NEWS 10 Years at Tenley
HOW A NEW CAMPUS TRANSFORMED AMERICAN UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON COLLEGE OF LAW
BY BRICE HELMS
Ten years ago, AUWCL opened the doors to a campus built not just for the present, but for the future. A decade later, the Tenleytown campus has become everything its architects and advocates envisioned — a vibrant hub for learning, innovation and community that continues to elevate every aspect of the law school experience. Before that transformation, however, AUWCL was operating in a space that had 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 clear that AUWCL needed a new space to maximize 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 Trustees.
“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 a great law school would 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.”
18 THE ADVOCATE FALL 2026
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 then-SBA President Amanda Molina ’16, the student speaker at the ribbon cutting.
A Campus Built for Learning and Connection The Tenleytown facilities 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.
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 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.
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