The Best Law Schools For Practical Training

The Best Law Schools For Practical Training, preLaw (Spring 2021):

Schools have managed to do incredible work, even during a pandemic when face-to-face clinical work and externship opportunities were disrupted. ... This year, we’re honoring 65 schools, but every law school invests in practical training.

PRACTICAL TRAINING METHODOLOGY
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.

If schools did not reply, we relied on ABA data.

• The Best Law Schools For Practical Training (2020)
• 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)