Friday, July 1, 2022
Columbia Will Not Submit Data To U.S. News This Year After Math Professor Questioned Its #2 Ranking
Following up on my previous posts:
- Michael Thaddeus (Professor of Mathematics, Columbia), An Investigation of the Facts Behind Columbia’s U.S. News Ranking (Mar. 8, 2022)
- New York Times, U.S. News Ranked Columbia No. 2, But A Math Professor Has His Doubts (Mar. 21, 2022)
Columbia University Provost Mary Boyce, Statement Regarding U.S. News and World Report’s Undergraduate Survey:
A few months ago, a member of our faculty, Professor Michael Thaddeus, raised questions regarding the accuracy of some of the data the University submitted to U.S. News and World Report for its annual ranking of undergraduate universities. Columbia leaders take these questions seriously, and we immediately embarked on a review of our data collection and submissions process.
In light of the work underway, we will refrain from submitting to U.S. News and World Report this year. The deadline for that submission is July 1. Given the extensive analysis required to review the data and ensure it complies with U.S. News methodologies, we cannot complete our work with the appropriate care within that timeframe.
July 1, 2022 in Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Saturday, June 11, 2022
After Submitting False Data To U.S. News For 9 Years, USC Ordered To Certify Accuracy Of Its Data In Future Rankings
Following up on my previous posts:
-
USC Pulls Ed School Out Of U.S. News Graduate School Rankings; Jones Day Is Investigating 5 Years Of Inaccurate Data (Mar. 24, 2022)
- Jones Day Finds USC Dean Intentionally Reported False Data To U.S. News To Goose Its Ranking (Apr. 30, 2022)
Robert Morse (Chief Data Strategist, U.S. News), U.S. News Responds to University of Southern California Education School on Misreporting (June 7, 2022):
U.S. News & World Report has recently been informed by the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education that "for several years, USC Rossier had been inaccurately reporting data on research and student enrollment to USNWR."
U.S. News is reviewing the various disclosures made by the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education with respect to this misreporting, which are included in the recently published investigative report by the law firm Jones Day.
The Jones Day report said, "From at least 2013 to 2021, the School misreported data to US News about the selectivity of its doctoral programs." In addition the report said, "While this investigation focused on the School’s reporting of doctoral selectivity metrics, Jones Day confirmed during the course of the investigation the existence of irregularities in the School’s calculation and reporting of research expenditures, and identified other potential data misreporting issues, such as issues relating to the exclusion of online EdD programs, the designation of EdD students as part-time, certain faculty-related metrics, and the School’s reporting of teacher job placement and retention statistics."
In light of these findings, U.S. News will require the Rossier School of Education’s dean or top academic, the University of Southern California's president and the Chair of USC’s Board of Trustees to provide a letter certifying the accuracy of the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education's data submissions to U.S. News for the next three ranking cycles in order to be included in the rankings. ...
Click here to read the letter U.S. News sent to University of Southern California.
June 11, 2022 in Legal Ed News, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Monday, May 9, 2022
As Temple Dean Begins Serving 14-Month Sentence For U.S. News Rankings Fraud, Tenured Professor Is Defiant At Sentencing Hearing: 'Every Single University Has People Doing The Same Exact Operations'
Following up on my previous post, Former Temple Dean Sentenced To 14 Months In Federal Prison For Rankings Fraud:
Poets & Quants, Moshe Porat, Denied Bail, Will Begin Prison Sentence On May 9:
Philadlphia Inquirer, Ex-Temple Employees Sentenced to Probation for Fraud Tied to Business School Rankings:
A former administrator and a retired statistics professor at Temple University were sentenced to probation this week for assisting the former dean of its business school in a scheme to inflate its position in national rankings publications.
But standing before a federal judge in Philadelphia, Marjorie O’Neill, a onetime finance manager at the Fox School of Business, and Isaac Gottlieb, who was a tenured professor, struck vastly different tones when it came to accepting responsibility for a scandal that has since cost the university millions in legal settlements.
O’Neill admitted last year that she, under the direction of former dean Moshe Porat, had falsified data on students at the school to help propel it to the top of influential lists like U.S. News and World Report’s ranking of top business school programs. She told U.S. District Judge Gerald A Pappert during a hearing Thursday that she was “thoroughly ashamed.” ...
Meanwhile, Gottlieb — who helped Fox cheat more effectively by reverse engineering the criteria by which U.S. News ranked schools — showed flashes of defiance at his sentencing hearing Wednesday. “Every single university in the United States has people doing the same exact operations,” he said. ...
“It is important for other institutions to realize that this chase for rankings is not worth it,” the judge said Thursday. “There are lines you can’t cross. It’s important for people to see there are going to be criminal consequences and penalties for doing that.” ...
May 9, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
An Access And Equity Ranking Of America's 63 Public Law Schools
Christopher L. Mathis (Iowa; Google Scholar), An Access and Equity Ranking of Public Law Schools:
Over the past few decades, several comprehensive ranking systems, including the influential U.S. News and World Report’s Best Law Schools rankings, have emerged to provide useful information to prospective law students seeking to enroll in law school. These ranking systems have defined what is measured as “quality” and what outcomes law schools focus on to gain a better position in the ranking. These rankings fail to measure what many law schools claim to be one of their longstanding goals— diversity, access, and equity.
One of the problematic and shocking reasons U.S. News cites for not including diversity measures in the ranking is that law schools themselves have no consensus on diversity. I counter this argument, asserting that while there may not be widespread consensus—for certain people—on diversity, there is substantial academic scholarship and agreement on the tenets of diversity that ranking enthusiasts can use to design an effective diversity measure. I maintain that any ranking that does not include diversity, access, and equity measures often leave communities of color and their interests in the margins. Therefore, this Article seeks to center the needs of Black and Latinx prospective law students through a new ranking system
Given that public law schools aim to increase racial/ethnic diversity—that is, the number of racial/ethnic minoritized students—because of their institutional missions, the Article provides the first ranking of public law schools on “Access and Equity” measures. It describes ranking law schools based on measurable outcomes related to diversity, access, and equity. This ranking uses twelve access and equity measures that are significant to Black and Latinx law school fit. This “Access and Equity Ranking” is the only ranking to date that will help Black and Latinx students identify which public law schools centers their needs.
The Top 25 law schools under this measure are:
May 4, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
New ABA Bar Data: Ultimate 2-Year Pass Rate Increased 1 Percentage Point; Ten Law Schools Fell Short of 75% Accreditation Threshold
Press Release, ABA Section of Legal Education Releases Comprehensive Report on Bar Passage Data:
The Managing Director’s Office of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar released today a comprehensive set of data on bar passage outcomes for American Bar Association-approved law schools. Spreadsheets are available on the section’s webpage under Legal Education Statistics, which report these outcomes under ABA Required Disclosures on a school-by-school basis and in more detail.
The new data shows that in the aggregate, 91.17% of 2019 law graduates who sat for a bar exam passed it within two years of graduation (91.27% with Diploma Privilege). The two-year “ultimate” aggregate success rate is slightly better than the 90.10% comparable figure for 2018 graduates.
Here are the Top 50 law schools in two-year ultimate bar passage rates:
Rank Law School | % Passers |
1. BELMONT | 100.00% |
1. MARQUETTE | 100.00% |
3. UC-BERKELEY | 99.69% |
4. DUKE | 99.54% |
5. CHICAGO | 99.49% |
6. GEORGE MASON | 99.36% |
7. VIRGINIA | 99.30% |
8. BAYLOR | 99.29% |
9. HARVARD | 99.29% |
10. ALABAMA | 99.21% |
11. YALE | 99.04% |
12. STANFORD | 98.88% |
13. MINNESOTA | 98.69% |
14. NORTHWESTERN | 98.69% |
15. MICHIGAN | 98.34% |
16. CAMPBELL | 98.13% |
17. NYU | 98.11% |
18. UCLA | 98.08% |
19. LIBERTY | 98.04% |
20. PENNSYLVANIA | 97.97% |
21. CORNELL | 97.93% |
22. OHIO STATE | 97.87% |
23. UC-IRVINE | 97.86% |
24. GEORGIA STATE | 97.85% |
25. FLORIDA | 97.83% |
26. BOSTON UNIVERSITY | 97.61% |
27. NOTRE DAME | 97.37% |
28. WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY | 97.30% |
29. TEXAS | 97.29% |
30. BOSTON COLLEGE | 97.20% |
31. WASHINGTON & LEE | 97.20% |
32. FLORIDA INT'L | 97.16% |
33. OKLAHOMA | 97.09% |
34. VANDERBILT | 97.06% |
35. ILLINOIS | 96.72% |
36. FORDHAM | 96.71% |
37. TEXAS A&M | 96.69% |
38. GEORGIA | 96.67% |
39. GEORGETOWN | 96.43% |
40. NEW MEXICO | 96.30% |
41. UTAH | 96.20% |
42. CARDOZO | 96.04% |
43. COLORADO | 95.95% |
44. FLORIDA STATE | 95.88% |
45. WILLIAM & MARY | 95.81% |
46. KANSAS | 95.74% |
47. MONTANA | 95.65% |
48. SAMFORD | 95.59% |
49. COLUMBIA | 95.58% |
50. GEORGE WASHINGTON | 95.46% |
First-time takers in 2021 achieved an aggregate 79.86% pass rate (80.28% with Diploma Privilege), which is approximately a 3-percentage point decrease over the comparable 83.66% pass rate (with Diploma Privilege) for 2020. Consistent with last year, those admitted to the practice of law solely based on their graduation status are considered bar passers.
Ten law schools fell short of the 75% accreditation threshold:
April 27, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed News, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Saturday, April 23, 2022
The Top 15 Law Schools For Jobs Contain Some Surprises
The ABA recently released data on job placement 10 months after graduation. In These Law Schools Crushed the Job Market in 2021, Reuters uncovered expected and unexpected results. At the top was Columbia University. Expected. But also among the Top 15 schools were University of Montana and Texas Tech University. Here's the complete list of the Top 15 Schools:
April 23, 2022 in Bryan Camp, Law School Rankings, Legal Ed News, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education, Tax | Permalink
Thursday, April 21, 2022
Kuehn: Law School Specialty Program Ranking Credibility
Tax Prof Blog op-ed: Law School Specialty Ranking Credibility, by Robert Kuehn (Washington University):
As part of its spring rite of ranking law schools, U.S. News ranks law school specialty programs. The specialty rankings are based solely on reputation. In particular, a faculty member teaching in a specialty area at each school is asked to assess their area at other ABA accredited schools. Yet the most recent rankings demonstrate that the current methodology does not yield credible results for many specialties.
Prior to 2020, the faculty member rating a specialty program was directed to choose the schools with the top 15 programs in the rater’s area. U.S. News would then rank the top up to 20 programs based on how often the school was listed. Beginning with its 2020 rankings, the system changed. The faculty member now was asked to rate the specialty program at every law school on a scale from Marginal (1) to Outstanding (5), mirroring the “peer assessment” method used to assess the academic reputation of schools. If a school’s program receives as few as ten ratings, it is ranked in that specialty. Whereas having an informed opinion on the 15 best programs in one’s field under the old system seemed manageable, the new system is overwhelming, if not impossible — provide an informed opinion, reduced to a number, on the programs at all schools so they can then be credibly ranked, based on their average score, in descending order from supposedly best to worst.
Since I highlighted problems with the new 2020 specialty ranking approach, U.S. News has added four more specialty programs: business/corporate law; constitutional law; contracts/commercial law; and criminal law. Unlike the prior nine categories, these four new programs cover core, not special, areas of a school’s educational program. An examination of the ranking of these core areas illustrates the continuing credibility problem with the specialty program ranking system.
Looking at the recently released 2023 specialty rankings, among the 187 ranked schools there are noticeable clusters of schools ranked highest by U.S. News at the top of the four new programs, and an overpopulation of lowest-ranked schools at the bottom. The top ten ranked constitutional and contracts/commercial law specialty programs are all at schools ranked 1-14 by U.S. News (“T-14” schools). There is a similar pattern for the new business/corporate and criminal law specialties — 9 of the top 10 ranked programs are at T-14 ranked schools (the tenth at the 15th ranked school). Conversely, the programs ranked in the bottom quarter of the constitutional and contracts/commercial law specialties are all at schools ranked over 100.
