A decade ago, AUWCL moved into a new home in the heart of Washington, D.C. Ten years later, the Tenleytown campus stands as a testament to what bold vision and institutional commitment can produce.

Before Tenleytown, AUWCL operated out of a space that, by most accounts, had long since reached its limits.

"We outgrew the facility,” added Robert Goldman, a current professor of law who has been with AUWCL since 1976. “It was an office building. It didn't have the feeling of an academic setting."

It was obvious AUWCL needed a new space to ensure the school reached its full potential. "We were already a great law school, but what would make a great law school flourish more than to give it space to grow and expand?” asked Hon. Gerald Lee (Ret.) ’76, member of the AU board of directors.

"We could spend a lot of money renovating a building that wasn't ideal, or we could take the opportunity to come to this facility, this campus, and imagine what would a great law school look like," said Andrew Popper, professor of law.

The result exceeded expectations. "This is one of the finest law school facilities in the United States," Goldman added.

Building Something New

The path from concept to ribbon cutting was not a straight one. "We changed the design of the building at least three times," recalled Claudio Grossman, who was dean of the law school during planning. Those changes resulted in a building that draws consistent praise.

"It's state-of-the-art,” said Leigh-Alexandra Basha ’85. “I must say, kudos to the architects.”

The opening of a new campus for AUWCL attracted the attention of heavyweights in the legal field. Associate Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a trailblazer for gender equality in the law, attended the opening ceremony — a fitting presence at an institution founded to give women access to legal education.

“It wasn't just exciting for myself. You could feel the excitement in the entire atmosphere for the university,” said Amanda Molina ’16, who was a student speaker at the ribbon cutting.

A Campus Built for Learning and Connection

The facilities at Tenleytown were designed with student success in mind. Natural light fills multiple floors of study space, creating an environment built for focus and collaboration. Few places on campus draw more attention than the law library. “The library is the most spectacular one in the U.S., designed to be student-friendly,” said Goldman.

“Being in an environment that just exudes openness, whether it’s in the student body or professors or the campus itself, makes any phenomenal legal education — it just takes it to the next level,” said Tabitha Pitzer ’26.

For alumni who attended AUWCL in one of the previous locations, the contrast was striking. “I see that, and I’m like, ‘Man, we didn’t have that. That’s awesome that you get to have that,’” said Molina.

The courtroom spaces tell a similar story. With five purpose-built courtrooms, AUWCL has positioned itself as a destination for serious legal work. Clinical programs have expanded, the campus regularly hosts moot court competitions and JAG programs, and jurists travel from across the country to argue before its benches.

The facility’s reputation has spread well beyond D.C. Companies and groups from all across the country host events at AUWCL.

Washington, D.C., is a town built on access, and the Tenleytown location has proved to be a strategic asset. “I can be down in the House or in the Senate to give testimony or to meet with somebody in 20, 25 minutes, and I don’t have to find a parking space,” said Popper. Visiting practitioners can drop into a classroom without a half-day commitment. Students can move between campus and internship or externship placements without missing a beat.

“This building brings the world to WCL and WCL to the world in ways that we hoped it would. It’s exceeded all of our expectations,” added immediate-past Interim Dean Heather Hughes.

A Foundation for the Next Decade

For alumni who studied at the old campus and watched the Tenleytown campus take shape from a distance, finally seeing it in person carried its own weight. “It was a dream when I was here as a student, and it’s fantastic that it’s become a reality,” said Caroline Schaefer ’96.

That sense of possibility is what the building was always meant to produce. Ten years in, it still does. “Generations to come will appreciate the sacrifice and vision that went into this campus,” said Grossman at the dedication ceremony.

A decade later, that appreciation is no longer hypothetical. “This is what we do. This is our brand. This is who we are. We champion. We make a difference about what matters,” said Lee. The past ten years have proven that right.