George Mason University School of Law

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gmu.edu/departments/law
George Mason University School of Law is located in Arlington, VA. It appears on the Top Law Schools Rankings page.

Please "post a reply" and add any comments you have about the GMU School of Law. Many generations of prospective law students will benefit by the information you share.

[GodSpeed]

Id like to hear about this school

[slam]

As would I.

[Ken]

I am not an expert on George Mason Law School but I did want to post what I do know. This is a law school that is on the rise. Over the last two decades from an unknown law school, to a strong regional school, to a school that is now attracting some national attention. It is ranked 37th by US News but an even more impressive 26th by the Leiter rankings. This is a law school degree that will be worth more when you graduate then when you began at George Mason.

An area of strong expertise is in law and economics, where one can receive a certification in. Additionally, being in Arlington, home of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, George Mason is also quite strong in intellectual property law.

As a public university, tuition is cheaper for Virginia residents at just over $15,000 a year and is $26,000 a year for out-of-state residents.

The campus is quite nice and a new and expansive facility was completed in 1999 and just given an update in 2007. The school, which was founded as recently at 1957 and named George Mason Law School in 1979, continues to ascend in prestige and in the opportunities it can offer its graduates. I would definitely consider attending George Mason Law School, especially if one is a Virginia resident. Note that it is very hard to gain residency and in-state tuition at Virginia.

[cassini007]

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[rusty]

Any comments on the atmosphere at GMU? Wife and I are leaning towards attending, but we're from California so visiting is tough.

[SaltyViolet]

Does anyone have specific info regarding GMU's Part Time/ Evening Program? I've been accepted into the program, but am not sure if I will attend. I am a single male in my early 20s, and feel that the Evening Program will be filled with a majority of older people who have families--thus making it harder for me to fit in and build the types of relationships that are more common in Full Time Programs.

I also wouuld like to complete law school in three years. A lady in the admissions office said it could be done. I'd have to take an extra summer session and then transfer into the Full Time Division at the start of my 2nd year. DOES ANYONE KNOW IF TRANSFERING INTO THE FULL TIME PROGRAM FROM THE EVENING/PART TIME PROGRAM IS COMMOMN AT GMU?
(If so, is it highly competitive to gain the full time status?)

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[ymp4]

mason law school is located in Arlington, VA, which is one of the most expensive neighborhood in VA and also it right next to DC.

DC & arlington, va offers city life. Its a great place to socilize and has lots of things to do. Its very clean unlike many cities. with a few miles drive, you can get a suburb setting. So it offers the benefits of both Suburb & City.

Mason is highly respected law school and DC has a big market for lawyers, so you wont have a problem getting a job after Mason.

I think only drawback Mason has is that its undergrad is so-so. Because its undergrad is not as highly respected as Mason Law, its pulling down mason law's reputation a bit.

[slam]

Any body decided on GMU yet?

[KW]

Mason's evening program is very good -- it's not an afterthought like at many schools, and in fact there are many courses only offered in the evening. A lot of Mason's law students are working in the DC area, and many of the part-time students are in their 20s. The evening program seems to get as much attention as the full-time program.

(I'm actually a full-time student, but most of my courses are in the evening, which gives me time during the day for part-time work.)

The atmosphere is very much geared toward students who are going to work in the DC area -- in firms, as judicial clerks, as government attorneys, in think tanks, public policy, nonprofits -- and who are often already working there. It's a very libertarian/conservative-leaning school (old-school limited government conservative, not blowhard neocon). Because of that it gets many professors who are strong scholars and teachers but don't fit in ideologically at more liberal schools.

If you don't like the economic approach to law, don't come to Mason; it's very econ-heavy. Seriously, you should like economics, or at least be willing it put up with it. It's not as boring as you think.

The people tend to be mostly not the neurotic and hypercompetitive jerks you read about in books and articles. It's a good school, underrated and people who don't live in the area or follow college basketball may not have heard of it, but it's rising in the world and if you don't mind not being at a big name school it's worth going.

[Fly]

If you don't like the economic approach to law, don't come to Mason; it's very econ-heavy.

Could someone else comment further on this, please? I have very little interest in economics; should I really rule out Mason for that reason?

[shoebox]

If you don't like the economic approach to law, don't come to Mason; it's very econ-heavy.

Could someone else comment further on this, please? I have very little interest in economics; should I really rule out Mason for that reason?

