Mission Statement 

The Mission of the American Inns of Court is to foster excellence in professionalism, ethics, civility, and legal skills for judges, lawyers, academicians, and students of the law in order to perfect the quality, availability and efficiency of justice in the United States.

Goals Of The American Inns Of Court Foundation

  1. To promote, establish and charter American Inns of Court throughout the United States.
  2. To help ensure the vitality and continuity of local Inns.
  3. To facilitate the exchange of ideas, experiences and ongoing education among members of the American Inns of Court, thereby maintaining an institutional forum where judges, lawyers, academicians and students of law, working together, pursue the highest goals of the legal profession.
  4. To shape a culture of excellence in American jurisprudence by promoting a commitment to professionalism, ethics, civility and legal skills in the practice of law, and transmitting these values from one generation of lawyers to the next.
  5. To ensure the viability and long-term stability of the American Inns of Court Foundation.

George Mason Inn Student Membership Information

Students are encouraged to pursue the Inn as an extracurricular activity.  The monthly meetings provide a unique networking opportunity, and the presentations are an opportunity for the students to study an aspect of the law in deeper detail.  Students have made valuable connections through the Inn, leading to continuing and meaningful relationships with Northern Virginia judges and attorneys.  The period for student applications for membership for the 2016-17 school year has ended, and the next student application period will open in the spring of 2017.

George Mason Inn General Membership Information

The George Mason American Inn of Court is part of the nationwide American Inns of Court Foundation. George Mason Inn membership is composed of the following categories:

  • Masters of the Bench: Lawyers with at least 10 years of experience, judges, and law professors
  • Barristers: Lawyers with at least 5 years of practice experience
  • Associates: Lawyers with less than 5 years experience.
  • Students: Second and Third Year Students from the George Mason University School of Law

By becoming a member of the George Mason American Inn of Court, individuals automatically become members of the American Inns of Court Foundation. The Foundation provides many services, including a publishing a bi-monthly newsletter, a National Membership Directory, maintaining a national program library, and holding a National Conference annually. For more information about American Inns of Court, see the American Inns of Court Foundation web site.

Applications for Membership

Student Membership

The George Mason American Inn of Court will begin accepting applications from rising 2D, 2E, 3D, 3E and 4E GMU Law students for 2023-2024 membership during the spring semester. Interested students should contact the student Inn president for information about how to apply.  Interested students will be asked to submit the following:

  • A current resume with your GPA redacted, but with a statement certifying that your GPA is 2.5 or above; and 
  • A statement of 250 words or less telling us why you want to be a member of the Inn of Court.

Applicants will be contacted with further details by e-mail regarding acceptance. 

Regular Membership

The Inn will begin accepting new applications for membership beginning on March 4, 2024. Interested applicants should submit the following to the Inn's Membership Chair on or before June 1, 2024 by means of an e-mail to abradley@bklawva.com bearing the subject line "GMU Inn Membership":

  • A completed Application Form
  • A resume or curriculum vitae
  • At least one letter of recommendation.

Further information about the membership application process is provided on the Inn's Application Form, which can be downloaded using this link.