The 2024 Times Higher Education World University Rankings for Law subjects offers several surprises. Yale and Harvard law schools have decided to opt out, citing methodology they perceive to promote elitism as grounds for exclusion.
Gerken voiced concerns with the rankings’ assessment of quality (by peer law schools, lawyers and judges) at 40%; placement success at 26%; selectivity at 13% and resources at 3%.
1. U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News law school rankings have been mired in drama this year, from boycotting to the release of a pre-release version containing over 80 incorrect schools that led to its subsequent revision. A recent poll conducted by test prep firm Kaplan of admissions officers at 86 accredited ABA-approved law schools showed 51% believe their prestige has diminished since 2015.
In 2023 law school rankings, Yale and Stanford maintained their positions near the top, followed by Harvard Law and Penn Carey; only University of Virginia School of Law made significant moves, moving four spots higher to enter T14 grouping.
New York University dropped two spots to rank ninth; William & Mary moved up nine positions in the T15-T50 group while University of Colorado and Florida State both gained eight places each to finish in the T51-T100 segment.
2. Spivey Consulting
Mike Spivey is a law school admissions consultant whose firm offers rankings analysis services for schools. While he has an economic incentive in keeping rankings relevant, his views indicate that their impact has diminished substantially; according to a Kaplan survey of prelaw students 37% said it would be good for schools and applicants if rankings disappeared altogether.
Mike anticipates rankings will remain significant to some students, but encouraged applicants to use them only as an aid rather than as the sole basis of decisionmaking. Mike encouraged applicants to consider many factors when making their choice including employment outcomes and specialized programs.
After an embargoed release on April 11 and a series of data errors, these rankings have been revised. Here are the final rankings:
3. Notre Dame Law School
Notre Dame Law School is an esteemed legal institution known for its commitment to academic excellence and Catholic values. Offering a strong curriculum as well as vibrant campus activities like football games and student clubs, Notre Dame also offers scholarships and financial aid packages so students can manage their tuition expenses more comfortably.
Notre Dame offers rigorous legal education that equips graduates for careers in multiple legal specialties. Notre Dame boasts an above-national average bar passage rate and excellent job placement rates, making Notre Dame an excellent choice for prospective lawyers.
Notre Dame Law School offers an advanced course in constitutional law and an innovative class on international legal issues, featuring internationally acclaimed faculty such as Samuel Bray – former professor at UCLA who made his way over to Notre Dame faculty in 2017 as private law theorist Samuel Bray joined them. Notre Dame graduates have gone on to secure clerkships across various federal and state courts after leaving Notre Dame Law.
4. Caron Consulting
U.S. News’ law school rankings continue to face controversy after law schools joined together in boycotting them and data errors plagued its release of 2023 rankings, prompting further tweaking by U.S. News this year. These changes confirm longstanding criticism that rankings are inherently flawed and arbitrary.
These changes stem largely from a new methodology which prioritizes schools whose students find federal clerkships, while other factors like bar passage and job placement remained relatively constant from last year’s rankings.
Rankings remain an obsession among law students and legal professionals alike, including Spivey himself; his firm provides rankings analysis for law schools. While Spivey may benefit financially from their continued popularity, applicants should use other criteria when selecting their ideal law school; using rankings only as an initial point should help in this research process.