AALS has launched a series that will highlight a different member school and focus on a recent program or accomplishment in order to showcase the rich variety of approaches to legal education that makes up the American legal academy. A list of past highlights is available below.

Member School Highlight – Gonzaga University School of Law

Location: Spokane, Washington
Founded: 1912
Joined AALS: 1977
Dean: Jacob H. Rooksby

Founded in 1912 and located in the beautiful Inland Northwest, Gonzaga University School of Law delivers a top-tier private legal education informed by Gonzaga’s Catholic, Jesuit, and humanistic traditions and values. Gonzaga Law School’s diverse faculty are leaders in their fields and committed to supporting students in finding their paths in the legal community. An active Gonzaga Law alumni population spans the country and is full of successful practitioners in every field of law. Guided by colleagues in our ZagLaw Careers Office, students at Gonzaga Law School graduate connected and well-prepared to succeed in the legal profession.

As an award-winning law school, Gonzaga Law School offers an exciting array of experiential learning opportunities that enable its students to learn in a hands-on environment, including standalone clinics devoted to the following subject areas: LGBTQ+ Rights, Intellectual Property, Immigration Law, Indian Law, Tax Law, Elder Law, and Business Innovation. Gonzaga Law School boasts two vibrant academic centers: the Center for Civil & Human Rights and the Center for Law, Ethics & Commerce. Both centers advance Gonzaga Law School’s social justice mission by providing enriching educational opportunities and community engagement coupled with exciting programming involving nationally renowned legal experts. It’s important to note that Gonzaga Law School has seen a boom in enrollment year-over-year, with 193 first-year JD students and the total number of law students enrolled at Gonzaga up 58% over the past six years.

Along with a growing student population, Gonzaga Law is diversifying its offerings for incoming students with its new Conaway Family Children and Parents Representation and Justice Initiative (CF-CRJI). Thanks to the generous $1 million donation of alum Josh Conaway and his wife Janae, the CF-CRJI will be the first academic program in the Northwest to train law students and attorneys to effectively represent children and parents in dependency proceedings. The initiative will also support the growing demand in Washington state to represent children in dependency proceedings.

“Gonzaga Law School has long been known for producing well-rounded, practical, and community-minded lawyers,” said Jacob H. Rooksby, dean of Gonzaga University School of Law. “This next year, we are excited to develop our Conaway Family Children and Parents Representation and Justice Initiative, another signature programmatic offering that complements the work of our Center for Civil & Human Rights and Center for Law, Ethics & Commerce. With a total student enrollment growth of nearly 70% over the past six years, interest in Gonzaga’s Jesuit approach to legal education has never been stronger.”