(Eugene, Oregon)  March 30, 2021

The annual national ranking of law schools was just released by U.S. News and World Report. The overall University of Oregon School of Law rose 16 points to #72. The Legal Research and Writing Program, the foundation to every law student’s education, is #1 (tied) in the nation. Two other Oregon Law programs are ranked among the nation’s top programs:  Environmental Law (#10) and Dispute Resolution (#12). Oregon Law’s Dispute Resolution program is the only top-ranked program of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. 

Marcilynn A. Burke, Dean and Dave Frohnmayer Chair in Leadership and Law, said, “I’m so pleased that the expertise and accomplishments of our law school have been recognized in this way. As a law school we will continue to prioritize providing world-class legal education and access to justice." 

Employment results for the class of 2019 were a strong driver in Oregon Law’s rise in the overall rankings. The class of 2020’s employment results, which were just released, show similar positive outcomes, which demonstrate the strengths of Oregon Law.

Oregon Law was once again named a top law school in the Pacific Northwest. The law school remained first in Oregon and second in the Pacific Northwest with a ranking of #72 in the nation, up from last year’s #88 rank.

The Environmental Natural Resources Law program also received a grade of A+ according to recently released rankings from PreLaw magazine, a publication of The National Jurist. The ADR program and the Family Law program received an A grade and the Business Law program received an A-, also ranking them among the nation’s best. Oregon Law ’s Master of Laws program has been selected among the top 10 for Alternative Dispute Resolution by LL.M Guide, and Oregon Law is in the top ten of College Choice’s best master’s degree programs in negotiation and conflict management.  

THE U.S. NEWS' BEST LAW Schools rankings evaluate institutions on their successful placement of graduates, their faculty resources, the academic credentials of entering students, and opinions by professors, lawyers, and judges on overall program quality. The rankings measure 193 law schools that are fully accredited by the American Bar Association. Changes for the 2022 edition include two new indicators on graduate indebtedness and a revamped approach to measuring library resources.