First, you aren't going to be able to completely avoid econ at most schools. It is (and should be) a big part of property and tort law, and it's covered in those classes to some degree at a lot of schools.

The main difference in econ at GMU is that there's a completely separate intro to economics class required in the first semester. It's pretty easy and an entertaining class that teaches a lot of useful skills. I'd only rule out GMU if for whatever reason you just can't handle a 3 unit, 1 semester intro to econ class.

[tarp]

George Mason was my first choice for law school, since I live 15 minutes away and the in-state tuition makes it an excellent value, but after noticing that they quote articles from the "National Review" and WorldNetDaily on their website, I am worried about possible neo-conservative leanings in their faculty. I am an independent who values small government and free market ideals, but I recognize the need for regulation of the market to protect the environment and to protect the rights of individuals. I am also a social liberal when it comes to personal liberties - e.g. abortion, marriage (homosexual or heterosexual), recreational drug use, etc. I don't mind opposing viewpoints but I would rather not go to a law school that leans heavily to the right with neo-conservative, pro-war, religious fundamentalist dogma. Should I be concerned about GMU Law?

[shoebox]

George Mason was my first choice for law school, since I live 15 minutes away and the in-state tuition makes it an excellent value, but after noticing that they quote articles from the "National Review" and WorldNetDaily on their website, I am worried about possible neo-conservative leanings in their faculty. I am an independent who values small government and free market ideals, but I recognize the need for regulation of the market to protect the environment and to protect the rights of individuals. I am also a social liberal when it comes to personal liberties - e.g. abortion, marriage (homosexual or heterosexual), recreational drug use, etc. I don't mind opposing viewpoints but I would rather not go to a law school that leans heavily to the right with neo-conservative, pro-war, religious fundamentalist dogma. Should I be concerned about GMU Law?

Not sure where you got that idea but politics is not discussed (other than the occasional comment about free markets). People of all political parties attend the school. If there's a political theme it's economic and certainly doesn't address social issues.

[sky7]

George Mason was my first choice for law school, since I live 15 minutes away and the in-state tuition makes it an excellent value, but after noticing that they quote articles from the "National Review" and WorldNetDaily on their website, I am worried about possible neo-conservative leanings in their faculty. I am an independent who values small government and free market ideals, but I recognize the need for regulation of the market to protect the environment and to protect the rights of individuals. I am also a social liberal when it comes to personal liberties - e.g. abortion, marriage (homosexual or heterosexual), recreational drug use, etc. I don't mind opposing viewpoints but I would rather not go to a law school that leans heavily to the right with neo-conservative, pro-war, religious fundamentalist dogma. Should I be concerned about GMU Law?

Yeah, I totally have to swallow my views if I go to a school other than GMU. Anti-war/religion sentiments piss me off, but I guess have to deal with them I wish I was in your shoes where most law schools fit your political leanings (to the left, and lefter), but I'm stuck considering only Chicago or GMU - the only decent halfway conservative law schools - as places that would fit my fairly moderate views (I at least attempt to not be a right wing nut job). With that being said, I'll probably hit up GW or American and just bite my tongue when we start Iraq bashing.

I'd love just to take political affiliation completely out of the schools, but I guess with law that's pretty tough.

[reidmacharg]

I just visited this weekend, and I think I'll go.

Pros: Young, scrappy school that's up and coming
Relatively cheap tuition
Great faculty
Unique approach to law
Unpretentious

Cons: Arlington's as expensive as DC and feels like any recently built affluent suburb- sterile. The apartment buildings are fifteen stories and expensive as all hell! It's hard to find a nice, quaint rowhouse that's been redone, like you can find in DC. But if in-state tuition's not a part of your decision, then you can easily live in the district.

The school's aesthetics match those of Arlington. The building looks like a hospital: white walls and migraine-inducing fluorescent lighting. I HATE obnoxious lighting. I had the people at work take out the bulbs above my desk. It's probably just me.

I've decided that were I to not attend Mason for these reasons that it would be like throwing away Egypitan artifacts because they were dirty. I think it's a terrific school, and I'm excited about going there. PM me if you have specific questions.

[CampbellRh]

Visited about 2.5/3 weeks ago...decided the second I left that I had no desire to go there (a sad thing--they had been one of my top choices, b/c they are a great value).

I found only 1 friendly person there...everyone was too engrossed in their own "work" to even say hi to one another.

