The Appalachian School of Law (ASL) is a private law school in Grundy, Virginia. It is accredited by the American Bar Association and offers a three-year Juris Doctor degree to approximately 128 full-time students.
The motto of the school, Ex petra veritatis justitia exsurgit, in English translates as, From the rock of truth, justice arises.
A $1 million loan (which was later converted into a grant) financed the buildings' renovations.
The State Council of Higher Education in Virginia granted the school the ability to enroll students studying for the Juris Doctor Degree in 1997. The charter class of 71 students first attended classes on August 12, 1997. ASL's economic success spurred the conception and implementation of the Appalachian College of Pharmacy (formerly University of Appalachia College of Pharmacy), which was founded in 2003 and opened its doors in 2005.
2002 mass shooting
On January 16, 2002, ASL Dean Anthony Sutin, Professor Thomas Blackwell, and first-year student Angela Dales were shot and killed by disgruntled student Peter Odighizuwa, 43, of Nigeria. When Odighizuwa exited the building, he was subdued by two students armed with personal firearms. At his trial, Odighizuwa was found mentally competent, pleaded guilty to the murders, and was sentenced to multiple life terms in prison.
Employment
According to ASL's official 2025 ABA-required disclosures, 53% of the Class of 2025 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment nine months after graduation.