© 2015 The Texas Lawbook.
By Natalie Posgate
(March 18) – Nearly all Texas law schools either improved their standing or stayed the same in the newly published U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 Best Graduate Schools rankings, which is one of the most important resources students use to decide where to go to law school.
Fort Worth-based Texas A&M University School of Law jumped from 148th last year – which was among the absolute worst – to 111th this year. The 38-spot increase is the best improvement of any law school in the U.S., but it still puts A&M in the bottom half of all law schools.
The University of Houston Law Center also witnessed extraordinary advancement, moving up nine places, from being ranked 59th to 50th, which ties it with Florida State, Temple University, Tulane University and the University of California Hastings College of the Law.
The ranking increase for U of H means that Texas now has three law schools in U.S. News’ Top 50. The University of Texas School of Law maintained its No. 15 spot on the list nationwide, while SMU Dedman School of Law moved from 46th to 45th. Baylor School of Law moved from 56th to 55th.
U.S. News did not publish rankings for Houston-based Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law, South Texas College of Law in Houston and St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio because either the schools did not provide sufficient information to be graded or because the magazine does not rate the bottom 25 percent of all law schools. South Texas was ranked 149th last year.
Law schools at Yale, Harvard and Stanford have dominated the U.S. News rankings since they were created in 1987.
Critics of the report claim U.S. News gives too much credit to law schools with large endowments and large building programs and too little emphasis on diversity or scholarships to low-income and minority students.
U.S. News ranked U of H’s part-time or night law school program as sixth best in the country. Of the 41 part-time law programs, SMU Dedman ranked 10th, which is down from 7th last year. A&M is listed as 28th.
A&M Law Dean Andrew P. Morriss in Fort Worth said there are multiple explanations for its increase in the rankings, including the hiring of additional faculty members last year, the reduction in class sizes, the reduction of tuition and increased scholarships.
Morriss pointed out that five of the faculty hires were in intellectual property law, which helped A&M move into U.S. News’ ranked IP program for the first time. He also pointed out that A&M ranked No. 18 for dispute resolution.
“We’re focused on what we think is right for our students and the state, like hiring 12 new faculty and cutting tuition,” Morriss said. “Fortunately, those things also helped us go up in the rankings.”
Unlike some legal educators who have openly criticized the U.S. News rankings as having too much weight on the perception of law schools, Morriss said the rankings do matter.
“Prospective students, potential faculty hires and journal editors all look at them,” he said.”
U of H Law Dean Leonard M. Baynes did not respond to phone calls or emails from The Texas Lawbook seeking comment, but he is quoted on the law school’s website that he is excited about the school’s strong rankings and the school’s return to the top 50.
“Our rankings are a testament to the quality and commitment of our students who rise to the challenge of a rigorous educational experience and use that newfound knowledge and skill to pass the bar and begin successful professional careers,” Dean Baynes wrote. “Our strong standing also underscores the importance of our alumni and friends who use their talents in the classroom as adjunct professors, contribute funding for special programs, support students with scholarships and hire graduates for that all-important first job.”
He added that the rankings are only one measure of the law school’s success.
“More importantly, we are judged by our graduates who, empowered by their legal education, go on to do great things – finding justice for their clients by righting wrongs, solving social problems, helping to improve their communities, providing access to the courthouse for those in need and helping to ensure equality for all.”
Jennifer Collins, SMU’s law dean, said she always cautions students that rankings should not be the factor driving their decision about where to attend law school.
“A school’s curriculum, faculty, job placement statistics, alumni network and geographic location are far more important considerations,” Collins said. “All of us at SMU Dedman School of Law are so proud of what we offer students in terms of those factors.”
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