April 21, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Friday, April 15, 2022
2023 U.S. News Omnibus Specialty Rankings v. Overall Rankings
Following up on yesterday's post, 2023 U.S. News Omnibus Specialty Rankings:
Here are the law schools whose U.S. News Omnibus Specialty Ranking most exceeds their overall U.S. News Ranking:
School | Specialty Rank | Overall Rank | Difference | |
1 | American | 16 | 73 | +57 |
2 | Brooklyn | 43 | 98 | +55 |
3 | Illinois-Chicago | 94 | 147 | +53 |
4 | Santa Clara | 81 | 133 | +52 |
4 | Suffolk | 70 | 122 | +52 |
6 | Denver | 33 | 78 | +45 |
6 | Seattle | 71 | 116 | +45 |
8 | Pace | 98 | 142 | +44 |
9 | Chicago-Kent | 57 | 94 | +37 |
10 | Mitchell | Hamline | 111 | 147 | +36 |
10 | Temple | 27 | 63 | +36 |
12 | Hofstra | 83 | 118 | +35 |
13 | Howard | 65 | 98 | +33 |
13 | Rutgers | 53 | 86 | +33 |
15 | Baltimore | 90 | 122 | +32 |
15 | Loyola-New Orleans | 101 | 133 | +32 |
15 | UC-Hastings | 19 | 51 | +32 |
18 | Pacific | 102 | 133 | +31 |
19 | CUNY | 103 | 133 | +30 |
20 | South Texas | 118 | 147 | +29 |
21 | Stetson | 84 | 111 | +27 |
21 | Widener (DE) | 120 | 147 | +27 |
23 | Loyola-L.A. | 41 | 67 | +26 |
23 | San Francisco | 121 | 147 | +26 |
25 | New York Law School | 104 | 129 | +25 |
26 | UC-Irvine | 13 | 37 | +24 |
27 | Loyola-Chicago | 51 | 73 | +22 |
27 | Quinnipiac | 125 | 147 | +22 |
29 | Houston | 38 | 58 | +20 |
30 | Miami | 54 | 73 | +19 |
31 | Fordham | 20 | 37 | +17 |
32 | Case Western | 62 | 78 | +16 |
32 | Syracuse | 87 | 103 | +16 |
34 | George Washington | 10 | 25 | +15 |
34 | Lewis & Clark | 73 | 88 | +15 |
36 | DePaul | 91 | 105 | +14 |
36 | Georgia State | 64 | 78 | +14 |
36 | Univ. of Washington | 35 | 49 | +14 |
39 | Georgetown | 1 | 14 | +13 |
39 | Ohio State | 17 | 30 | +13 |
41 | Southwestern | 135 | 147 | +12 |
41 | Vermont | 130 | 142 | +12 |
43 | Akron | 136 | 147 | +11 |
43 | Michigan State | 80 | 91 | +11 |
43 | UNLV | 56 | 67 | +11 |
46 | Maryland | 37 | 47 | +10 |
46 | Northwestern | 3 | 13 | +10 |
46 | Nova SE | 137 | 147 | +10 |
46 | Willamette | 119 | 129 | +10 |
50 | Golden Gate | 138 | 147 | +9 |
50 | UCLA | 6 | 15 | +9 |
Here are the law schools whose U.S. News Omnibus Specialty Ranking most trails their overall U.S. News Ranking:
April 15, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Thursday, April 14, 2022
2023 U.S. News Omnibus Specialty Rankings
The new 2023 U.S. News Specialty Rankings include the rankings for 13 specialty programs at 192 law schools. Here are the Top 100 law schools, determined by giving equal weight to each of the 13 separate specialty rankings:
- Business/Corporate Law
- Clinical Law
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts/Commercial Law
- Criminal Law
- Dispute Resolution
- Environmental Law
- Health Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- International Law
- Legal Writing
- Tax Law
- Trial Advocacy
School | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Avg. | |
1 | Georgetown | 10 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 18 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 8.8 |
2 | NYU | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 20 | 5 | 44 | 3 | 1 | 84 | 1 | 38 | 16.2 |
3 | Northwestern | 14 | 17 | 14 | 12 | 17 | 4 | 38 | 44 | 19 | 18 | 31 | 3 | 16 | 19.0 |
4 | UC-Berkeley | 1 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 43 | 1 | 33 | 1 | 7 | 115 | 24 | 10 | 20.0 |
5 | Michigan | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 70 | 41 | 17 | 19 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 52 | 20.5 |
6 | UCLA | 7 | 26 | 11 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 1 | 23 | 15 | 12 | 128 | 6 | 6 | 21.0 |
7 | Harvard | 1 | 26 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 182 | 9 | 38 | 22.4 |
8 | Stanford | 6 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 10 | 149 | 9 | 61 | 23.0 |
9 | Virginia | 10 | 64 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 22 | 29 | 29 | 25 | 6 | 50 | 5 | 52 | 23.9 |
10 | George Washington | 27 | 23 | 21 | 34 | 28 | 47 | 13 | 23 | 5 | 10 | 39 | 27 | 31 | 25.2 |
11 | Duke | 14 | 35 | 11 | 16 | 14 | 56 | 17 | 21 | 12 | 12 | 39 | 18 | 67 | 25.5 |
12 | Penn | 5 | 26 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 22 | 44 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 74 | 18 | 89 | 26.8 |
13 | UC-Irvine | 44 | 5 | 18 | 27 | 24 | 22 | 34 | 29 | 19 | 18 | 10 | 9 | 106 | 28.1 |
14 | Texas | 17 | 35 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 22 | 31 | 33 | 19 | 21 | 104 | 15 | 38 | 28.6 |
15 | Columbia | 1 | 26 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 22 | 7 | 38 | 15 | 3 | 174 | 9 | 89 | 30.5 |
16 | American | 56 | 3 | 40 | 45 | 24 | 43 | 44 | 16 | 8 | 7 | 62 | 55 | 3 | 31.2 |
17 | Ohio State | 39 | 64 | 21 | 27 | 12 | 1 | 56 | 17 | 36 | 47 | 21 | 34 | 52 | 32.8 |
18 | Washington Univ. | 20 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 32 | 38 | 68 | 29 | 45 | 21 | 74 | 34 | 20 | 33.3 |
19 | UC-Hastings | 32 | 20 | 33 | 27 | 32 | 9 | 21 | 12 | 28 | 27 | 160 | 20 | 26 | 34.4 |
20 | Fordham | 18 | 17 | 30 | 20 | 18 | 13 | 73 | 65 | 25 | 21 | 115 | 28 | 7 | 34.6 |
21 | North Carolina | 23 | 26 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 56 | 41 | 23 | 55 | 62 | 10 | 20 | 89 | 35.7 |
22 | Yale | 12 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 56 | 26 | 11 | 63 | 4 | 180 | 20 | 79 | 36.1 |
23 | Arizona State | 56 | 73 | 40 | 45 | 28 | 13 | 17 | 13 | 55 | 32 | 4 | 39 | 61 | 36.6 |
24 | Vanderbilt | 12 | 35 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 32 | 7 | 33 | 45 | 17 | 128 | 45 | 79 | 36.9 |
25 | Boston Univ. | 20 | 26 | 21 | 27 | 28 | 84 | 68 | 5 | 11 | 39 | 62 | 15 | 89 | 38.1 |
26 | Cornell | 14 | 46 | 14 | 12 | 21 | 22 | 56 | 55 | 45 | 14 | 50 | 34 | 120 | 38.7 |
27 | Temple | 44 | 57 | 61 | 45 | 53 | 56 | 89 | 23 | 36 | 18 | 15 | 28 | 1 | 40.5 |
28 | Minnesota | 23 | 57 | 26 | 16 | 21 | 84 | 26 | 23 | 55 | 21 | 62 | 24 | 89 | 40.5 |
29 | William & Mary | 27 | 73 | 19 | 23 | 18 | 38 | 56 | 75 | 45 | 32 | 31 | 67 | 38 | 41.7 |
30 | Emory | 23 | 104 | 26 | 23 | 39 | 70 | 63 | 23 | 45 | 32 | 39 | 39 | 31 | 42.8 |
31 | Boston College | 27 | 26 | 33 | 27 | 46 | 56 | 34 | 48 | 32 | 36 | 50 | 13 | 135 | 43.3 |
32 | Chicago | 7 | 46 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 70 | 63 | 44 | 36 | 14 | 178 | 6 | 89 | 43.5 |
33 | Denver | 69 | 8 | 61 | 64 | 46 | 22 | 21 | 85 | 66 | 47 | 6 | 62 | 10 | 43.6 |
34 | UC-Davis | 23 | 57 | 21 | 27 | 21 | 32 | 17 | 55 | 36 | 29 | 169 | 28 | 67 | 44.8 |
35 | Univ. of Washington | 44 | 35 | 61 | 41 | 32 | 47 | 31 | 40 | 28 | 39 | 50 | 34 | 106 | 45.2 |
36 | Wake Forest | 44 | 86 | 54 | 41 | 24 | 47 | 44 | 21 | 79 | 67 | 6 | 67 | 26 | 46.6 |
37 | Maryland | 56 | 8 | 40 | 59 | 39 | 12 | 13 | 6 | 87 | 67 | 115 | 76 | 31 | 46.8 |
38 | Houston | 44 | 92 | 71 | 59 | 66 | 47 | 21 | 7 | 6 | 57 | 62 | 49 | 31 | 47.1 |
39 | Indiana (Maurer) | 44 | 92 | 35 | 37 | 32 | 47 | 34 | 55 | 28 | 32 | 31 | 15 | 135 | 47.5 |
40 | Florida | 27 | 104 | 48 | 34 | 46 | 38 | 21 | 60 | 66 | 67 | 84 | 3 | 26 | 48.0 |
41 | Loyola-L.A. | 56 | 57 | 65 | 64 | 32 | 70 | 96 | 48 | 32 | 62 | 31 | 13 | 7 | 48.7 |
42 | Arizona | 44 | 64 | 40 | 53 | 53 | 77 | 31 | 40 | 66 | 42 | 13 | 70 | 52 | 49.6 |
43 | Brooklyn | 27 | 23 | 48 | 41 | 24 | 56 | 139 | 85 | 79 | 42 | 27 | 28 | 38 | 50.5 |
44 | Wisconsin | 41 | 46 | 35 | 23 | 32 | 56 | 44 | 48 | 72 | 36 | 104 | 55 | 89 | 52.4 |
45 | Washington & Lee | 32 | 46 | 48 | 37 | 39 | 43 | 89 | 48 | 72 | 36 | 84 | 45 | 67 | 52.8 |
46 | Georgia | 32 | 46 | 35 | 45 | 60 | 47 | 73 | 40 | 79 | 21 | 149 | 39 | 21 | 52.8 |
47 | USC | 18 | 92 | 26 | 23 | 46 | 32 | 38 | 55 | 45 | 42 | 149 | 20 | 120 | 54.3 |
48 | Tulane | 32 | 35 | 54 | 41 | 46 | 77 | 17 | 60 | 72 | 29 | 115 | 70 | 61 | 54.5 |
49 | Texas A&M | 69 | 23 | 84 | 59 | 111 | 4 | 38 | 75 | 6 | 57 | 50 | 70 | 67 | 54.8 |
50 | Notre Dame | 32 | 80 | 26 | 45 | 46 | 56 | 56 | 85 | 36 | 27 | 128 | 45 | 52 | 54.9 |
51 | Colorado | 44 | 80 | 40 | 53 | 32 | 84 | 12 | 65 | 45 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 89 | 56.2 |
51 | Loyola-Chicago | 78 | 86 | 65 | 84 | 72 | 38 | 73 | 3 | 36 | 57 | 62 | 55 | 21 | 56.2 |
53 | Rutgers | 69 | 8 | 54 | 84 | 39 | 84 | 80 | 48 | 79 | 62 | 13 | 67 | 49 | 56.6 |
54 | Miami | 56 | 26 | 54 | 53 | 53 | 84 | 44 | 75 | 66 | 29 | 104 | 34 | 61 | 56.8 |
55 | Cardozo | 56 | 35 | 40 | 53 | 28 | 4 | 144 | 108 | 8 | 47 | 115 | 55 | 79 | 59.4 |
56 | UNLV | 69 | 35 | 71 | 45 | 72 | 8 | 96 | 40 | 72 | 105 | 1 | 55 | 106 | 59.6 |
57 | Chicago-Kent | 69 | 121 | 65 | 64 | 72 | 56 | 80 | 60 | 12 | 67 | 39 | 85 | 7 | 61.3 |
58 | Iowa | 32 | 92 | 48 | 27 | 39 | 110 | 96 | 65 | 55 | 47 | 39 | 55 | 106 | 62.4 |
59 | San Diego | 44 | 121 | 30 | 45 | 60 | 96 | 44 | 65 | 19 | 47 | 169 | 24 | 52 | 62.8 |
60 | Alabama | 44 | 64 | 30 | 53 | 60 | 84 | 80 | 75 | 105 | 81 | 74 | 39 | 38 | 63.6 |
60 | Utah | 41 | 92 | 48 | 53 | 39 | 110 | 16 | 44 | 36 | 47 | 104 | 49 | 148 | 63.6 |
62 | Case Western | 63 | 64 | 65 | 70 | 80 | 56 | 44 | 13 | 36 | 21 | 84 | 113 | 120 | 63.8 |
63 | Florida State | 56 | 132 | 35 | 34 | 46 | 77 | 21 | 65 | 72 | 47 | 160 | 45 | 52 | 64.8 |
64 | Georgia State | 63 | 35 | 54 | 64 | 60 | 96 | 96 | 3 | 66 | 105 | 128 | 62 | 31 | 66.4 |
65 | Howard | 78 | 35 | 54 | 70 | 53 | 96 | 96 | 85 | 45 | 81 | 50 | 95 | 26 | 66.5 |
66 | Pepperdine Caruso | 67 | 46 | 54 | 70 | 96 | 1 | 109 | 102 | 94 | 39 | 128 | 28 | 31 | 66.5 |
67 | SMU | 44 | 64 | 73 | 70 | 53 | 47 | 113 | 55 | 55 | 57 | 128 | 49 | 67 | 67.3 |
68 | Northeastern | 93 | 20 | 73 | 97 | 60 | 110 | 96 | 7 | 45 | 67 | 27 | 76 | 106 | 67.5 |
69 | BYU | 22 | 121 | 48 | 37 | 80 | 43 | 56 | 108 | 55 | 47 | 128 | 39 | 120 | 69.5 |
70 | Suffolk | 103 | 15 | 137 | 97 | 80 | 22 | 96 | 60 | 28 | 128 | 4 | 119 | 21 | 70.0 |
