Nationwide Praise for UC Davis School of Law by Lawyers, Judges, and Law Faculty
UC Davis School of Law received high marks from its peers—faculty at other law schools and lawyers and judges throughout the United States—in the latest U.S. News & World Report ranking of America's Best Graduate Schools. The 2008 Edition includes an assessment of all 184 accredited law schools in the United States by peers and by lawyers and judges. UC Davis Law tied at 23 in the peer assessment category and at 32 in the assessment by lawyers and judges.
The report, released on March 30, 2007, showed UC Davis School of Law continues to rank in the first tier of all law schools, and while serving under 600 students is one of the highest-ranked small public law schools in the country.
“We are very excited to be recognized for our achievements particularly by our peers and those in the legal profession,” said Dean Rex Perschbacher, “although we encourage students and the public to look beyond national rankings and choose a school that meets the individual needs of each student.”
“Our school offers an exceptional legal education while retaining a close-knit community atmosphere through smaller classes and greater faculty interaction,” he added. “Those in the legal profession know the quality of our students, and our peers recognize the excellent scholarship and teaching by our faculty.”
U.S. News also recognized the Law School's strength in diversity, showing it among the top 25 in the United States in this category. This recognition is not new to Davis. In 2005, the National Jurist magazine ran a story on the “Best Schools for Minorities,” and named UC Davis School of Law as one of the very top law schools in the United States for minorities, with both a high minority enrollment and one of the most diverse law faculties in the country. The Princeton Review's 2006 edition of the Best 159 Law Schools ranked Davis in the top 10 for “Best Environment for Minority Students” and “Most Diverse Faculty.”
The school has a dynamic academic program with strengths in business law, criminal law and procedure, environmental and natural resources law, human rights and social justice law, intellectual property law, international law, and public interest law. The school also offers community clinics in the areas of family protection, immigration, prison law, and civil rights. In these clinics, second- and third-year students represent clients under the supervision of experienced faculty to develop their practical skills.
“We provide our students with comprehensive courses in a variety of legal areas and balance their coursework with real-life experiences in our clinics,” said Perschbacher.