The Best Law Schools For Practical Training

Best Schools For Practical Training, preLaw (Spring 2020):

These schools focus on giving students real-world experience before they step into the real world. It’s growing more vital, since employers want grads who don’t need hand-holding.

We graded schools on a number of data points, focusing on key practical training offerings such as clinics, externships, simulation courses, pro bono hours and moot trial participation.

We gave the largest weight — 32% — to clinics. We asked schools for the number of students who completed a clinic in 2018-19. If a student was enrolled in two semesters, that counted as two. Extra credit was given to schools by which clinic work is guaranteed or required.

Externships were weighted at 25% and we asked schools how many students completed one in 2018-19. Again, if a student had two externships, that counted as two.

Simulation courses accounted for 20% of the score. We asked for the total enrollment in such courses.

Moot court and pro bono hours accounted for 10%. If a school required pro bono hours, it got extra credit.

Finally, we gave 10% to additional practical training offerings, such as required legal writing. We asked schools to provide us with such information as they saw fit.

• The Best Law Schools For Practical Training (2019)
• The Best Law Schools For Practical Training (2018)
• The Best Law Schools For Practical Training (2016)
• The Best Law Schools For Practical Training (2015)