Best Law Schools in the United States

Last Updated : 10 Apr, 2024

A notable degree associated with high status and a future full of promising career opportunities, Law is one of the most pursued degrees among international students in the US. 14 of the top American schools that include Ivy League institutions take the first positions on the QS World University Rankings – Law & Legal Studies chart for 2022. While Harvard University is known as the best law school in the whole world, Yale University, Stanford University, and New York University are now the 4th, 5th, and 6th best law schools in the world.

Law students have a wide variety of courses from which to select and the admissions is competitive. The US has both public and private law schools that offer J.D. degrees for a full-time course of three years and a part-time course of four years.

Why Study Law in the United States?

The number one reason you might have heard that being a lawyer in the US is just that crazy and cool is this fact. To begin with, the USA is a large country and this will afford the country an array of career prospects. Second, the feature of the American justice system is its immense transparency and complexity – these things are difficult and simple at the same time.

Highly Ranked Law Schools

The United States hosts some of the leading law schools, the status of which is among the main reasons to study law in this country. In the US, job roles coveted by employers are offered to their peers from law schools, such as Harvard, Yale, or Stanford.

Countless Job Prospects

Being a lawyer’s career is a straightforward but difficult journey, yet this must not put off anyone who wants to become a lawyer otherwise a person who has other law-related occupations. One of the beneficial aspects of studying law in the US is that all the knowledge and skills will help you conquer legal roles and responsibilities.

Rewarding Career

When it is time to choose your career in the U.S., studying law in the U.S is one of the top reasons is that the salary you will get in that profession is one of the highest in the world. As indicated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a lawyer’s median annual wage was $126,930 in May of 2020.

Course Curriculum for Law Schools in the United States

In the US law schools, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline, having a satisfactory undergraduate grade point average (GPA) and a satisfactory score on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) as an entry requirement.

The curriculum for law schools in the United States often includes:

Criminal law

The most fundamental subject area for a qualifying law degree, which is the basis of the degree.

Constitutional law

Studies the US Constitution which is a foundation for all other laws, and how Supreme Court cases affect this hierarchy of other laws.

Contracts

Contract is one of the basic courses taught in the first year of law school, it appears in approximately 90% of commercial legal disputes.

Legal research

The law school often begins with the first-year course which contains the necessary skills expected in the practice of law.

Legal ethics

One of the courses prescribed by the ABA Standards for Approval of Law Schools as a servant of graduation.

Property law

Will be centered on the estate matters and personal property, which are the invaluable rights and interests that must be known by any licensed attorney in the real estate and other proximate fields.

List of Best Law Schools in the United States

QS Ranking	Colleges	Location	Tution Fees	Courses
1	Harvard University	United States	$38,000 – $40,000	Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.)
4	Yale University	United States	$40,000 – $42,000	Juris Doctor
5	Stanford University	United States	$38,000 – $40,000	Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
6	New York University (NYU)	United States	$40,000 – $42,000	Master of Studies in Law
8	Columbia University	United States	$44,000 – $46,000	Executive LL.M. Program
9	University of California, Berkeley (UCB)	Berkeley,United States	$34,000 – $36,000	Juris Doctor (JD)
10	University of Chicago	Chicago, United States	$42,000 – $44,000	Juris Doctor program
21	Georgetown University	United States	$40,000 – $42,000	JD/Master of Public Policy
25	University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	Los Angeles, United States	$34,000 – $36,000	S.J.D. (Doctor of Juridical Science)
27	University of Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania, United States	$42,000 – $44,000	Doctor of the Science of Law (S.J.D.) LLM/MFS

Eligibility Criteria for Studying Law in the United States

To be accepted into a law school in the USA, you must have followed both the academic and English language criteria.These include:

Bachelor’s degree

A four-year bachelor degree in any given field of study.

GPA

The minimum GPA should be 3.0 or higher but applicants with 3.5 or above will have a competitive advantage.

LSAT(Legal School Admission Test)

The score of 120–180 evaluates knowledge of reading comprehension, logical questions, and speaking, poetry, and writing abilities.

Transcripts

Original copy of academic credentials from all institutions where formal studies were conducted, both bachelor’s and master’s.

Letters of recommendation

Compiled by professors and/or supervisors who know the applicant extensively enough, the letter captures one’s academic, personal, and professional achievements.

Personal statement

It is a platform to present your academic merits and outline your future plans.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

In cases where students are not native English speakers.

Resume

Sketches out the information about your academic achievements, work experiences and personal accomplishments.

Moreover, some law schools also require documents that are requested using the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Reports.

Law schools are interested in applicants with skills in writing, speaking, comprehension and English. Law school undergraduates classes’ that nurtures these skills will help to facilitate the task of prospective lawyers to law school and their future career.

Documents Required to Study Law in the United States

LSAT is a standardized test which is used for checking your potential of using your reasoning, analytical, and logical reasoning skills. Doing well in this exam is critical especially if you want to become a lawyer and you would like to study in one of the most prestigious law schools. Other tests that will be mandatory are GRE general test, GMAT or TOEFL.

To study law in the United States, you’ll need to meet the admission requirements of the law schools you’re interested in, including:

Undergraduate degree
Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
Minimum undergraduate GPA
Letters of recommendation
Personal statement
English proficiency

Other documents you might need to submit include:

Academic diplomas received from each educational institution completed.
Updated resume
Purpose for My Studies in USA (Statement of Purpose).
Essay
LSAC (Credential Assembly Service) reports are sent to law schools through CAS.
Providing financial proofs that you or your sponsor has the requisite money to cover your tuition and traveling costs as well as additional living expenses.

In addition, you need to register for the CAS which is necessary for the admission to nearly all ABA-approved schools and to most non-ABA-approved ones.

Admission Process for Law in the United States

Most *ABA-recognized schools including some non-ABA recognized schools require students to apply through the online electronic Credential Assembly Service system called (CAS).

CAS renders your law school applications procedure to be hassle-free as it enables you to submit all your transcripts, letters of recommendation, and other application documents.

Only once you have to send it to LSAC otherwise it is known as LSAT that is designed to evaluate your potential for law school. LSAC ( Law School Admissions Council) is the combination of your LSATs and your documents will be sent to all the law schools in which you decided to apply. Students having CAS accounts can find ABA applications online after they are published.

Your CAS file should include the following:

CAS account
LSAT results and writing essay
Letter of recommendation
Undergraduate transcripts
Application fee

We advise you to sign up for CAS at least 6 weeks beforehand so that you have enough time to enrol in law schools. The subscription has a registration fee of 195 USD, which lasts 5 years. This amount has to be paid for one report to one school only. Each extra school you apply to you need to pay the extra $45.

Conclusion

Law schools rankings make good benchmarks for students who are wanted to apply to law schools, nevertheless this is not the only reason why. Other important areas are the position of the school, its curriculum, price and the success of their placement. Moreover, you need to determines your own needs and goals as well.

Law schools are ranked based on indicators when considering these, it is crucial to examine how they are calculated and weigh them along with other factors to arrive at an informed decision. Ranks can be a great launching pad but do not exclude any other factors when a school choice is made up.

Generally speaking, right law school for you is that best suit your wants and ends. Make sure that you take enough time for research, explore schools you like the most, and finally get impression of the school culture. Having done the necessary analysis, you could decide on the ideal law school and then initiate the journey towards becoming a proficient lawyer.