The only public law school in the District of Columbia is gaining a national reputation as an institution that is designed to train lawyers who are interested in practicing for the public good.
The University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law (UDC) recently received two top 10 rankings. U.S. News and World Report’s Best Law Schools 2018 ranked UDC #6-up from 10th-clinical legal training and #7-up from 18th-in diversity.
Dean Shelley Broderick says that the law school prepares students for the actual practice of law. (Courtesy Photo)
“We are incredibly proud to be consistently recognized for our outstanding clinical program and steadfast commitment to cultivating a deeply diverse student body,” UDC law school Dean Shelley Broderick told the AFRO.
The U.S. News & World Report rankings were announced as UDC received an “A-plus” grade and Top 10 in PreLaw Magazine’s 2017 Diversity rankings. In that same PreLaw Magazine issue, UDC had the number one spot in “Schools with the Most Community Service Hours per Student.”
UDC has a robust legal services program that has generated more than 100,000 hours annually translating into roughly 360 hours a year per student. In addition, PreLaw Magazine ranked UDC #8 for “Best Schools for Public Interest” rankings and the Princeton Review ranked the school #2 nationally in the “Best Environment for Minority Students”, “Most Diverse Faculty” and “Most Chosen by Older Students.”
The school’s student body is 41 percent Black and about 60 percent female, according to PreLaw Magazine.
The UDC Law School is the youngest in the District, with its founding traced to the legendary Antioch School of Law that specialized in teaching its students public interest law. Antioch was founded in 1972 and closed in 1986 due to lack of funds.
In 1986, the D.C. Council created the District of Columbia School of Law and retained the mission and resources of Antioch.
The new D.C. School of Law was granted provisional accreditation by the American Bar Association in 1991 and in 1996; the D.C. Council merged the law school with the University of the District of Columbia. President Bill Clinton signed legislation designating the school the “David A. Clarke” moniker in honor of the late D.C. Council chairman and in 2005 it became fully accredited by the ABA.
UDC Law School offers full and part-time, evening study as well as the juris doctorate and Master of Laws program. The school has nine operating clinics with an elder law clinic, supported by D.C. Council member Brandon Todd (D-Ward 4), in the works.
Jonathan Newton is the president of the Student Bar Association and a third-year law student looking forward to graduating in May. Newton said UDC law’s recognition is deserved.
“The national recognition is emblematic of the school’s commitment and the importance of diversifying the practice of law,” Newton told the AFRO. “UDC’s classrooms are filled with students from different racial, ethnic and sexual orientations. While UDC’s classrooms are diverse, however, the practice of law remains a largely White male driven industry.”
Newton said that UDC’s strong emphasis on clinical legal education prepares its students for the daily practice of law.
“The experience places our students at an advantage by exposing them to the pragmatic functions of being a lawyer sooner than most other law students,” he said. If an employer is looking for a practice-ready graduate, the amount of clinical experience exposure should be a deciding factor.”
Broderick told the AFRO that her team of law professors should get the credit for the school’s success.
“I am the cheerleader for the school and for the professors here,” she said. “We are hell-bent on making social justice warriors who are excellent and compassionate.”
UDC does have its challenges such as the recent bar passage rate of 47.4 percent as opposed to Georgetown Law Center’s 85.7 percent passage. The school is working on building its fundraising base and has the support of noted malpractice super lawyer Jack Olender, who funds two clinical law professors.
“The world has changed,” Broderick said. “Law firms are out-sourcing legal work and a lot of legal work is done online so firms don’t do as much hiring as they used to. This is where we have the advantage because you learn about the actual practice of law here.”