The National Jurist will honor 56 law schools in its annual honor roll of best schools for practical training.
While law schools continue to increase clinic, externship and simulation offerings, fewer schools earned an A- or higher this year, based on slightly different methodology. In prior years, the magazine graded part-time programs separate from full-time programs. But this year, the American Bar Association did not break out data for part-time versus full-time. Some law schools do not provide as many practical training opportunities for part-time students.
Still, the ratio of simulation, clinic and externship placements to number of students continued to improve, partly driven by lower enrollments.
“Law schools continue to make changes and improvements to make legal education a better hands-on experience for the majority of their students,” said Jack Crittenden, Editor In Chief of The National Jurist. “It has been exciting to see the gradual improvement from year to year.”
The magazine awarded an A- or higher to 25 schools, including 11 that received an A+. Last year, 37 received an A- or higher, with 12 schools receiving an A+.
The story and ranking with grades will appear in the Spring issues of The National Jurist and preLaw magazines. Below are the schools that made the honor roll.
preLaw magazine will also highlight five schools that only received a B, but which are making great strides: Quinnipiac University, Roger Williams University, Touro Law Center, University of Arkansas at Little Rock and University of Massachusetts.
Honor Roll:
Arizona State University
Baylor University
Brigham Young University
Brooklyn Law School
Campbell Law School
Cardozo School of Law
Case Western University
Chicago-Kent College of Law
CUNY School of Law
Drake University
Duke University
Elon University
Emory University
Florida Coastal School of Law
Golden Gate University
Gonzaga University
Lewis & Clark Law School
Liberty University School of Law
Loyola University Chicago
Mitchell Hamline
New York Law School
Northeastern University
Northwestern Law
Pacific McGeorge School of Law
Pepperdine University
Saint Louis University
Southern Illinois University
Syracuse University
Temple University
UC – Irvine
University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law
University of Arizona
University of Cincinnati
University of Colorado
University of Denver
University of Georgia
University of Hawai’i
University of Illinois
University of Kansas
University of Maryland
University of Minnesota
University of Mississippi
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of New Hampshire
University of San Francisco
University of St. Thomas – Mn.
University of Tennessee
University of the District of Columbia
University of Utah
University of Washington
University of Wisconsin
University of Wyoming
Vermont Law School
Washington and Lee University
Whittier Law School
William & Mary Law School
Yale Law School