71 | Seattle | 93 | 26 | 93 | 84 | 72 | 22 | 80 | 108 | 72 | 81 | 6 | 85 | 89 | 70.1 |
72 | Illinois | 32 | 121 | 35 | 20 | 39 | 84 | 73 | 75 | 55 | 67 | 128 | 49 | 135 | 70.2 |
73 | Lewis & Clark | 83 | 73 | 93 | 84 | 90 | 38 | 4 | 102 | 63 | 67 | 27 | 95 | 106 | 71.2 |
74 | Villanova | 78 | 46 | 73 | 70 | 72 | 110 | 96 | 108 | 63 | 81 | 27 | 39 | 79 | 72.5 |
75 | Seton Hall | 78 | 73 | 65 | 84 | 66 | 110 | 80 | 13 | 94 | 97 | 84 | 62 | 52 | 73.7 |
76 | Richmond | 63 | 132 | 40 | 59 | 60 | 70 | 63 | 96 | 36 | 91 | 84 | 62 | 106 | 74.0 |
77 | Oregon | 69 | 121 | 84 | 59 | 80 | 9 | 7 | 185 | 87 | 91 | 1 | 55 | 135 | 75.6 |
78 | South Carolina | 69 | 35 | 104 | 80 | 53 | 110 | 68 | 65 | 115 | 101 | 115 | 49 | 38 | 77.1 |
79 | Pittsburgh | 78 | 92 | 65 | 80 | 80 | 110 | 109 | 38 | 45 | 42 | 128 | 28 | 120 | 78.1 |
80 | Michigan State | 67 | 104 | 73 | 70 | 72 | 84 | 96 | 102 | 55 | 62 | 84 | 102 | 49 | 78.5 |
81 | Santa Clara | 69 | 113 | 93 | 92 | 90 | 77 | 80 | 96 | 4 | 42 | 74 | 76 | 120 | 78.9 |
82 | St. John's | 63 | 86 | 73 | 70 | 66 | 32 | 153 | 124 | 87 | 81 | 39 | 124 | 38 | 79.7 |
83 | Hofstra | 83 | 73 | 93 | 97 | 66 | 96 | 139 | 75 | 79 | 81 | 50 | 85 | 21 | 79.8 |
84 | Stetson | 109 | 73 | 104 | 97 | 111 | 22 | 80 | 108 | 141 | 101 | 3 | 95 | 3 | 80.5 |
85 | Drexel | 83 | 64 | 84 | 97 | 96 | 110 | 144 | 33 | 94 | 118 | 21 | 119 | 10 | 82.5 |
86 | George Mason | 41 | 148 | 40 | 37 | 80 | 103 | 122 | 108 | 19 | 67 | 169 | 70 | 89 | 84.1 |
87 | Syracuse | 90 | 113 | 104 | 105 | 80 | 110 | 73 | 85 | 87 | 81 | 50 | 102 | 14 | 84.2 |
88 | Tennessee | 39 | 20 | 84 | 45 | 96 | 110 | 109 | 102 | 141 | 118 | 74 | 82 | 79 | 84.5 |
89 | Connecticut | 69 | 113 | 61 | 64 | 80 | 96 | 96 | 65 | 100 | 57 | 84 | 70 | 148 | 84.8 |
90 | Baltimore | 119 | 8 | 104 | 143 | 66 | 70 | 68 | 85 | 94 | 91 | 39 | 102 | 120 | 85.3 |
91 | DePaul | 103 | 92 | 84 | 113 | 96 | 110 | 139 | 29 | 25 | 81 | 74 | 85 | 89 | 86.2 |
91 | St. Louis | 93 | 57 | 73 | 84 | 96 | 110 | 134 | 1 | 87 | 91 | 104 | 70 | 120 | 86.2 |
91 | Wayne State | 119 | 35 | 73 | 97 | 72 | 110 | 80 | 60 | 105 | 67 | 128 | 85 | 89 | 86.2 |
94 | John Marshall (IL) | 119 | 80 | 121 | 125 | 96 | 110 | 122 | 75 | 32 | 97 | 15 | 132 | 21 | 88.1 |
95 | Kansas | 83 | 132 | 73 | 70 | 96 | 47 | 63 | 108 | 105 | 81 | 84 | 85 | 120 | 88.2 |
96 | Penn State-Dickinson | 90 | 73 | 93 | 92 | 96 | 110 | 89 | 65 | 105 | 67 | 84 | 95 | 106 | 89.6 |
97 | New Mexico | 119 | 8 | 104 | 80 | 90 | 110 | 29 | 85 | 121 | 128 | 74 | 113 | 106 | 89.8 |
98 | Indiana (McKinney) | 93 | 138 | 84 | 84 | 119 | 110 | 96 | 17 | 100 | 67 | 15 | 82 | 170 | 90.4 |
98 | Pace | 109 | 132 | 137 | 113 | 111 | 32 | 1 | 102 | 141 | 67 | 128 | 76 | 26 | 90.4 |
100 | Penn State-University Park | 93 | 64 | 73 | 105 | 111 | 56 | 44 | 85 | 121 | 67 | 115 | 85 | 161 | 90.8 |
If anyone at a law school outside the Top 100 would like the data for their school's rank, email me.
April 14, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Whistleblower Claims Rutgers Created Fake Jobs For Graduates To Goose Business School Ranking
Following up on yesterday's post, Do The ‘U.S. News’ Rankings Rely On Dubious Data?: Chronicle of Higher Education, Rutgers B-School Faked Jobs for Graduates to Inflate Its Rankings, Lawsuit Says:
Rutgers University’s Business School inflated its rankings by creating fake jobs for its graduates, according to an accusation leveled in a whistle-blower lawsuit filed on Friday.
Deidre White, the business school’s human-resources manager, claims in her lawsuit that the university created bogus jobs to show that the school’s graduates had no trouble finding employment. But after she exposed the purported scheme and refused to comply with it, White asserts, she faced illegal harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
The lawsuit charges that administrators at the business school used a temp agency called Adecco Employment Services Inc. to hire graduating M.B.A. students who had yet to land a job and place them in fictitious positions at the university. This created a false impression that “postgraduation employment is virtually guaranteed,” the lawsuit says.
April 14, 2022 in Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
Colin Diver: The Rankings Farce
Chronicle of Higher Education Op-Ed: The Rankings Farce, by Colin Diver:
‘U.S. News’ and its ilk embrace faux-precise formulas riven with statistical misconceptions. ...
On July 1, 2002, I became president of Reed College in Portland, Ore. As I began to fill the shelves in my office with mementos from my previous life as a law-school dean, I could feel the weight already lifting from my shoulders. “I’m no longer subject to the tyranny of college rankings,” I thought. “I don’t need to worry about some news magazine telling me what to do.”
Seven years before my arrival at Reed, my predecessor, Steven S. Koblik, decreed that Reed would no longer cooperate with the annual U.S. News Best Colleges rankings. ...
There is a growing cottage industry of college evaluators, many spurred by the commercial success of U.S. News. I call it the “rankocracy” — a group of self-appointed, mostly profit-seeking journalists who claim for themselves the role of arbiters of educational excellence in our society. It wasn’t just the U.S. News rankings that were incompatible with Reed’s values. Virtually the whole enterprise of listing institutions in an ordinal hierarchy of quality involves faux precision, dubious methodologies, and blaring best-college headlines. To make matters worse, the entire structure rests on mostly unaudited, self-reported information of dubious reliability. In recent months, for example, the data supporting Columbia’s second place U.S. News ranking have been questioned, the University of Southern California’s School of Education has discovered a “history of inaccuracies” in its rankings data, and Bloomberg’s business-school rankings have been examined for perceived anomalies. ...
I came by my rankings aversion honestly. In 1989, I became the dean of the University of Pennsylvania’s law school. The next year, U.S. News began to publish annual rankings of law schools. Over the next nine years of my deanship, its numerical pronouncements hovered over my head like a black cloud. During those years, for reasons that remained a complete mystery to me, Penn Law’s national position would oscillate somewhere between seventh and 12th. Each upward movement would be a cause for momentary exultation; each downward movement, a cause for distress.
April 13, 2022 in Book Club, Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
2023 U.S. News Trial Advocacy Rankings
The new 2023 U.S. News Trial Advocacy Rankings include the trial advocacy programs at 187 law schools (the faculty survey had a 54% response rate). Here are the Top 50:
Rank | Score | School |
1 | 4.1 | Temple |
2 | 3.9 | Baylor |
3 | 3.8 | American |
3 | 3.8 | South Texas |
3 | 3.8 | Stetson |
6 | 3.7 | UCLA |
7 | 3.6 | Chicago-Kent |
7 | 3.6 | Fordham |
7 | 3.6 | Loyola-L.A. |
10 | 3.4 | Denver |
10 | 3.4 | Drexel |
10 | 3.4 | Samford |
10 | 3.4 | UC-Berkeley |
14 | 3.3 | St. Mary's |
14 | 3.3 | Syracuse |
16 | 3.2 | Campbell |
16 | 3.2 | Georgetown |
16 | 3.2 | Northwestern |
16 | 3.2 | Pacific |
20 | 3.0 | Washington Univ. |
21 | 2.9 | Georgia |
21 | 2.9 | Hofstra |
21 | 2.9 | John Marshall (IL) |
21 | 2.9 | Loyola-Chicago |
21 | 2.9 | Suffolk |
26 | 2.8 | Florida |
26 | 2.8 | Howard |
26 | 2.8 | Pace |
26 | 2.8 | UC-Hastings |
26 | 2.8 | Wake Forest |
31 | 2.7 | Emory |
31 | 2.7 | George Washington |
31 | 2.7 | Georgia State |
31 | 2.7 | Houston |
31 | 2.7 | Maryland |
31 | 2.7 | Missouri-Kansas City |
31 | 2.7 | Pepperdine Caruso |
38 | 2.6 | Akron |
38 | 2.6 | Alabama |
38 | 2.6 | Brooklyn |
38 | 2.6 | Harvard |
38 | 2.6 | Nova SE |
38 | 2.6 | NYU |
38 | 2.6 | Ohio Northern |
38 | 2.6 | South Carolina |
38 | 2.6 | St. John's |
38 | 2.6 | Texas |
38 | 2.6 | William & Mary |
49 | 2.5 | Catholic |
49 | 2.5 | Michigan State |
49 | 2.5 | Rutgers |
2022 U.S. News Trial Advocacy Rankings
2023 U.S. News Specialty Rankings:
April 13, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Do The ‘U.S. News’ Rankings Rely On Dubious Data?
Chronicle of Higher Education, Do the ‘U.S. News’ Rankings Rely on Dubious Data?:
Researchers who submit to the publication say survey answers are subject to errors, ambiguity, and pressure to look good. ...
[There is a] complicated relationship between colleges’ data submitters and U.S. News, the best-known college-ranking system in the United States. Many resent the time and oxygen the ranking takes up. After The Chronicle asked to interview her, Christine M. Keller, executive director of the Association for Institutional Research, conducted an informal poll of the group’s members about their views of U.S. News. One major theme: Answering the magazine’s survey requires too many resources, a situation they see as taking away from internal data projects that contribute more to student success than rankings do. Yet they know that responding to the survey is an important part of their jobs, and often campus leaders are paying close attention.
Recently that relationship has undergone renewed scrutiny, as rankings-data controversies have piled up. First, a former dean of Temple University’s business school was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison for leading an effort to inflate statistics his school had sent to U.S. News. Then a Columbia University mathematics professor publicized his belief that his institution is sending inaccurate data to Morse and his colleagues, a contention Columbia has denied. Finally, the University of Southern California pulled out of the rankings for its graduate program in education because it discovered it had submitted wrong data for at least five years.
