Legal Research and Writing Program repeats as #1 in nation and the school retains its #1 spot in the state
March 29, 2022. Eugene, Oregon
U.S. News and World Report released its 2023 Best Law Schools rankings. The University of Oregon School of Law climbed to #67 from last year’s #72 rank, the highest rank in at least two decades. The school remains #1 in the state. Strong employment and bar passage results for the class of 2020 were key drivers in Oregon Law’s rise in the overall rankings, along with the excellence of its student body. Oregon Law is now rated in the nation’s top 35% and remains a top law school in the Pacific Northwest.
The Legal Research and Writing Program repeats its ranking as #1 (tied) in the nation. Two other Oregon Law programs rose among the nation’s top programs: Environmental Law (#7) and Dispute Resolution (#9). The Dispute Resolution program is the only top-ranked program of its kind in the Pacific Northwest.
“I am delighted that the expertise and accomplishments of our law school have been recognized in this way," Marcilynn A. Burke, Dean and Dave Frohnmayer Chair in Leadership and Law, said. “Our entire Oregon Law Community works hard to recruit a talented and diverse class and to help ensure their success in law school and post-graduation.”
The class of 2021’s employment and bar passage results, which were just released, also show that the school continues its strong performance in these areas. These positive results demonstrate the consistent strength of the school.
In addition to the U.S. News rankings, the Business Law program received an received an A grade, according to recently released rankings from PreLaw magazine, a publication of The National Jurist. The Family Law program received an A-. These grades rank 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, which also notes the distinction that we have of Master’s Degree in Conflict and Dispute Resolution (CRES) as well. Oregon Law is also 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 192 law schools that are fully accredited by the American Bar Association. A key change for the 2023 edition involved U.S. News more comprehensively assessing the bar passage rates of first-time test takers. Another was pairing down the library resources metrics to a single factor pertaining to student support by professional librarians.