The class I sat in on was a complete joke (I hope it is atypical of their classes). Not a single student was paying much attention (so many laptops open to computer games). And the professor let the students discuss if they wanted essays or multiple choice for their exam for the first 20 MINUTES of class. I was amazed. Then they all complained about the possibility of a take home exam instead. Seriously, if you're that opposed to work, why are you in law school?

I'm hoping my experience @ GM was atypical--but it was enough to turn me off to the school entirely...and when I arrived it was between them, Cornell, GW, and BU...and they greatly failed in comparison to the classes/experience I had at the other schools.

[reidmacharg]

Visited about 2.5/3 weeks ago...decided the second I left that I had no desire to go there (a sad thing--they had been one of my top choices, b/c they are a great value).

I found only 1 friendly person there...everyone was too engrossed in their own "work" to even say hi to one another.

The class I sat in on was a complete joke (I hope it is atypical of their classes). Not a single student was paying much attention (so many laptops open to computer games). And the professor let the students discuss if they wanted essays or multiple choice for their exam for the first 20 MINUTES of class. I was amazed. Then they all complained about the possibility of a take home exam instead. Seriously, if you're that opposed to work, why are you in law school?

I'm hoping my experience @ GM was atypical--but it was enough to turn me off to the school entirely...and when I arrived it was between them, Cornell, GW, and BU...and they greatly failed in comparison to the classes/experience I had at the other schools.

Damn. I didn't sit in on a class. Maybe I should have.

[reidmacharg]

Can any Mason students ring in on this? It seems your school is under fire, and I'm not in a position to defend it.

[CampbellRh]

Visited about 2.5/3 weeks ago...decided the second I left that I had no desire to go there (a sad thing--they had been one of my top choices, b/c they are a great value).

I found only 1 friendly person there...everyone was too engrossed in their own "work" to even say hi to one another.

The class I sat in on was a complete joke (I hope it is atypical of their classes). Not a single student was paying much attention (so many laptops open to computer games). And the professor let the students discuss if they wanted essays or multiple choice for their exam for the first 20 MINUTES of class. I was amazed. Then they all complained about the possibility of a take home exam instead. Seriously, if you're that opposed to work, why are you in law school?

I'm hoping my experience @ GM was atypical--but it was enough to turn me off to the school entirely...and when I arrived it was between them, Cornell, GW, and BU...and they greatly failed in comparison to the classes/experience I had at the other schools.

Damn. I didn't sit in on a class. Maybe I should have.

It's usually a good idea...HOWEVER...keep in mind that this was just my experience. It was one of their "founders constitution" classes--which I guess is unique to GM...and I got the feeling that it may be an experimental program. I wouldn't be surprised if other classes were different--it was just enough to turn me off.

And I also put huge importance on the class visit (I mean, thats why I'm going to law school!), maybe more than is warranted...so while this experience may have simply lowered peoples perceptions slightly...for me it destroys it. That is a matter of personal priority.

To me...Class Visit=pretty much most important factor.

[teachertolawyer]

...

[RoughRider]

I just returned home from a visit to Mason Law. I had mixed feelings about my visit, but overall liked what I saw. I really enjoyed the class I sat in on (Evidence) as it was very different than your normal law school class. It was taught by a Judge and he used a very interactive approach. For the first half of class, different students would go to the front of class to present information and facts about certain cases, etc. The professor sat amongst the students and led discussion from there. All the students seemed engaged and those I talked to at break said they loved that particular class and approach.

The students I talked to were very willing to chat and started up conversations with me before I could even approach them. They were all honest in their evaluations of Mason but all seemed to really like the school and nothing but good things to say about it.

The few things I didn't like was the location and the commuter feel of the school. While I liked Arlington as a whole (schools for my kids, etc.), Mason's location doesn't really inspire. The building is pretty ugly from the outside, although it was nice inside. As many have mentioned Arlington is EXPENSIVE. I had visited George Washington earlier in the day so maybe the stark contrast with a more established, larger school really heightened my dislike for the location. A lot of folks would probably prefer a smaller school feel, but I kind of like a big institutional feel myself.

I'm still waiting to hear back from GW (they told me I'd hear this week), so I hope to be deciding between GW and Mason. I think thought that I'll probably end up at Mason.

[reidmacharg]

Wow, why Mason over GW? Cost?

[sky7]

I had the same choice to make and I happened to choose GW. The main reasons I was thinking Mason were cost, a non radically liberal ideology (which does not by default mean right wing, btw), and a very heavily published/well known teaching staff.

[reidmacharg]

So why GW then?