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AUWCL Orientation 2024

Orientation Week Activities

All sessions are required unless specifically noted as optional

Dates and times for all sessions can be found on the daily schedules

Full-Time Schedule

  

Part-Time Schedule
Overview of Orientation Week

By the end of this session, students will be able to identify the goals of Orientation, understand Honor Code requirements, and get to know their colleagues.
Dean's Welcome and Professional Oath

By the end of this session, students will be welcomed to the American University Washington College of Law by Dean Heather Hughes.

Associate Judge of the District Court of Maryland Zuberi B. Williams (AUWCL alumnus class of 2003) will administer the Professional Oath to the incoming full-time class.

Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia Heidi M. Pasichow (AUWCL alumna class of 1981) will administer the Professional Oath to the incoming part-time class.
How to Be a 1L

By the end of this session, students will be able to identify the many offices and resources available to them. Students will be briefly introduced to the core communication tools of Compass, Canvas, and Engage.
Meet Your 1L Faculty

By the end of this lunch session, students will have met their Legal Research and Writing, Civil Procedure, Contracts, and Torts professors over lunch.

The US Legal System and Types of Legal Authority

By the end of this session, students should be able to understand the nature of common law, describe the basics of federal vs. state jurisdiction, identify the types of authority that each branch of government produces, distinguish between primary and secondary sources of law, identify which sources are mandatory primary authority versus persuasive primary authority, and explain when and why lawyers use secondary sources.
 
Learning the Law: Reading and Briefing Cases

By the end of this session, students will understand that “thinking like a lawyer” starts with learning the law. That process begins before class by reading and studying cases. It continues in class, where professors train you to use that knowledge to solve legal issues. This session will offer reading and briefing techniques to help you acquire knowledge from cases needed to actively participate in classroom training.
How to Take Care of Yourself During Law School  
By the end of this session, students will understand the wellbeing and disability support resources available to them and the process to access them. This session equips students with the tools they need to seek out support in advance, so it is there should they need it.
Faculty Big Ideas
Dean Heather Hughes will lead a session underscoring the importance of faculty scholarship at AUWCL. A few of our world-renowned faculty will share a “big idea” explored in their research, explain why it is relevant to the world in which we live, and how it informs their teaching.
Introduction to Legal Research & Writing Curriculum

By the end of this session, students will be able to name the core skills and sources of law that lawyers use to represent clients. They will have strategies for success to acquire those foundational skills in their Legal Research & Writing courses. They will have a practical and holistic understanding of how their Legal Research & Writing courses are structured week to week and the various people involved in delivering the course.  

An Introduction to Research & Academic Programs at AUWCL

By the end of this lunch session, students will be able to identify the various research and academic programs available to them at AUWCL and build excitement for the opportunities that lie ahead. Program directors will give brief presentations on their programs, followed by time student questions.
Cross-Cultural Competency & Bias Mitigation for Lawyers

By the end of this session, students will understand the role of cross-cultural competency and bias mitigation as part of your professional development and gain an awareness of American University policies and resources to address bias and discrimination on campus.

 
Demystifying the Law School Classroom

By the end of this session, students should be able to define Socratic teaching, situate it within legal education’s teaching techniques, name its pedagogical goals, and critique its strengths and weaknesses.

Introduction to Law School Study Skills

Law school learning differs from other academic disciplines in that it is fundamentally a skills-based endeavor designed to prepare students for the practice of law in a relatively short time frame. As such, it requires highly specialized study techniques and strategies, many of which will be relied upon long after graduation in the practice of law. This session will introduce best practices for time management, classroom learning, and course outlining. We will more fully explore these practices once the semester begins during Compass and OAE Labs.
From Law Student to Lawyer: The Office of Career and Professional Development
In this session, students will learn when, where, and how to move from the classroom to the courtroom (or anywhere else they want to go!) We will cover how you can partner with the Office of Career and Professional Development to achieve your career goals. We will review 1L career readiness timelines, show you how to find AUWCL’s career resources, and get you started on your first assignment. Join us, as we launch your legal career!
Student Ambassador Peer Session

By the end of this session, students will have the opportunity to hear from upper-level AUWCL students – no faculty or staff allowed. Students will have a chance to get information from and ask questions of current WCL students who have recently completed their 1L year.