April 13, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
2023 U.S. News Legal Writing Rankings
The new 2023 U.S. News Legal Writing Rankings include the legal writing programs at 186 law schools (the faculty survey had a 64% response rate). Here are the Top 50:
Rank | Score | School |
1 | 4.3 | Oregon |
1 | 4.3 | UNLV |
3 | 4.2 | Stetson |
4 | 4.1 | Arizona State |
4 | 4.1 | Suffolk |
6 | 3.9 | Denver |
6 | 3.9 | Georgetown |
6 | 3.9 | Seattle |
6 | 3.9 | Wake Forest |
10 | 3.8 | Michigan |
10 | 3.8 | North Carolina |
10 | 3.8 | UC-Irvine |
13 | 3.7 | Arizona |
13 | 3.7 | Rutgers |
15 | 3.6 | Indiana (McKinney) |
15 | 3.6 | John Marshall (IL) |
15 | 3.6 | Mercer |
15 | 3.6 | Nova SE |
15 | 3.6 | Temple |
15 | 3.6 | Washburn |
21 | 3.5 | Drake |
21 | 3.5 | Drexel |
21 | 3.5 | Marquette |
21 | 3.5 | Missouri-Kansas City |
21 | 3.5 | Ohio State |
21 | 3.5 | Texas Tech |
27 | 3.4 | Brooklyn |
27 | 3.4 | Lewis & Clark |
27 | 3.4 | Northeastern |
27 | 3.4 | Villanova |
31 | 3.3 | Arkansas-Little Rock |
31 | 3.3 | Elon |
31 | 3.3 | Indiana (Maurer) |
31 | 3.3 | Loyola-L.A. |
31 | 3.3 | Northwestern |
31 | 3.3 | Pacific |
31 | 3.3 | South Texas |
31 | 3.3 | William & Mary |
39 | 3.2 | Arkansas-Fayetteville |
39 | 3.2 | Baltimore |
39 | 3.2 | Chicago-Kent |
39 | 3.2 | Duke |
39 | 3.2 | Duquesne |
39 | 3.2 | Emory |
39 | 3.2 | George Washington |
39 | 3.2 | Iowa |
39 | 3.2 | Loyola-New Orleans |
39 | 3.2 | Mitchell | Hamline |
39 | 3.2 | St. John's |
50 | 3.1 | Boston College |
50 | 3.1 | Cornell |
50 | 3.1 | Florida Int'l |
50 | 3.1 | Hofstra |
50 | 3.1 | Howard |
50 | 3.1 | Louisville |
50 | 3.1 | Syracuse |
50 | 3.1 | Texas A&M |
50 | 3.1 | Univ. of Washington |
50 | 3.1 | Virginia |
50 | 3.1 | Widener (DE) |
50 | 3.1 | Wyoming |
2022 U.S. News Legal Writing Rankings
2023 U.S. News Specialty Rankings:
April 12, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Monday, April 11, 2022
2023 U.S. News International Law Rankings
The new 2023 U.S. News International Law Rankings include the international law programs at 185 law schools (the faculty survey had a 52% response rate). Here are the Top 50:
Rank | Score | School |
1 | 4.7 | NYU |
2 | 4.5 | Harvard |
3 | 4.4 | Columbia |
4 | 4.3 | Georgetown |
4 | 4.3 | Yale |
6 | 4.1 | Virginia |
7 | 4.0 | American |
7 | 4.0 | Michigan |
7 | 4.0 | UC-Berkeley |
10 | 3.9 | George Washington |
10 | 3.9 | Stanford |
12 | 3.8 | Duke |
12 | 3.8 | UCLA |
14 | 3.7 | Chicago |
14 | 3.7 | Cornell |
14 | 3.7 | Penn |
17 | 3.6 | Vanderbilt |
18 | 3.5 | Northwestern |
18 | 3.5 | Temple |
18 | 3.5 | UC-Irvine |
21 | 3.4 | Case Western |
21 | 3.4 | Fordham |
21 | 3.4 | Georgia |
21 | 3.4 | Minnesota |
21 | 3.4 | Texas |
21 | 3.4 | Washington Univ. |
27 | 3.3 | Notre Dame |
27 | 3.3 | UC-Hastings |
29 | 3.2 | Miami |
29 | 3.2 | Tulane |
29 | 3.2 | UC-Davis |
32 | 3.1 | Arizona State |
32 | 3.1 | Emory |
32 | 3.1 | Indiana (Maurer) |
32 | 3.1 | William & Mary |
36 | 3.0 | Boston College |
36 | 3.0 | Washington & Lee |
36 | 3.0 | Wisconsin |
39 | 2.9 | Boston Univ. |
39 | 2.9 | Pepperdine Caruso |
39 | 2.9 | Univ. of Washington |
42 | 2.8 | Arizona |
42 | 2.8 | Brooklyn |
42 | 2.8 | Pittsburgh |
42 | 2.8 | Santa Clara |
42 | 2.8 | USC |
47 | 2.7 | BYU |
47 | 2.7 | Cardozo |
47 | 2.7 | Denver |
47 | 2.7 | Florida Int'l |
47 | 2.7 | Florida State |
47 | 2.7 | Iowa |
47 | 2.7 | Ohio State |
47 | 2.7 | Pacific |
47 | 2.7 | San Diego |
47 | 2.7 | Utah |
2022 U.S. News International Law Rankings
2023 U.S. News Specialty Rankings:
April 11, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Saturday, April 9, 2022
2023 U.S. News Intellectual Property Law Rankings
The new 2023 U.S. News Intellectual Property Law Rankings include the intellectual property law programs at 187 law schools (the faculty survey had a 56% response rate). Here are the Top 50:
Rank | Score | School |
1 | 4.7 | UC-Berkeley |
2 | 4.6 | Stanford |
3 | 4.3 | NYU |
4 | 4.1 | Santa Clara |
5 | 4.0 | George Washington |
6 | 3.9 | Houston |
6 | 3.9 | Texas A&M |
8 | 3.7 | American |
8 | 3.7 | Cardozo |
8 | 3.7 | New Hampshire |
11 | 3.6 | Boston Univ. |
12 | 3.5 | Chicago-Kent |
12 | 3.5 | Duke |
12 | 3.5 | Penn |
15 | 3.4 | Columbia |
15 | 3.4 | Harvard |
15 | 3.4 | UCLA |
18 | 3.3 | Georgetown |
19 | 3.2 | George Mason |
19 | 3.2 | Michigan |
19 | 3.2 | Northwestern |
19 | 3.2 | San Diego |
19 | 3.2 | Texas |
19 | 3.2 | UC-Irvine |
25 | 3.1 | DePaul |
25 | 3.1 | Fordham |
25 | 3.1 | Virginia |
28 | 3.0 | Indiana (Maurer) |
28 | 3.0 | Suffolk |
28 | 3.0 | UC-Hastings |
28 | 3.0 | Univ. of Washington |
32 | 2.9 | Akron |
32 | 2.9 | Boston College |
32 | 2.9 | John Marshall (IL) |
32 | 2.9 | Loyola-L.A. |
36 | 2.8 | Case Western |
36 | 2.8 | Chicago |
36 | 2.8 | Loyola-Chicago |
36 | 2.8 | Notre Dame |
36 | 2.8 | Ohio State |
36 | 2.8 | Richmond |
36 | 2.8 | Temple |
36 | 2.8 | UC-Davis |
36 | 2.8 | Utah |
45 | 2.7 | Colorado |
45 | 2.7 | Cornell |
45 | 2.7 | Emory |
45 | 2.7 | Howard |
45 | 2.7 | Northeastern |
45 | 2.7 | Pittsburgh |
45 | 2.7 | USC |
45 | 2.7 | Vanderbilt |
45 | 2.7 | Washington Univ. |
45 | 2.7 | William & Mary |
2022 U.S. News Intellectual Property Law Rankings
2023 U.S. News Specialty Rankings:
April 9, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Friday, April 8, 2022
2023 U.S. News Health Care Law Rankings
The new 2023 U.S. News Health Care Law Rankings include the health care law programs at 184 law schools (the faculty survey had a 56% response rate). Here are the Top 50:
Rank | Score | School |
1 | 4.2 | St. Louis |
2 | 4.1 | Harvard |
3 | 4.0 | Georgia State |
3 | 4.0 | Loyola-Chicago |
5 | 3.9 | Boston Univ. |
6 | 3.8 | Maryland |
7 | 3.7 | Georgetown |
7 | 3.7 | Houston |
7 | 3.7 | Northeastern |
7 | 3.7 | Stanford |
11 | 3.6 | Yale |
12 | 3.5 | UC-Hastings |
13 | 3.4 | Arizona State |
13 | 3.4 | Case Western |
13 | 3.4 | Seton Hall |
16 | 3.3 | American |
17 | 3.2 | Indiana (McKinney) |
17 | 3.2 | Michigan |
17 | 3.2 | Ohio State |
20 | 3.1 | Penn |
21 | 3.0 | Duke |
21 | 3.0 | Wake Forest |
23 | 2.9 | Emory |
23 | 2.9 | George Washington |
23 | 2.9 | Minnesota |
23 | 2.9 | North Carolina |
23 | 2.9 | Temple |
23 | 2.9 | UCLA |
29 | 2.8 | DePaul |
29 | 2.8 | UC-Irvine |
29 | 2.8 | Virginia |
29 | 2.8 | Washington Univ. |
33 | 2.7 | Drexel |
33 | 2.7 | Mitchell | Hamline |
33 | 2.7 | Texas |
33 | 2.7 | UC-Berkeley |
33 | 2.7 | Vanderbilt |
38 | 2.6 | Columbia |
38 | 2.6 | Pittsburgh |
40 | 2.5 | Arizona |
40 | 2.5 | Georgia |
40 | 2.5 | Univ. of Washington |
40 | 2.5 | UNLV |
44 | 2.4 | Chicago |
44 | 2.4 | Northwestern |
44 | 2.4 | NYU |
44 | 2.4 | Utah |
48 | 2.3 | Boston College |
48 | 2.3 | Loyola-L.A. |
48 | 2.3 | Nova SE |
48 | 2.3 | Quinnipiac |
48 | 2.3 | Rutgers |
48 | 2.3 | Washington & Lee |
48 | 2.3 | Wisconsin |
2022 U.S. News Health Care Law Rankings
2023 U.S. News Specialty Rankings:
April 8, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Thursday, April 7, 2022
2023 U.S. News Environmental Law Rankings
The new 2023 U.S. News Environmental Law Rankings include the environmental law programs at 180 law schools (the faculty survey had a 61% response rate). Here are the Top 50:
Rank | Score | School |
1 | 4.4 | Pace |
1 | 4.4 | UC-Berkeley |
1 | 4.4 | UCLA |
4 | 4.3 | Lewis & Clark |
5 | 4.1 | NYU |
5 | 4.1 | Vermont |
7 | 4.0 | Columbia |
7 | 4.0 | Georgetown |
7 | 4.0 | Harvard |
7 | 4.0 | Oregon |
7 | 4.0 | Vanderbilt |
12 | 3.9 | Colorado |
13 | 3.8 | George Washington |
13 | 3.8 | Maryland |
13 | 3.8 | Stanford |
16 | 3.7 | Utah |
17 | 3.6 | Arizona State |
17 | 3.6 | Duke |
17 | 3.6 | Tulane |
17 | 3.6 | UC-Davis |
21 | 3.5 | Denver |
21 | 3.5 | Florida |
21 | 3.5 | Florida State |
21 | 3.5 | Houston |
21 | 3.5 | UC-Hastings |
26 | 3.4 | Hawaii |
26 | 3.4 | Minnesota |
26 | 3.4 | Yale |
29 | 3.3 | New Mexico |
29 | 3.3 | Virginia |
31 | 3.2 | Arizona |
31 | 3.2 | Texas |
31 | 3.2 | Univ. of Washington |
34 | 3.1 | Boston College |
34 | 3.1 | Indiana (Maurer) |
34 | 3.1 | Montana |
34 | 3.1 | UC-Irvine |
38 | 3.0 | Northwestern |
38 | 3.0 | Texas A&M |
38 | 3.0 | USC |
41 | 2.9 | Michigan |
41 | 2.9 | North Carolina |
41 | 2.9 | Widener (DE) |
44 | 2.8 | American |
44 | 2.8 | Case Western |
44 | 2.8 | CUNY |
44 | 2.8 | Loyola-New Orleans |
44 | 2.8 | Maine |
44 | 2.8 | Miami |
44 | 2.8 | Penn |
44 | 2.8 | Penn State-University Park |
44 | 2.8 | San Diego |
44 | 2.8 | Wake Forest |
44 | 2.8 | Wisconsin |
44 | 2.8 | Wyoming |
2022 U.S. News Environmental Law Rankings
2023 U.S. News Specialty Rankings:
April 7, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
2023 U.S. News Dispute Resolution Rankings
The new 2023 U.S. News Dispute Resolution Rankings include the dispute resolution programs at 109 law schools (the faculty survey had a 56% response rate). Here are the Top 50:
Rank | Score | School |
1 | 4.5 | Pepperdine Caruso |
1 | 4.5 | Ohio State |
3 | 4.4 | Harvard |
4 | 4.0 | Cardozo |
4 | 4.0 | Missouri (Columbia) |
4 | 4.0 | Northwestern |
4 | 4.0 | Texas A&M |
8 | 3.9 | UNLV |
9 | 3.8 | Mitchell | Hamline |
9 | 3.8 | Oregon |
9 | 3.8 | UC-Hastings |
12 | 3.7 | Maryland |
13 | 3.6 | Arizona State |
13 | 3.6 | Fordham |
15 | 3.5 | Marquette |
15 | 3.5 | Quinnipiac |
15 | 3.5 | South Texas |
15 | 3.5 | Stanford |
15 | 3.5 | UCLA |
20 | 3.4 | Georgetown |
20 | 3.4 | NYU |
22 | 3.3 | Columbia |
22 | 3.3 | Cornell |
22 | 3.3 | Denver |
22 | 3.3 | Penn |
22 | 3.3 | Seattle |
22 | 3.3 | Stetson |
22 | 3.3 | Suffolk |
22 | 3.3 | Texas |
22 | 3.3 | UC-Irvine |
22 | 3.3 | Virginia |
32 | 3.2 | Creighton |
32 | 3.2 | Pace |
32 | 3.2 | St. John's |
32 | 3.2 | UC-Davis |
32 | 3.2 | USC |
32 | 3.2 | Vanderbilt |
38 | 3.1 | Florida |
38 | 3.1 | Lewis & Clark |
38 | 3.1 | Loyola-Chicago |
38 | 3.1 | Washington Univ. |
38 | 3.1 | William & Mary |
43 | 3.0 | American |
43 | 3.0 | BYU |
43 | 3.0 | UC-Berkeley |
43 | 3.0 | Washington & Lee |
47 | 2.9 | Baylor |
47 | 2.9 | George Washington |
47 | 2.9 | Georgia |
47 | 2.9 | Houston |
47 | 2.9 | Indiana (Maurer) |
47 | 2.9 | Kansas |
47 | 2.9 | SMU |
47 | 2.9 | Wake Forest |
47 | 2.9 | Univ. of Washington |
2022 U.S. News Dispute Resolution Rankings
2023 U.S. News Specialty Rankings:
April 6, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Tuesday, April 5, 2022
