To the Students of the Columbus School of Law:

Welcome to the Catholic University of America. Within the walls of the Columbus School of Law, you will embark upon a venerable career in service to the good of society. You will study the practice of law with the help of an exceptional faculty.  You will learn how to obtain civil remedies on behalf of your clients, how to draft a contract, and how to properly write a brief. Your intensive training will prepare you to carry out the noble goal that inspired your decision to choose the law as your profession: a career dedicated to the administration of justice in service to the common good. Those who have passed through these halls before you have led the way, dedicating themselves to careers in private practice, advancing the public interest, and serving in government.  They have endeavored to live this noble call through their skilled defense of client interests, as well as in law-adjacent professions such as policy analysis, nonprofit administration, and government affairs.  

You will soon discover that as a Catholic law school, the Columbus School of Law brings an added depth to the study and practice of law. Our Catholic beliefs and ideals permeate the life of the whole university. In the law school, they are reflected in fundamental commitments to the dignity of the human person, the recognition of human rights, and the sanctity of all creation. Mindful of the words of Jesus Christ, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me,” our law school is especially attuned to the cry for justice of the poor, the vulnerable, and the oppressed. We aim to graduate professionals who bring together an incisive knowledge of the law, a broad range of practical skills, Christian wisdom, and a dedication to justice.

It is a pleasure to welcome you to The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law. May God bless your efforts here and always.

Peter Kilpatrick

President