real clients
177 7
LEGAL
WRITING
YEARS OLD
3 LAW JOURNALS
6
The Honor System at W&L Law makes our community a great choice for legal education. Over 150 years old, this student-run system governs student conduct and allows you to live and learn in an environment of civility and trust.
ABA PRESIDENTS (third most of any law school)
IN-HOUSE legal clinics
“I came to W&L Law to trust and be trusted.” —ZANE OPENSHAW ’27L
Study
A Tradition of Innovation Our liberal arts approach to legal education delivers small classes and unparalleled faculty access in a community built on trust. We don’t do tracks or certificates; we simply allow our students to build a legal education that is a custom fit for their career objectives.
Build a Foundation
Explore and Advance
Everyone takes the same first-year courses, creating a shared intellectual experience and spirit of collaboration that our students carry throughout their years:
With full-time legal research and writing instruction, plus peer advising from the Burks Scholars and Kirgis Fellows program, first-year students receive extensive support.
FALL n Torts n Contracts n Civil Procedure n AI for Legal Practice n Legal Research/Writing SPRING n Property n Constitutional Law n Criminal Law n Transnational Law n Legal Writing
As an upper-level student, two additional doctrinal courses are required: Evidence and Professional Responsibility, as well as a Skills Immersion course. From there, choose from 120 elective courses, including classes in our innovative experiential curriculum. An upper-level writing requirement, working on one of our three law journals and competing in moot court competitions will further develop your professional abilities.
Experience, W&L Law Our innovative practicebased curriculum enables students to create unique opportunities to learn in context, speeding the transition from law student to legal professional. As your education progresses, you will continue to learn the law, but increasingly you will do so as lawyers do, in the process of solving problems for clients.
Black Lung Legal Clinic Community Legal Practice Center Criminal Justice Clinic Immigrant Rights Clinic Tax Clinic Civil Rights and Racial Justice Clinic Full-Time Externships (DC & beyond) Prosecutors Externship Judicial Clerkship Externship Veterans Benefits Practicum Human Rights Practicum Law Firm Externships
W&L Law students invest in the community through student organizations. *Leadership of the Environmental Law Society
Go Global Study Abroad. Through our exchange programs, students may study abroad for a semester at Trinity College in Dublin or the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. Overseas Internships. Assisted by our Transnational Law Institute, students complete international summer internships at sites ranging from non-profits in Italy, like Sant’Egidio Foundation, to corporate law at Jones Day in Germany.
Live Lovable Lexington Law school is hard. Life in law school doesn’t have to be. Located in the stunning Shenandoah Valley, the beautiful college town of Lexington offers all of the amenities with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. And, the scenery cannot be beat.
German Law Journal. One of the journal options at W&L Law is The German Law Journal, a peer-reviewed journal reporting on the developments in Germany, European and international jurisprudence. Transnational Law. All 1Ls take Transnational Law, giving them a global perspective from the outset of law school.
The walkable downtown is just steps from campus and filled with locally owned coffee shops, restaurants, boutiques, and gathering places where students quickly become familiar faces. Nearby wineries, breweries, hiking trails, rivers, and the Blue Ridge Mountains offer countless opportunities to recharge outside the classroom. Most students choose to live within walking distance of campus, making it easy to connect with classmates, professors, and friends both inside and outside the law school. Whether you’re grabbing coffee before class or exploring the Shenandoah Valley on the weekend, Lexington becomes more than where you attend law school—it becomes home.
Opportunities Student Bar Association. From student government to professional development, the SBA is the center of student life at W&L Law. You can be a voice on campus and ensure that law students keep a healthy work/life balance. Moot Court. Hone your advocacy skills and get your competitive juices flowing in one of the five intra-school lawyering competitions. Then go national representing the school at a variety of events, making professional connections along the way.
W&L Law students in the reading room.
Intramurals. Fall is for LSFL (Law School Football League) on the law
Lexington, VA has many charming restaurants, stores, and coffee shops. “The Lexington landscape and lifestyle will be very hard to leave behind. It is not often one has the chance to be a part of such a tight community, let alone one as active, eclectic, and vibrant as this.” — WILL VARDY ’26L
Get In(volved). Whether you are into politics, yoga, or intramural sports, one of our 30+ student organizations will give you a home to pursue your passions. Get Out(side). Surrounded by mountains and rivers—outdoor activities abound. Stop by our Outing Club to grab a kayak or plan an overnight excursion in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.