2023 U.S. News Criminal Law Rankings
The new 2023 U.S. News Criminal Law Rankings include the criminal law programs at 187 law schools (the faculty survey had a 51% response rate). Here are the Top 50:
Rank | Score | School |
1 | 4.6 | NYU |
2 | 4.4 | UC-Berkeley |
3 | 4.3 | Georgetown |
3 | 4.3 | Harvard |
3 | 4.3 | Penn |
3 | 4.3 | Stanford |
7 | 4.2 | Virginia |
8 | 4.1 | Chicago |
8 | 4.1 | Columbia |
8 | 4.1 | UCLA |
8 | 4.1 | Yale |
12 | 4.0 | Michigan |
12 | 4.0 | Ohio State |
14 | 3.9 | Duke |
14 | 3.9 | Texas |
14 | 3.9 | Vanderbilt |
17 | 3.8 | Northwestern |
18 | 3.7 | Fordham |
18 | 3.7 | North Carolina |
18 | 3.7 | William & Mary |
21 | 3.6 | Cornell |
21 | 3.6 | Minnesota |
21 | 3.6 | UC-Davis |
24 | 3.5 | American |
24 | 3.5 | Brooklyn |
24 | 3.5 | UC-Irvine |
24 | 3.5 | Wake Forest |
28 | 3.4 | Arizona State |
28 | 3.4 | Boston Univ. |
28 | 3.4 | Cardozo |
28 | 3.4 | George Washington |
32 | 3.3 | Colorado |
32 | 3.3 | Indiana (Maurer) |
32 | 3.3 | Loyola-L.A. |
32 | 3.3 | UC-Hastings |
32 | 3.3 | Univ. of Washington |
32 | 3.3 | Washington Univ. |
32 | 3.3 | Wisconsin |
39 | 3.2 | Emory |
39 | 3.2 | Illinois |
39 | 3.2 | Iowa |
39 | 3.2 | Maryland |
39 | 3.2 | Rutgers |
39 | 3.2 | Utah |
39 | 3.2 | Washington & Lee |
46 | 3.1 | Boston College |
46 | 3.1 | Denver |
46 | 3.1 | Florida |
46 | 3.1 | Florida State |
46 | 3.1 | Notre Dame |
46 | 3.1 | Tulane |
46 | 3.1 | USC |
2022 U.S. News Criminal Law Rankings
2023 U.S. News Specialty Rankings:
April 5, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Monday, April 4, 2022
2023 U.S. News Contracts/Commercial Law Rankings
The new 2023 U.S. News Contracts/Commercial Law Rankings include the contracts/commercial law programs at 187 law schools (the faculty survey had a 45% response rate). Here are the Top 50:
Rank | Score | School |
1 | 4.6 | Columbia |
2 | 4.5 | Chicago |
2 | 4.5 | Harvard |
4 | 4.4 | NYU |
4 | 4.4 | Stanford |
4 | 4.4 | Yale |
7 | 4.3 | Michigan |
7 | 4.3 | Penn |
7 | 4.3 | UC-Berkeley |
7 | 4.3 | Virginia |
11 | 4.2 | Georgetown |
12 | 4.1 | Cornell |
12 | 4.1 | Northwestern |
12 | 4.1 | Texas |
15 | 4.0 | UCLA |
16 | 3.9 | Duke |
16 | 3.9 | Minnesota |
16 | 3.9 | Vanderbilt |
16 | 3.9 | Washington Univ. |
20 | 3.7 | Fordham |
20 | 3.7 | Illinois |
20 | 3.7 | North Carolina |
23 | 3.6 | Emory |
23 | 3.6 | USC |
23 | 3.6 | William & Mary |
23 | 3.6 | Wisconsin |
27 | 3.5 | Boston College |
27 | 3.5 | Boston Univ. |
27 | 3.5 | Iowa |
27 | 3.5 | Ohio State |
27 | 3.5 | UC-Davis |
27 | 3.5 | UC-Hastings |
27 | 3.5 | UC-Irvine |
34 | 3.4 | Florida |
34 | 3.4 | Florida State |
34 | 3.4 | George Washington |
37 | 3.3 | BYU |
37 | 3.3 | George Mason |
37 | 3.3 | Indiana (Maurer) |
37 | 3.3 | Washington & Lee |
41 | 3.2 | Brooklyn |
41 | 3.2 | Tulane |
41 | 3.2 | Wake Forest |
41 | 3.2 | Univ. of Washington |
45 | 3.1 | American |
45 | 3.1 | Arizona State |
45 | 3.1 | Georgia |
45 | 3.1 | Notre Dame |
45 | 3.1 | San Diego |
45 | 3.1 | Temple |
45 | 3.1 | Tennessee |
45 | 3.1 | UNLV |
2022 U.S. News Contracts/Commercial Law Rankings
2023 U.S. News Specialty Rankings:
April 4, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Saturday, April 2, 2022
2023 U.S. News Constitutional Law Rankings
The new 2023 U.S. News Constitutional Law Rankings include the constitutional law programs at 187 law schools (the faculty survey had a 47% response rate). Here are the Top 50:
Rank | Score | School |
1 | 4.8 | Harvard |
1 | 4.8 | Yale |
3 | 4.7 | Chicago |
3 | 4.7 | Columbia |
5 | 4.6 | NYU |
5 | 4.6 | Stanford |
5 | 4.6 | Virginia |
8 | 4.5 | UC-Berkeley |
9 | 4.4 | Michigan |
10 | 4.3 | Georgetown |
11 | 4.2 | Duke |
11 | 4.2 | Texas |
11 | 4.2 | UCLA |
14 | 4.1 | Cornell |
14 | 4.1 | Northwestern |
14 | 4.1 | Penn |
17 | 3.8 | Vanderbilt |
18 | 3.7 | UC-Irvine |
19 | 3.6 | Washington Univ. |
19 | 3.6 | William & Mary |
21 | 3.5 | Boston Univ. |
21 | 3.5 | George Washington |
21 | 3.5 | North Carolina |
21 | 3.5 | Ohio State |
21 | 3.5 | UC-Davis |
26 | 3.4 | Emory |
26 | 3.4 | Minnesota |
26 | 3.4 | Notre Dame |
26 | 3.4 | USC |
30 | 3.3 | Alabama |
30 | 3.3 | Fordham |
30 | 3.3 | San Diego |
33 | 3.2 | Boston College |
33 | 3.2 | UC-Hastings |
35 | 3.1 | Florida State |
35 | 3.1 | Georgia |
35 | 3.1 | Illinois |
35 | 3.1 | Indiana (Maurer) |
35 | 3.1 | Wisconsin |
40 | 3.0 | American |
40 | 3.0 | Arizona |
40 | 3.0 | Arizona State |
40 | 3.0 | Cardozo |
40 | 3.0 | Colorado |
40 | 3.0 | George Mason |
40 | 3.0 | Maryland |
40 | 3.0 | Richmond |
48 | 2.9 | Brooklyn |
48 | 2.9 | BYU |
48 | 2.9 | Florida |
48 | 2.9 | Iowa |
48 | 2.9 | Utah |
48 | 2.9 | Washington & Lee |
2022 U.S. News Constitutional Law Rankings
2023 U.S. News Specialty Rankings:
April 2, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Friday, April 1, 2022
2023 U.S. News Clinical Training Rankings
The new 2023 U.S. News Clinical Training Rankings include the clinical training law programs at 173 law schools (the faculty survey had a 60% response rate). Here are the Top 50:
Rank | Score | School |
1 | 4.6 | CUNY |
1 | 4.6 | Georgetown |
3 | 4.4 | American |
3 | 4.4 | NYU |
5 | 4.2 | District of Columbia |
5 | 4.2 | UC-Irvine |
5 | 4.2 | Yale |
8 | 4.1 | Baltimore |
8 | 4.1 | Denver |
8 | 4.1 | Maryland |
8 | 4.1 | Michigan |
8 | 4.1 | New Mexico |
8 | 4.1 | Rutgers |
8 | 4.1 | UC-Berkeley |
15 | 4.0 | Stanford |
15 | 4.0 | Suffolk |
17 | 3.9 | Fordham |
17 | 3.9 | Northwestern |
17 | 3.9 | Washington Univ. |
20 | 3.8 | Northeastern |
20 | 3.8 | Tennessee |
20 | 3.8 | UC-Hastings |
23 | 3.7 | Brooklyn |
23 | 3.7 | George Washington |
23 | 3.7 | Texas A&M |
26 | 3.6 | Boston College |
26 | 3.6 | Boston Univ. |
26 | 3.6 | Columbia |
26 | 3.6 | Harvard |
26 | 3.6 | Miami |
26 | 3.6 | North Carolina |
26 | 3.6 | Penn |
26 | 3.6 | Seattle |
26 | 3.6 | UCLA |
35 | 3.5 | Cardozo |
35 | 3.5 | Duke |
35 | 3.5 | Georgia State |
35 | 3.5 | Howard |
35 | 3.5 | South Carolina |
35 | 3.5 | Texas |
35 | 3.5 | Tulane |
35 | 3.5 | Univ. of Washington |
35 | 3.5 | UNLV |
35 | 3.5 | Vanderbilt |
35 | 3.5 | Wayne State |
46 | 3.4 | Chicago |
46 | 3.4 | Cornell |
46 | 3.4 | Georgia |
46 | 3.4 | Loyola-New Orleans |
46 | 3.4 | Memphis |
46 | 3.4 | Mitchell | Hamline |
46 | 3.4 | Pepperdine Caruso |
46 | 3.4 | St. Thomas (MN) |
46 | 3.4 | Villanova |
46 | 3.4 | Washington & Lee |
46 | 3.4 | Wisconsin |
2022 U.S. News Clinical Law Rankings
2023 U.S. News Specialty Rankings:
April 1, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Thursday, March 31, 2022
2023 U.S. News Business/Corporate Law Rankings
The new 2023 U.S. News Business/Corporate Law Rankings include the business/corporate law programs at 187 law schools (the faculty survey had a 52% response rate). Here are the Top 50:
Rank | Score | School |
1 | 4.6 | Columbia |
1 | 4.6 | Harvard |
1 | 4.6 | NYU |
1 | 4.6 | UC-Berkeley |
5 | 4.5 | Penn |
6 | 4.4 | Stanford |
7 | 4.3 | Chicago |
7 | 4.3 | UCLA |
9 | 4.2 | Michigan |
10 | 4.1 | Georgetown |
10 | 4.1 | Virginia |
12 | 4.0 | Vanderbilt |
12 | 4.0 | Yale |
14 | 3.9 | Cornell |
14 | 3.9 | Duke |
14 | 3.9 | Northwestern |
17 | 3.8 | Texas |
18 | 3.7 | Fordham |
18 | 3.7 | USC |
20 | 3.6 | Boston Univ. |
20 | 3.6 | Washington Univ. |
22 | 3.5 | BYU |
23 | 3.4 | Emory |
23 | 3.4 | Minnesota |
23 | 3.4 | North Carolina |
23 | 3.4 | UC-Davis |
27 | 3.3 | Boston College |
27 | 3.3 | Brooklyn |
27 | 3.3 | Florida |
27 | 3.3 | George Washington |
27 | 3.3 | William & Mary |
32 | 3.2 | Georgia |
32 | 3.2 | Illinois |
32 | 3.2 | Iowa |
32 | 3.2 | Notre Dame |
32 | 3.2 | Tulane |
32 | 3.2 | UC-Hastings |
32 | 3.2 | Washington & Lee |
39 | 3.1 | Ohio State |
39 | 3.1 | Tennessee |
41 | 3.0 | George Mason |
41 | 3.0 | Utah |
41 | 3.0 | Wisconsin |
44 | 2.9 | Alabama |
44 | 2.9 | Arizona |
44 | 2.9 | Colorado |
44 | 2.9 | Houston |
44 | 2.9 | Indiana (Maurer) |
44 | 2.9 | San Diego |
44 | 2.9 | SMU |
44 | 2.9 | Temple |
44 | 2.9 | UC-Irvine |
44 | 2.9 | Univ. of Washington |
44 | 2.9 | Wake Forest |
44 | 2.9 | Widener (DE) |
2022 U.S. News Business/Corporate Law Rankings
2023 U.S. News Specialty Rankings:
March 31, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
U.S. News Rankings Get it Right On Law Libraries
TaxProf Blog op-ed: U.S. News Rankings Get it Right on Law Libraries, by Amanda Runyon (Pennsylvania; Google Scholar), Leslie A. Street (William & Mary), & Amanda Watson (Houston):
US News has released the 2023 Best Law School rankings, and for the second consecutive year altered the methodology for law library data. After the 2022 rankings were released, we expressed our deep concern that the methodology for law library data was overly rigid and incentivized conformity to the detriment of law libraries and law schools. In part, we said “[l]aw libraries should be seen through their contributions within … larger US News measures, rather than perpetuating outdated views that we are separate from our broader institutions.” The new metrics focus on the types of inputs that every school has available: librarians and budget. Law libraries and law schools are now freed to assess their needs and missions and use those resources in the best way for their particular circumstances.
The 2022 US News methodology weighted multiple library metrics at 1.75% of the overall ranking (including library hours, reference hours, databases, titles, number of professional and paraprofessional staff, seats, and presentations). After considerable discussion within the academic law library community, a new task force of librarians submitted recommendations for revised data collection from law libraries to US News.[1] Based on these recommendations, US News altered the methodology for the 2023 rankings, dropping the seven previously used indicators in place of one metric: the ratio of full-time equivalent professional librarians[2] to the full-time equivalent of students, accounting for 1% of the total score. Although this is now the only scoring metric that is solely composed of library data, it is worth noting that total library expenditures also contribute to the law school’s total instructional expenditures calculation, which counts as 9% of the law school’s overall score.
