Why District of Columbia?
The University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law is distinguished by its deep commitment to public interest law and social justice, featuring the nation's highest clinical education requirement.
District of Columbia is a less selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 50.3%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.28 GPA and 150 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.05–3.55 GPA and 147–153 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 80 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the most recent older reporting cycle, District of Columbia admitted 1 transfer students into the 2L class.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- Unranked
- Not numerically ranked by US News
- Median GPA
- 3.28
- 25th–75th: 3.05–3.55
- Median LSAT
- 150
- 25th–75th: 147–153
- Acceptance rate
- 50.3%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 80
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 0
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
Top employment markets
- 1Washington, DC
- 2Maryland
- 3Virginia
Where the most recent graduating class concentrated employment, per the school's ABA 509 employment summary. Use this as a signal of where the alumni network and OCI recruiting pipeline are strongest.
Signature clinics
Clinical programs that define District of Columbia's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why District of Columbia" essay where they align with your interests.
- Community Development ClinicStudents learn transactional and business lawyering skills by representing non-profit organizations and small, urban entrepreneurs.
- Criminal Defense and Racial Justice ClinicStudents provide zealous, compassionate, and client-centered representation to those impacted by the criminal legal system.
- General Practice ClinicStudents work on litigation cases and advocacy projects, often representing domestic violence survivors and defending families in the child welfare system.
- Housing Advocacy and Litigation ClinicStudents represent tenants in D.C. Superior Court, working to prevent evictions and preserve affordable housing.
- Immigration & Human Rights ClinicStudents address immigration concerns and human rights issues.
- Tax ClinicStudents represent low-income taxpayers with controversies before the IRS and in U.S. Tax Court.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- University of the District of Columbia Law Review— Features articles by legal scholars, practitioners, and judges, with a particular interest in legal scholarship challenging systemic injustices to the Black community, focusing on Constitutional Democracy, Civil Liberties, the Evolution of the Legal Profession, and Social Justice in the Corporate World.
Faculty highlights
Well-known faculty grouped by primary specialty. If a professor's scholarship aligns with your interests, name them in your essay and reference a specific paper or course.
Civil Rights
- John C. Brittain· also Constitutional Law
Constitutional Law
- Katherine “Shelley” Broderick· also Civil Rights
Business Law
- Racquel Brown
Contracts
- Debra Cohen· also Civil Procedure, Business Organizations, Legal Drafting
Conflicts of Laws
- Rafael A. Cox Alomar· also Public International Law, Constitutional Law, Remedies
Family Law
- Matthew Fraidin· also Juvenile Law
- Miriam “Mimi” Marton· also Domestic Violence, Child Welfare
Community Development Law
- Jerome Hughes· also Business and Transactional Law
Evidence
- Keith V. Morgan· also Property, Communications Law, Administrative Law, Trial Advocacy
What makes District of Columbia distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·Requires the highest number of clinical hours of any law school in the country (600 hours for full-time, 425 hours for part-time students).
- ·The only public law school in the Nation's Capital.
- ·One of only six Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Law Schools in the nation.
- ·Offers a Service-Learning Practicum & Seminar, including 'alternative spring break' trips for hands-on service.
- ·Guarantees qualifying first-year law students summer public interest fellowships.
- ·Offers both a traditional three-year, full-time J.D. program and a four-year, part-time, evening J.D. program.
Using this for your "Why District of Columbia" essay
Strong "Why X Law School" essays are concrete and specific to the school — not interchangeable templates. Use these facts to anchor your essay, then layer on what you've found from the school's own faculty pages, clinical program descriptions, and journal listings.
Important note: admissions committees actively reject AI-written personal statements and "Why X" essays. Use this page as research material to write your own essay — never as a template to copy. Authentic, specific, personally-grounded reasoning is the only thing that wins these essays.
Frequently asked about District of Columbia
What is the median GPA and LSAT at District of Columbia?▾
District of Columbia's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.28 and a median LSAT of 150. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.05–3.55 GPA and 147–153 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is District of Columbia's acceptance rate?▾
District of Columbia's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 50.3%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does District of Columbia offer?▾
District of Columbia's notable clinical programs include: Community Development Clinic, Criminal Defense and Racial Justice Clinic, General Practice Clinic, Housing Advocacy and Litigation Clinic, Immigration & Human Rights Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does District of Columbia publish?▾
District of Columbia's notable student-edited journals include: University of the District of Columbia Law Review.
Where do District of Columbia graduates work?▾
District of Columbia graduates concentrate employment in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
Schools similar to District of Columbia
Other schools at a comparable rank tier — useful for building a transfer list, balanced 0L application list, or essay-research shortlist.
About to start at District of Columbia?
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Try Case Cub free →Sources (3) — verify any fact above
- https://www.law.udc.edu/academics/clinical-program/
- https://www.law.udc.edu/academics/law-review/
- https://www.law.udc.edu/faculty/
Generated from public sources via search-grounded AI on 4/27/2026. If any fact looks wrong, click through to verify and let us know.