Law schools love to talk about “practice-ready” graduates, but that promise rings hollow if students aren’t getting meaningful opportunities to stand up, speak up, and actually “try” a case — before their clients’ fates are on the line. Programs that prioritize hands-on experience in mock trials and clinics are the ones producing graduates who can do more on their feet when the time is right. That’s because trial advocacy isn’t theoretical; it’s a learned skill built on doing, not just knowing. In a profession where persuasion is the currency, the students who get those reps early aren’t just better prepared — they’re already a step ahead.
The National Jurist’s preLaw magazine recently released its specialty ranking of the best law schools for trial advocacy on its Trial Advocacy Honor Roll, highlighting schools for the strength of their programs. Here’s the methodology that was used:
preLaw magazine grades law schools based on the breadth of their curricular offerings. The scores are figured as follows: 30% for a concentration, 24% for a clinic, 12% for a center, 12% for an externship, 9% for a journal, 8% for a student group, 5% for a certificate and added value for additional offerings.
Without further ado, according to preLaw magazine, these are the law schools that earned A+ and A grades for their trial advocacy programs:
- Cardozo School of Law (A+)
- American University (A)
- Drexel University (A)
- Lewis & Clark Law School (A)
- Loyola University New Orleans (A)
- Suffolk University (A)
- UC Law SF (A)
- UCLA School of Law (A)
- University of Arizona (A)
- University of Kansas (A)
- Washburn University (A)
Click here to see the rest of the Honor Roll.
Congratulations to all of the law schools that made the cut for this important ranking.
Top law schools for trial advocacy [preLaw Magazine / National Jurist]
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.