March 31, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
2023 U.S. News Tax Rankings
The new 2023 U.S. News Tax Rankings include the tax programs at 186 law schools (the faculty survey had a 59% response rate). Here are the Top 50:
Rank | Score | School |
1 | 4.8 | NYU |
2 | 4.4 | Georgetown |
3 | 4.2 | Florida |
3 | 4.2 | Northwestern |
5 | 4.0 | Virginia |
6 | 3.9 | Chicago |
6 | 3.9 | Michigan |
6 | 3.9 | UCLA |
9 | 3.8 | Columbia |
9 | 3.8 | Harvard |
9 | 3.8 | Stanford |
9 | 3.8 | UC-Irvine |
13 | 3.7 | Boston College |
13 | 3.7 | Loyola-L.A. |
15 | 3.6 | Boston Univ. |
15 | 3.6 | Indiana (Maurer) |
15 | 3.6 | Texas |
18 | 3.5 | Duke |
18 | 3.5 | Penn |
20 | 3.4 | North Carolina |
20 | 3.4 | UC-Hastings |
20 | 3.4 | USC |
20 | 3.4 | Yale |
24 | 3.3 | Minnesota |
24 | 3.3 | San Diego |
24 | 3.3 | UC-Berkeley |
27 | 3.2 | George Washington |
28 | 3.1 | Brooklyn |
28 | 3.1 | Fordham |
28 | 3.1 | Pepperdine Caruso |
28 | 3.1 | Pittsburgh |
28 | 3.1 | Temple |
28 | 3.1 | UC-Davis |
34 | 3.0 | Cornell |
34 | 3.0 | Miami |
34 | 3.0 | Ohio State |
34 | 3.0 | Univ. of Washington |
34 | 3.0 | Washington Univ. |
39 | 2.9 | Alabama |
39 | 2.9 | Arizona State |
39 | 2.9 | BYU |
39 | 2.9 | Emory |
39 | 2.9 | Georgia |
39 | 2.9 | Villanova |
45 | 2.8 | Florida State |
45 | 2.8 | Notre Dame |
45 | 2.8 | Vanderbilt |
45 | 2.8 | Washington & Lee |
49 | 2.7 | Houston |
49 | 2.7 | Illinois |
49 | 2.7 | Kentucky |
49 | 2.7 | SMU |
49 | 2.7 | South Carolina |
49 | 2.7 | Utah |
Among the law schools in the tax rankings last year, here are the biggest upward moves:
- +19: Pittsburgh (#28)
- +11: Fordham (#28), Pepperdine Caruso (#28), Temple (#28)
- +8: BYU (#39)
- +5: North Carolina (#20)
Here are the biggest downward moves:
- -17: Florida State (#45)
- -11: Arizona State (#39), Washington & Lee (#45)
- -6: Yale (#20), Cornell (#34), Miami (#34), Washington University (#34), Vanderbilt (#45)
- -5: Emory (#39), Villanova (#39)
- -4: UC-Hastings (#20)
Here are the rankings of law schools with graduate tax programs:
March 30, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed News, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education, Tax, Tax Rankings | Permalink
Tuesday, March 29, 2022
Pepperdine’s Place In The 2023 U.S. News Law School Rankings
By now many of you have seen the news that Pepperdine Caruso Law ranks #52 in the 2023 U.S. News Law School Rankings. This is the fourth year in a row that Pepperdine Caruso Law has been ranked between #46-#52, an increase of at least 20 spots from its #72 ranking in 2018.
We do not chase rankings at Pepperdine Caruso Law. Every decision we make is guided by a single question: what is in the best interest of our students? Often those decisions produce a rankings benefit as well, and we gladly reap those results. I am pleased that we received the highest ranking in our history in several components of the 2023 rankings, including academic peer reputation, student selectivity (median LSAT scores, median undergraduate GPAs, and admissions acceptance rate), and average student loan debt.
Pepperdine Caruso Law also was recognized by U.S. News with Top 50 rankings in five specialty programs based on our reputation among faculty in those fields: #1 in dispute resolution, #28 in tax law, #31 in trial advocacy, #39 in international law, and #46 in clinical training, as well as a #54 ranking in constitutional law. This is the 14th time in the past 18 years that the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution has been recognized as the top ADR program in the country.
We are proud of our past, excited by all we have accomplished thus far, and exhilarated at what we will be able to achieve in the future with the additional resources provided by Rick J. Caruso's $50 million naming gift.
- Pepperdine’s Place In The 2022 U.S. News Law School Rankings
- Pepperdine's Place In The 2021 U.S. News Law School Rankings
- Pepperdine’s Place In The 2020 U.S. News Law School Rankings
- Pepperdine’s Place In The 2019 U.S. News Law School Rankings
- More On Pepperdine's Place In The 2019 U.S. News Law School Rankings
March 29, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education, Pepperdine Legal Ed | Permalink
2023 U.S. News Law School Peer Reputation Rankings (And Overall Rankings)
Continuing a TaxProf Blog tradition (see links below for 2009-2022), here is the full list of the 192 law schools ranked by academic peer reputation, as well as their overall rank, in the new 2023 U.S. News Law School Rankings (methodology):
Peer Rank | Peer Score | School | Overall Rank |
1 | 4.7 | Harvard | 4 |
1 | 4.7 | Stanford | 2 |
3 | 4.6 | Chicago | 3 |
3 | 4.6 | Columbia | 4 |
3 | 4.6 | NYU | 7 |
3 | 4.6 | Yale | 1 |
7 | 4.5 | UC-Berkeley | 9 |
8 | 4.4 | Michigan | 10 |
8 | 4.4 | Penn | 6 |
8 | 4.4 | Virginia | 8 |
11 | 4.2 | Cornell | 12 |
11 | 4.2 | Duke | 11 |
11 | 4.2 | Georgetown | 14 |
11 | 4.2 | Northwestern | 13 |
11 | 4.2 | UCLA | 15 |
16 | 4.1 | Texas | 17 |
17 | 4.0 | Vanderbilt | 17 |
18 | 3.8 | Washington Univ. | 16 |
19 | 3.7 | USC | 20 |
20 | 3.6 | Boston Univ. | 17 |
20 | 3.6 | Emory | 30 |
20 | 3.6 | Minnesota | 21 |
20 | 3.6 | UC-Irvine | 37 |
24 | 3.5 | George Washington | 25 |
24 | 3.5 | North Carolina | 23 |
24 | 3.5 | UC-Davis | 37 |
27 | 3.4 | Boston College | 37 |
27 | 3.4 | Iowa | 28 |
27 | 3.4 | Notre Dame | 25 |
27 | 3.4 | William & Mary | 30 |
31 | 3.3 | Arizona State | 30 |
31 | 3.3 | Florida | 21 |
31 | 3.3 | Fordham | 37 |
31 | 3.3 | Ohio State | 30 |
31 | 3.3 | Wisconsin | 43 |
36 | 3.2 | Alabama | 25 |
36 | 3.2 | Arizona | 45 |
36 | 3.2 | Colorado | 49 |
36 | 3.2 | Georgia | 29 |
36 | 3.2 | Illinois | 35 |
36 | 3.2 | Indiana (Maurer) | 43 |
36 | 3.2 | UC-Hastings | 51 |
36 | 3.2 | Univ. of Washington | 49 |
36 | 3.2 | Washington & Lee | 35 |
45 | 3.1 | Maryland | 47 |
45 | 3.1 | Tulane | 55 |
47 | 3.0 | American | 73 |
47 | 3.0 | Cardozo | 52 |
47 | 3.0 | Florida State | 47 |
47 | 3.0 | Utah | 37 |
47 | 3.0 | Wake Forest | 37 |
52 | 2.9 | BYU | 23 |
52 | 2.9 | Connecticut | 64 |
52 | 2.9 | Howard | 98 |
52 | 2.9 | San Diego | 64 |
56 | 2.8 | Denver | 78 |
56 | 2.8 | Georgia State | 78 |
56 | 2.8 | Houston | 58 |
56 | 2.8 | Loyola-L.A. | 67 |
56 | 2.8 | Oregon | 67 |
56 | 2.8 | Pepperdine Caruso | 52 |
56 | 2.8 | Richmond | 52 |
56 | 2.8 | Temple | 63 |
56 | 2.8 | Texas A&M | 46 |
65 | 2.7 | Brooklyn | 98 |
65 | 2.7 | Case Western | 78 |
65 | 2.7 | George Mason | 30 |
65 | 2.7 | Loyola-Chicago | 73 |
65 | 2.7 | Miami | 73 |
65 | 2.7 | Rutgers | 86 |
65 | 2.7 | SMU | 58 |
65 | 2.7 | Villanova | 56 |
73 | 2.6 | Chicago-Kent | 94 |
73 | 2.6 | Hawaii | 91 |
73 | 2.6 | Kansas | 67 |
73 | 2.6 | Northeastern | 73 |
73 | 2.6 | Pittsburgh | 78 |
73 | 2.6 | South Carolina | 84 |
73 | 2.6 | Tennessee | 56 |
73 | 2.6 | UNLV | 67 |
81 | 2.5 | Baylor | 58 |
81 | 2.5 | Indiana (McKinney) | 98 |
81 | 2.5 | Kentucky | 67 |
81 | 2.5 | Michigan State | 91 |
81 | 2.5 | Missouri (Columbia) | 67 |
81 | 2.5 | Oklahoma | 88 |
81 | 2.5 | Penn State-Dickinson | 58 |
81 | 2.5 | Penn State-University Park | 64 |
81 | 2.5 | Santa Clara | 133 |
81 | 2.5 | Seton Hall | 73 |
91 | 2.4 | Arkansas-Fayetteville | 86 |
91 | 2.4 | Cincinnati | 88 |
91 | 2.4 | Lewis & Clark | 88 |
91 | 2.4 | Nebraska | 78 |
91 | 2.4 | New Mexico | 91 |
91 | 2.4 | Seattle | 116 |
91 | 2.4 | St. Louis | 98 |
91 | 2.4 | Syracuse | 103 |
91 | 2.4 | Wayne State | 58 |
100 | 2.3 | CUNY | 133 |
100 | 2.3 | DePaul | 105 |
100 | 2.3 | Drexel | 78 |
100 | 2.3 | Hofstra | 118 |
100 | 2.3 | Marquette | 105 |
100 | 2.3 | St. John's | 84 |
106 | 2.2 | Arkansas-Little Rock | Tier 2 |
106 | 2.2 | Catholic | 94 |
106 | 2.2 | Louisiana State | 105 |
106 | 2.2 | Louisville | 94 |
106 | 2.2 | Loyola-New Orleans | 133 |
106 | 2.2 | Mississippi | 111 |
106 | 2.2 | Missouri-Kansas City | 114 |
106 | 2.2 | New Hampshire | 105 |
106 | 2.2 | Stetson | 111 |
106 | 2.2 | SUNY-Buffalo | 94 |
116 | 2.1 | Baltimore | 122 |
116 | 2.1 | Florida Int'l | 98 |
116 | 2.1 | Gonzaga | 116 |
116 | 2.1 | Idaho | 142 |
116 | 2.1 | John Marshall (IL) | Tier 2 |
116 | 2.1 | Maine | 114 |
116 | 2.1 | Pace | 142 |
116 | 2.1 | Suffolk | 122 |
116 | 2.1 | Washburn | 105 |
116 | 2.1 | West Virginia | 118 |
126 | 2.0 | Albany | 122 |
126 | 2.0 | Drake | 111 |
126 | 2.0 | Montana | 103 |
126 | 2.0 | New York Law School | 129 |
126 | 2.0 | Pacific | 133 |
126 | 2.0 | St. Thomas (MN) | 127 |
126 | 2.0 | Texas Tech | 105 |
126 | 2.0 | Tulsa | 118 |
126 | 2.0 | Vermont | 142 |
126 | 2.0 | Willamette | 129 |
136 | 1.9 | Cleveland-Marshall | 127 |
136 | 1.9 | Creighton | 139 |
136 | 1.9 | Duquesne | 129 |
136 | 1.9 | Memphis | 142 |
136 | 1.9 | Mercer | 122 |
136 | 1.9 | Mitchell | Hamline | Tier 2 |
136 | 1.9 | Quinnipiac | Tier 2 |
136 | 1.9 | San Francisco | Tier 2 |
136 | 1.9 | Southwestern | Tier 2 |
136 | 1.9 | Toledo | Tier 2 |
136 | 1.9 | Widener (DE) | Tier 2 |
136 | 1.9 | Wyoming | 129 |
148 | 1.8 | Akron | Tier 2 |
148 | 1.8 | Chapman | 118 |
148 | 1.8 | Dayton | 122 |
148 | 1.8 | Detroit Mercy | 139 |
148 | 1.8 | District of Columbia | Tier 2 |
148 | 1.8 | Florida A&M | Tier 2 |
148 | 1.8 | North Dakota | Tier 2 |
148 | 1.8 | Northern Illinois | Tier 2 |
148 | 1.8 | South Dakota | 133 |
148 | 1.8 | St. Mary's | Tier 2 |
158 | 1.7 | Cal-Western | Tier 2 |
158 | 1.7 | Elon | Tier 2 |
158 | 1.7 | North Carolina Central | Tier 2 |
158 | 1.7 | Roger Williams | Tier 2 |
158 | 1.7 | Samford | 139 |
158 | 1.7 | South Texas | Tier 2 |
158 | 1.7 | Southern | Tier 2 |
158 | 1.7 | Southern Illinois | Tier 2 |
158 | 1.7 | Widener (PA) | Tier 2 |
167 | 1.6 | Massachusetts | Tier 2 |
167 | 1.6 | Mississippi College | Tier 2 |
167 | 1.6 | Nova SE | Tier 2 |
167 | 1.6 | Oklahoma City | Tier 2 |
167 | 1.6 | St. Thomas (FL) | Tier 2 |
167 | 1.6 | Texas Southern | Tier 2 |
167 | 1.6 | Touro | Tier 2 |
174 | 1.5 | Belmont | 133 |
174 | 1.5 | Campbell | Tier 2 |
174 | 1.5 | Golden Gate | Tier 2 |
174 | 1.5 | New England | Tier 2 |
174 | 1.5 | Northern Kentucky | Tier 2 |
174 | 1.5 | Ohio Northern | Tier 2 |
174 | 1.5 | Western New England | Tier 2 |
181 | 1.4 | Capital | Tier 2 |
181 | 1.4 | Charleston | Tier 2 |
181 | 1.4 | John Marshall (GA) | Tier 2 |
184 | 1.3 | Appalachian | Tier 2 |
184 | 1.3 | Faulkner | Tier 2 |
184 | 1.3 | Lincoln Memorial | Tier 2 |
184 | 1.3 | Regent | 142 |
184 | 1.3 | Western Michigan | Tier 2 |
189 | 1.2 | Ave Maria | Tier 2 |
189 | 1.2 | Barry | Tier 2 |
189 | 1.2 | Liberty | Tier 2 |
189 | 1.2 | Western | Tier 2 |
- ABA Journal, US News Releases Its 2023 Law School Rankings; Who Switched Spots?