school lawn. Tennis, golf, and the Dean’s cup softball tournament in the spring help students build a closer community and stay active during law school. Volunteer. Public Interest Law Students Association, Phi Alpha Delta Service Fraternity, Pro Bono Board Affinity. Asian Pacific Law Students Association, Black Law Students Association, Latin American Law Students Association, OutLaw, Women Law Students Organization, Middle Eastern and South Asian Law Students Association Law and Policy. American Constitution Society, Federalist Society, National Security & Military Law Society
Work
Employment Overview (2023-2025, all jobs)
Outcomes Matter
96%
W&L Law is student centered. We are committed to great outcomes for our graduates. We help our students get the jobs they want in their preferred location and work hard to ensure they are prepared to pass the bar exam. Our Office of Career Strategy (OCS) will work with you like executive search consultants to develop an employment plan tailored to your professional objectives. Our whole university approach brings together OCS staff, the faculty and our nationwide network of dedicated alumni to build your contacts, whether with a law firm, the government, a corporation or a public interest position.
Class of 2025 Employment Highlights
#16
#14
IN THE NATION FOR PLACEMENT IN AM LAW 200 FIRMS
IN THE NATION FOR PLACEMENT IN FEDERAL CLERKSHIPS
(PLACED AT 10 MONTHS)
60%
(TO LAW FIRMS)
19%
(TO GOVERNMENT/ PUBLIC INTEREST)
18%
(TO FEDERAL/STATE CLERKSHIPS)
Bar Pass Rates (2023-2025, first time takers)
89% NATIONALLY
93% NEW YORK
90%
WASHINGTON D.C.
Elizabeth Nugent ’19L Senior Associate, Beveridge & Diamond
Ryan D’Ercole ’22L Litigation Associate, Sheppard Mullin
Diane Evans ’19L Senior Associate, Baker Botts
Imagine your future. At W&L Law, the path from graduate to accomplished legal professional is supported by a strong network of alumni. W&L Law graduates are dedicated to opening doors, sharing opportunities, and helping the next generation find their place in the profession.
20
(AVERAGE # OF JURISDICTIONS WHERE STUDENTS TAKE THE BAR)
Apply to W&L Law through LSAC.org We charge no application fee, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
scholarships — over
Unlimited
$34,226
The number of Yellow Ribbon (YR) places offered to qualifying students (the VA YR benefit covers all W&L Law tuition and fees)
Students receiving
90%
average scholarship award
$0
APPLICATION FEE
Important Dates Checklist August 21: Application opens December 1: Deadline for both binding early decision applications (Decision by December 15) February 1: Priority deadline for optimal scholarship consideration
2026-27 COST OF ATTENDANCE
April 15: First deposit deadline
$82,750
May 15: Second deposit deadline
(includes $60,325 tuition, mandatory fees and estimated off-campus living expenses)
August 16: 1L orientation begins
Alumni Legal Network
DC
1 – 50
Foreign Countries: 27 Guam/Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands: 2 Military Stationed Overseas: 2 *Numbers include W&L Law and Undergraduate Alumni who hold a JD degree and work with the Office of Career Strategy
50 – 100 100 – 200 200 – 300 300 – 400 400 +
Visit W&L Law
What Our Alumni Say About W&L Law
During your visit you can: Tour the law school with a current student Attend a law school class Meet with an admissions representative
*Both on-campus and virtual options are available. Scan the QR code for details.
Ryan Redd ’15L Assistant U.S. Attorney Lubbock, TX
Our Location Living in historic Lexington is the perfect antidote to the pressures of law school. Located in the heart of the scenic Shenandoah Valley, just a short drive from our nation’s capital, Lexington provides students with easy, affordable living. In Lexington, our students experience a strong sense of community with easy access to great restaurants, local events, wineries and breweries and even our communityowned drive-in theater.
Alex Taylor-Lee ’20L Associate Counsel, Parker’s Kitchen, Savannah, GA
The experience that most prepared me for trial practice was being a member of the W&L BLSA Mock Trial team, which was coached and led by Professor Elizabeth Belmont. My BLSA Mock Trial experiences were the most valuable in terms of developing litigation skills.”
The Office of Career Strategy at W&L Law is fantastic. They are always willing to lend an ear, review a resume or cover letter, guide you through an interview process, connect you with an alum, and beyond! I continue to reach out to them to this day.”
Washington, D.C. HOURS FROM LEXINGTON
3
Charlottesville
1
LEXINGTON
1
Roanoke
VA
Richmond 2
Kimberly Shi ’21L Associate, Skadden Washington, DC
Having only lived in big cities before coming to Lexington, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but there’s something about the close-knit community that draws you in and makes it a place you call home.”
Office of Admissions Sydney Lewis Hall Lexington, VA 24450-2116 lawadm@wlu.edu | law.wlu.edu/admissions | (540) 458-8503 Washington and Lee University is an equal opportunity institution. Complete statement at go.wlu.edu/eeo. 2026-27