- Above the Law, 6 Deep Thoughts About The New U.S. News Law School Rankings
- Above the Law, The 2023 U.S. News Law School Rankings Are Here: A Big Change in the T14 and Some of the Largest Rankings Tumbles and Gains
- Above the Law, Harvard Law’s Fall From Grace In The U.S. News Law School Rankings
- Law.com, Significant Shakeup Among 2023 US News Law School Rankings as Harvard Drops Out of Top 3
- Reuters, Harvard Drops Out of Top 3 in Annual Law School Rankings
- Mike Spivey, 2023 USNWR Law School Rankings: This Year vs. Last Year (+/-)
Prior Years' U.S. News Peer Reputation And Overall Rankings:
March 29, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed News, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Monday, March 21, 2022
NY Times: U.S. News Ranked Columbia No. 2, But A Math Professor Has His Doubts
Following up on my previous post, Columbia Math Professor Questions University's #2 U.S. News Ranking: 'A Web Of Illusions':
New York Times, U.S. News Ranked Columbia No. 2, but a Math Professor Has His Doubts:
Everyone knows that students buff their résumés when applying to college. But a math professor is accusing Columbia University of buffing its own résumé — or worse — to climb the all-important U.S. News & World Report rankings of best universities.
Michael Thaddeus, who specializes in algebraic geometry at Columbia, has challenged the university’s No. 2 ranking this year with a statistical analysis that found that key supporting data was “inaccurate, dubious or highly misleading.”
In a 21-page blistering critique on his website, Dr. Thaddeus is not only challenging the rating but redoubling the debate over whether college rankings — used by millions of prospective college students and their parents — are valuable or even accurate.
Columbia said it stood by its data. Officials said there was no accepted industry standard for the data that goes into college rankings — every rankings project does it differently — and they strove to meet the technical requirements as set by U.S. News. But, they said, the university was not necessarily defending the process. ...
March 21, 2022 in Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Thursday, March 17, 2022
March Madness Law School Bracket: Duke, Michigan, USC, Yale in Final Four
Here is the March Madness Law School Bracket, with outcomes determined by the 2022 U.S. News Law School Rankings (using academic peer reputation as the tiebreaker). The Final Four are Yale (1), Duke (10), Michigan (10), and USC (19), with Yale beating Michigan in the championship game.
March 17, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
Spivey: Changes In U.S. News Methodology Will Lead To Volatility In The 2023 Law School Rankings To Be Released March 29
Mike Spivey, 2023 U.S. News Law School Rankings Methodology:
U.S. News & World Report recently released the embargoed version of their 2023 (2022 release) rankings, and we can confirm that there have been changes to the methodology used to calculate schools' overall ranking.
First, U.S. News has increased the weight allocated to its bar passage metric. Previously the bar passage score was assigned a 2.25% weight; that has been increased to 3%.
Second, U.S. News has changed how the bar passage metric is scored. ...
The third change U.S. News made was to the library metrics that were introduced in last year's 2022 edition of the rankings. Previously there had been 7 such metrics, each weighted at 0.25%. Now, U.S. News has consolidated those 7 into a single metric, the ratio of full-time equivalent professional librarian positions to students. That single metric is weighted at 1%. ...
March 16, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
2022 Law School Rankings By Graduates In BigLaw Jobs
Law.com, The Top 50 Go-To Law Schools:
We have ranked the 50 law schools that sent the highest percentage of their 2021 juris doctor graduates into associate positions at the largest 100 law firms in the country. Columbia Law School tops the list for the ninth straight year, with 64% of its recent graduate class now working in Big Law. The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School comes in at No. 2, followed by Cornell Law School at No. 3.
- Columbia
- Penn
- Cornell
- Northwestern
- Duke
- NYU
- Virginia
- UC-Berkeley
- Chicago
- Harvard
- Georgetown
- USC
- Vanderbilt
- Michigan
- Boston College
- UCLA
- Boston University
- Texas
- Fordham
- Stanford
Columbia Tops List for 9th Straight Year, But There's Some Reshuffling Near the Top
Law.com ranked the 50 law schools that sent the highest percentage of their 2021 juris doctor graduates into associate positions at the largest 100 law firms in the country.
Go-To Law Schools: All Schools Data
See hiring stats for every law school that sent a 2021 graduate to one of the largest 100 firms.
Go-To Law Schools: Search By School
Search our Go-To Law Schools data by school to see the firms where 2021 graduates found associate jobs.
Go-To Law Schools: Search By Firm
Search our Go-To Law Schools hiring data by firm to see the schools from which they hired new associates.
Explore the Data Behind The Go-To Law Schools
Our interactive database allows you to delve into all the Go-To Law Schools School associate hiring and alumni partner promotion data.
March 15, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Saturday, March 12, 2022
Four Days Before Pre-Release Of New U.S. News Grad School Rankings, Former Temple Dean Sentenced To 14 Months In Federal Prison For Rankings Fraud
A cautionary note four days before the pre-release of the new 2023 U.S. News graduate school rankings: Philadelphia Inquirer, Temple’s Former Business School Dean Was Sentenced to 14 Months in Rankings Scandal Fraud:
The former dean of Temple University’s Fox School of Business was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison Friday for orchestrating a complex fraud scheme to propel his college to the top of national rankings and defraud its students and donors based on that unearned reputation.
Moshe Porat — who led the school for more than two decades until he was fired for the misrepresentations in 2018 — did not apologize or even acknowledge the students harmed by his crimes as he addressed the judge moments before his punishment was announced. Instead, he pleaded with U.S. District Judge Gerald J. Pappert to keep him out of prison so he could care for his ailing wife.
Pappert balked, calling Porat’s obsession with driving the Fox School of Business to the No. 1 spot “maniacal” and marveled that he had spent much of Friday’s hearing smirking and muttering under his breath.
“He still doesn’t think he did anything wrong. He has never accepted any responsibility,” the judge said. “He blames everyone else.” ...
March 12, 2022 in Legal Ed News, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Tuesday, March 8, 2022
Columbia Math Professor Questions University's #2 U.S. News Ranking: 'A Web Of Illusions'
Michael Thaddeus (Professor of Mathematics, Columbia), An Investigation of the Facts Behind Columbia’s U.S. News Ranking:
Like other faculty members at Columbia University, I have followed Columbia’s position in the U.S. News ranking of National Universities with considerable interest. It has been gratifying to witness Columbia’s steady rise from 18th place, on its debut in 1988, to the lofty position of 2nd place which it attained this year, surpassed only by Princeton and tied with Harvard and MIT.
Can we be sure that the data accurately reflect the reality of life within the university? Regrettably, the answer is no. As we will see, several of the key figures supporting Columbia’s high ranking are inaccurate, dubious, or highly misleading. In what follows, we will consider these figures one by one.
March 8, 2022 in Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Saturday, February 26, 2022
Florida House Passes ‘Markel’ Grandparent Visitation Bill
Florida Politics, House Passes ‘Markel’ Grandparent Visitation Bill:
'Out of our tragedy, we hope to create something meaningful for other families to visit their grandchildren.'
Today, the Florida House passed a bill with profound meaning for Florida children and grandparents who become estranged from one another after a tragedy.
HB 1119 says grandparents can ask a court to consider visitation rights if their child was killed and their grandchild’s other living parent was found responsible for this death by a civil or criminal court. The bill passed with a vote of 112-3.
The conditions are narrow but powerful, applying to families where a child has lost one parent due to the intentional wrongdoing of the other parent and then suffered another loss by being cut off from their deceased parent’s family. In such cases, under HB 1119 and its companion SB 1408, courts will have the authority to hear petitions for visitation with grandparents.
The bill was inspired in part by the 2014 murder of FSU law professor Dan Markel, who was hunted down and shot in the head by a hitman shortly after dropping his two sons off at preschool.
Prosecutors have publicly identified Markel’s ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, as an alleged “co-conspirator” to the murder, along with her mother and brother. Law enforcement says Adelson’s motive was to relocate to South Florida amid custody battles with Markel. While Adelson family members have not been arrested yet, three others have — the hitman, who was found guilty and sentenced to life; his accomplice, who pleaded guilty and confessed who had hired them; and their intermediary, who faces a retrial in May.
February 26, 2022 in Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Thursday, February 24, 2022
2023 U.S. News Law School Rankings
U.S. News & World Report has announced that the new 2023 law school rankings will be released on Tuesday, March 29. Here is my coverage of the current 2022 law school rankings:
-
March Madness Law School Bracket (Mar. 16, 2021)
- Mike Spivey, The New U.S. News Law School Rankings Methodology: Implications And Predictions (Mar. 22, 2021)
- Seth Barrett Tillman (National University of Ireland, Maynooth Faculty of Law), U.S. News Denies Report That It Will Replace The 40% Reputation Component With HeinOnline Citations In Next Year's Law School Rankings (Mar. 22, 2021)
- Karen Sloan (Law.com), U.S. News Makes Last-Minute Changes to Law School Rankings, Fueling Criticism And Concern (Mar. 26, 2021)
- Rob Willey (George Mason) & Melanie Knapp (George Mason), How To Juice Your Citations In The HeinOnline/U.S. News Rankings (Mar. 29, 2021)
- Philadelphia Inquirer, Former Temple Dean Faces Criminal Charges For Submitting False Data To Inflate U.S. News Ranking (Mar. 29, 2021)
- U.S. News Issues THIRD Version Of Law School Rankings In Advance Of Their Public Release On Tuesday (12:01 AM ET) (Mar. 29, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News Law School Peer Reputation Rankings (And Overall Rankings) (Mar. 30, 2021)
- Amanda Runyon (Penn), Leslie Street (William & Mary), & Amanda Watson (Houston), U.S. News Ranking Metrics Stifle Law Libraries, Tie Hands of Law Schools (Mar. 30, 2021)
- Brian Leiter (Chicago), US News Releases Yet a 4th "Corrected" Ranking, Retracting the One Issued on Tuesday! (Mar. 30, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News Tax Rankings (Mar. 30, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News Business/Corporate Law Rankings (Mar. 31, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News Clinical Training Rankings (Mar. 31, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News Constitutional Law Rankings (Apr. 1, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News Contracts/Commercial Law Rankings (Apr. 1, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News Criminal Law Rankings (Apr. 2, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News Dispute Resolution Rankings (Apr. 2, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News Environmental Law Rankings (Apr. 5, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News Health Care Law Rankings (Apr. 5, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News Intellectual Property Law Rankings (Apr. 6, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News International Law Rankings (Apr. 6, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News Legal Writing Rankings (Apr. 7, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News Trial Advocacy Rankings (Apr. 7, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News Omnibus Specialty Rankings (Apr. 8, 2021)
- 2022 U.S. News Omnibus Specialty Rankings v. Overall Rankings (Apr. 9, 2021)
February 24, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Tuesday, February 22, 2022
Preview Of The 2023 U.S. News Law School Rankings: Admissions
The 2023 U.S. News Law School Rankings (based in part on 2021 admissions data) will be released in March (the 2022 rankings are here). In the current methodology, law school admissions count 21% in the overall ranking. I previously blogged the ABA data comprising the three components of the admissions ranking:
- Acceptance Rate (1%)
- Median Undergraduate GPA (8.75%)
- Median LSAT (11.25%) (omits GRE due to lack of data)
Below are two admissions rankings. The first is a simple ranking using the above weights. The second uses Z-scores with the above weights to better approximate the U.S. News methodology.
Law School |
Acceptance Rate Rank | UPGA Rank | LSAT Rank |
Weighted Ranks |
|
1 | Yale | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
2 | Harvard | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2.3 |
3 | Stanford | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4.3 |
4 | Chicago | 8 | 5 | 4 | 4.6 |
5 | Virginia | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6.1 |
6 | NYU | 15 | 10 | 4 | 7.0 |
7 | Penn | 4 | 8 | 7 | 7.3 |
8 | Columbia | 7 | 17 | 1 | 8.0 |
9 | Northwestern | 12 | 10 | 7 | 8.5 |
10 | Cornell | 17 | 10 | 7 | 8.7 |
11 | Washington Univ. | 20 | 3 | 13 | 9.2 |
12 | Georgetown | 9 | 14 | 7 | 10.0 |
13 | Michigan | 6 | 17 | 7 | 11.1 |
14 | Vanderbilt | 13 | 9 | 16 | 12.9 |
15 | Duke | 14 | 22 | 13 | 16.8 |
16 | UCLA | 18 | 22 | 13 | 17.0 |
16 | Florida | 22 | 10 | 22 | 17.0 |
18 | UC-Berkeley | 11 | 20 | 16 | 17.4 |
19 | Alabama | 60 | 1 | 31 | 19.9 |
20 | USC | 10 | 22 | 20 | 20.4 |
21 | Texas | 16 | 29 | 16 | 21.4 |
22 | George Washington | 31 | 20 | 22 | 21.6 |
23 | Arizona State | 30 | 14 | 27 | 21.7 |
24 | BYU | 94 | 14 | 22 | 22.1 |
25 | Boston Univ. | 26 | 35 | 16 | 24.4 |
26 | Georgia | 28 | 22 | 27 | 25.0 |
27 | Emory | 43 | 29 | 22 | 25.9 |
28 | Notre Dame | 23 | 35 | 20 | 26.4 |
29 | Minnesota | 44 | 29 | 27 | 28.6 |
30 | George Mason | 42 | 28 | 34 | 31.9 |
31 | Pepperdine | 37 | 29 | 34 | 32.1 |
32 | Texas A&M | 27 | 17 | 45 | 32.5 |
33 | Fordham | 24 | 45 | 27 | 34.4 |
34 | Florida State | 32 | 22 | 45 | 34.8 |
35 | UC-Irvine | 21 | 53 | 22 | 34.9 |
36 | Utah | 38 | 22 | 45 | 35.1 |
36 | William & Mary | 57 | 34 | 34 | 35.1 |
38 | Indiana (Maurer) | 79 | 35 | 34 | 36.6 |
39 | North Carolina | 19 | 43 | 34 | 37.0 |
40 | UC-Davis | 49 | 45 | 31 | 37.7 |
41 | Cardozo | 59 | 42 | 34 | 38.5 |
42 | Boston College | 33 | 53 | 31 | 40.3 |
43 | Ohio State | 66 | 33 | 45 | 41.0 |
44 | SMU | 72 | 38 | 45 | 43.4 |
45 | Washington | 39 | 60 | 34 | 45.1 |
46 | Illinois | 55 | 62 | 34 | 46.7 |
47 | Penn State-Univ. Park | 77 | 38 | 54 | 48.4 |
48 | Villanova | 25 | 45 | 54 | 48.9 |
49 | Wisconsin | 80 | 65 | 34 | 49.1 |
50 | Iowa | 105 | 53 | 45 | 51.2 |
February 22, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Friday, February 18, 2022
2023 U.S. News Law School Rankings Predictions
Spivey Consulting 2023 U.S. News Law School Rankings Modeled Predictions:
We have analyzed the available law school data to calculate our predicted 2023 (to be released March 2022) U.S. News & World Report law school rankings.
Here are the predicted rankings changes among the Top 29 law schools:
School |
2022 Ranking |
2023 Projection |
Difference |
Alabama |
25 |
21 |
+4 |
BYU |
29 |
26 |
+3 |
Michigan |
10 |
9 |
+1 |
Cornell |
13 |
12 |
+1 |
Georgetown |
15 |
14 |
+1 |
North Carolina |
24 |
23 |
+1 |
George Washington |
27 |
26 |
+1 |
Iowa |
29 |
28 |
+1 |
Columbia |
4 |
5 |
-1 |
Duke |
10 |
11 |
-1 |
Minnesota |
22 |
23 |
-1 |
Notre Dame |
22 |
23 |
-1 |
Georgia |
27 |
28 |
-1 |
Texas |
16 |
18 |
-2 |
February 18, 2022 in Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Friday, January 21, 2022
2020-21 Moot Court Rankings
UC Hastings Takes Moot Court Crown, Nat'l Jurist, Fall 2021, at 18:
According to an annual ranking by University of Houston Law Center’s Blakely Advocacy Institute, UC Hastings racked up 127.5 points in moot court competitions during the 2020-21 academic year. (The score takes into account the quality of the competitions, their size and the school’s performance.) By comparison, second-place University of Georgia School of Law earned 97.5 points. That’s pretty far back in the rear view mirror.
January 21, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed News, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Sunday, January 16, 2022
2021 Religious Law School Rankings
The Most Devout Law Schools, preLaw (Winter 2021):
Every two years, preLaw magazine spotlights the country’s Most Devout Law Schools [2019 ranking here]. ... Forty-six law schools in the U.S. have ties to faith. ... 28 law schools ... are associated with the Catholic religion. Many others are rooted to other Christian faiths, and two are Jewish institutions — Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University in New York City and Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in Central Islip, N.Y.
METHODOLOGY
preLaw magazine bases its Most Devout honor roll on information gathered from law schools and other sources, including: percentage and activity of students and faculty who belong to the faith; number of religion-focused courses and other ways the school incorporates faith into its curriculum; religion-related journals, centers and clinics; religious services and clergy at the law school; and mission of the law school.
Most Devout Catholic Law Schools:
January 16, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education, Pepperdine Legal Ed | Permalink
Friday, January 14, 2022
2022 Princeton Review Law School Rankings: Overall Ranking
I previously blogged the lists of the Top 5 law schools in fourteen categories in the 2022 edition of the Princeton Review's Best Law Schools. In a series of posts, I highlighted the Top 50 schools in the five categories for which the Princeton Review provides individual law school data:
- Admissions Selectivity
- Academic Experience
- Professors: Teaching
- Professors: Accessibility
- Career Rating
Yesterday, I blogged the Top 50 law school professor rankings, giving equal weight (50%) to the Professors: Teaching and Professors: Accessibility rankings.
Today, in my concluding post, I blog the Princeton Review's overall law school rankings, giving equal weight (20%) to each of the Admissions Selectivity, Academic Experience, Professors: Teaching, Professors: Accessibility, and Career Rating rankings:
January 14, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Thursday, January 13, 2022
2022 Princeton Review Law School Rankings: Professors (Teaching And Accessibility)
Update: 2022 Princeton Review Law School Rankings: Overall Ranking
I previously blogged the lists of the Top 5 law schools in fourteen categories in the 2022 edition of the Princeton Review's Best Law Schools. In a series of posts, I will highlight the Top 50 schools in the five categories for which the Princeton Review provides individual law school data:
- Admissions Selectivity
- Academic Experience
- Professors: Teaching
- Professors: Accessibility
- Career Rating
Here are the Top 50 law school professor rankings, giving equal weight (50%) to the Professors: Teaching and Professors: Accessibility rankings:
January 13, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
2022 Princeton Review Law School Rankings: Career Rating
Update: 2022 Princeton Review Law School Rankings: Overall Ranking
I previously blogged the lists of the Top 5 law schools in fourteen categories in the 2022 edition of the Princeton Review's Best Law Schools. In a series of posts, I will highlight the Top 50 schools in the five categories for which the Princeton Review provides individual law school data:
- Admissions Selectivity
- Academic Experience
- Professors: Teaching
- Professors: Accessibility
- Career Rating
Career Rating: This rating measures the confidence students have in their school's ability to lead them to fruitful employment opportunities, as well as the school's own record of having done so. This rating takes into account both student survey responses and school-reported statistical data. We ask students about how much the law program encourages practical experience; the opportunities for externships, internships, and clerkships; and how prepared to practice law they expect to feel after graduating. We ask law schools for the median starting salaries of graduating students; the percentage employed in a job that requires bar passage (and not employed by the school); and the percentage of these students who pass the bar exam the first time they take it. This rating is on a scale of 60–99.
January 12, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Tuesday, January 11, 2022
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.
January 11, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education, Pepperdine Legal Ed | Permalink
2022 Princeton Review Law School Rankings: Professors (Accessibility)
Update: 2022 Princeton Review Law School Rankings: Overall Ranking
I previously blogged the lists of the Top 5 law schools in fourteen categories in the 2022 edition of the Princeton Review's Best Law Schools. In a series of posts, I will highlight the Top 50 schools in the five categories for which the Princeton Review provides individual law school data:
- Admissions Selectivity
- Academic Experience
- Professors: Teaching
- Professors: Accessibility
- Career Rating
Professors: Accessible: This rating is based on how law students rate the accessibility of law faculty members at their school. The rating is on a scale of 60 to 99.
January 11, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Monday, January 10, 2022
The 50 Most Downloaded U.S. Tax Law Professors Of 2021
Reuven Avi-Yonah (Michigan): 8,299 downloads
- Daniel Hemel (Chicago): 5,211 downloads
- Lily Batchelder (NYU): 4,417 downloads
- Bridget Crawford (Pace): 4.240 downloads
- David Kamin (NYU): 3,999 downloads
- Kimberley Clausing (UCLA): 3,821 downloads
- Kyle Rozema (Washington University): 3,432 downloads
- Dhammika Dharmapala (Chicago): 3,279 downloads
- Ruth Mason (Virginia): 3,014 downloads
- Richard Ainsworth (Boston University): 2,693 downloads
- David Gamage (Indiana): 2,661 downloads
- Zachary Liscow (Yale): 2,515 downloads
- Margaret Ryznar (Indiana-Indianapolis): 2,469 downloads
- Robert Sitkoff (Harvard): 2,427 downloads
- Darien Shanske (UC-Davis): 2,305 downloads
- Dan Shaviro (NYU): 2,241 downloads
- Louis Kaplow (Harvard): 1,970 downloads
- Francine Lipman (UNLV): 1,849 downloads
- Brad Borden (Brooklyn): 1,831 downloads
- Ari Glogower (Ohio State): 1,804 downloads
- Yariv Brauner (Florida): 1,735 downloads
- Hugh Ault (Boston College): 1,730 downloads
- Gregg Polsky (Georgia): 1,586 downloads
- Victor Fleischer (UC-Irvine): 1,488 downloads
- Shu-Yi Oei (Boston College): 1,381 downloads
- Michael Simkovic (USC): 1,357 downloads
- Leandra Lederman (Indiana-Bloomington): 1,352 downloads
- Omri Marian (UC-Irvine): 1,321 downloads
- Paul Caron (Pepperdine): 1,270 downloads
- Diane Ring (Boston College): 1,321 downloads
- Rebecca Kysar (Fordham): 1,192 downloads
- Cliff Fleming (BYU): 1,187 downloads
- Brian Galle (Georgetown): 1,136 downloads
- Joshua Blank (UC-Irvine): 1,124 downloads
- Steven Dean (Brooklyn): 1,123 downloads
January 10, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education, Tax, Tax Prof Rankings | Permalink
The 50 Most Downloaded U.S. Law Professors Of 2021
Cass Sunstein (Harvard): 33,029 downloads
- Michael Klausner (Stanford): 29,220 downloads
- Michael Ohlrogge (NYU): 28,562 downloads
- Daniel Solove (George Washington): 26,998 downloads
- Orin Kerr (UC-Berkeley): 17,527 downloads
- Mark Lemley (Stanford): 15,871 downloads
- Saule Omarova (Cornell): 15,026 downloads
- Lucian Bebchuk (Harvard): 14,884 downloads
- Danielle Keats Citron (Virginia): 13,550 downloads
- Brian Frye (Kentucky): 12,001 downloads
- Dan Kahan (Yale): 10,785 downloads
- Eric Goldman (Santa Clara): 10,254 downloads
- Herbert Hovenkamp (Penn): 9,801 downloads
- Brian Leiter (Chicago): 9,781 downloads
- Reuven Avi-Yonah (Michigan): 8,299 downloads
- James Duane (Regent): 8,004 downloads
- Robert Chesney (Texas): 7,269 downloads
- Woodrow Hartzog (Northeastern): 7,244 downloads
- Brian Slocum (McGeorge): 7,118 downloads
- Jack Balkin (Yale): 7,029 downloads
- William McGeveran (Minnesota): 6,787 downloads
- Wulf Kaal (St. Thomas-MN): 6,723 downloads
- Josh Blackman (South Texas): 6,567 downloads
- Jesse Fried (Harvard): 6,347 downloads
- Jeremy Waldron (NYU): 6,328 downloads
- Richard Albert (Texas): 6,312 downloads
- Richard Hasen (UC-Irvine): 6,284 downloads
- Andrew Selbst (UCLA): 6,250 downloads
- Neil Richards (Washington University): 6,235 downloads
- Nancy Levit (UMKC): 6,171 downloads
- Jorge Contreras (Utah): 6,134 downloads
- Peter Menell (UC-Berkeley): 6,129 downloads
- Eric Posner (Chicago): 6,017 downloads
- Ian Ayres (Yale): 5,929 downloads
- Stephen Bainbridge (UCLA): 5,806 downloads
January 10, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
2022 Princeton Review Law School Rankings: Professors (Teaching)
Update: 2022 Princeton Review Law School Rankings: Overall Ranking
I previously blogged the lists of the Top 5 law schools in fourteen categories in the 2022 edition of the Princeton Review's Best Law Schools. In a series of posts, I will highlight the Top 50 schools in the five categories for which the Princeton Review provides individual law school data:
- Admissions Selectivity
- Academic Experience
- Professors: Teaching
- Professors: Accessibility
- Career Rating
Professors: Interesting: This rating is based on how students rate the quality of teaching at their law school. This rating is on a scale of 60-99.
January 10, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Friday, January 7, 2022
2022 Princeton Review Law School Rankings: Academic Experience
Update: 2022 Princeton Review Law School Rankings: Overall Ranking
I previously blogged the lists of the Top 5 law schools in fourteen categories in the 2022 edition of the Princeton Review's Best Law Schools. In a series of posts, I will highlight the Top 50 schools in the five categories for which the Princeton Review provides individual law school data:
- Admissions Selectivity
- Academic Experience
- Professors: Teaching
- Professors: Accessibility
- Career Rating
Academic Experience: This rating measures the quality of the school's learning environment on a scale of 60 to 99. Factors taken into consideration include the Admissions Selectivity Rating, as well as how students rate each of the following: the quality of teaching and the accessibility of their professors, the research resources at their school, the range of available courses, the balance of curricular emphasis on legal theory and practical lawyering, the tolerance for diverse opinions in the classroom, and the degree of intellectual challenge that the coursework presents.
January 7, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink
Thursday, January 6, 2022
2022 Princeton Review Law School Rankings: Admissions Selectivity
Update: 2022 Princeton Review Law School Rankings: Overall Ranking
I previously blogged the lists of the Top 5 law schools in fourteen categories in the 2022 edition of the Princeton Review's Best Law Schools. In a series of posts, I will highlight the Top 50 schools in the five categories for which the Princeton Review provides individual law school data:
- Admissions Selectivity
- Academic Experience
- Professors: Teaching
- Professors: Accessibility
- Career Rating
Admissions Selectivity: This rating measures the competitiveness of admissions at each law school on a scale of 60–99. Factors taken into consideration include the median LSAT score and undergraduate GPA of entering 1L students, the percentage of applicants who are accepted, and the percentage of applicants who are accepted and ultimately enroll.
January 6, 2022 in Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink