A common complaint practicing lawyers have is that while law schools cost a fortune, they simply don’t teach the most essential skill needed for professional competency. What skill might that be? “How to be a lawyer,” of course. Some law schools, however, are trying to change that by offering skills-based opportunities so that their soon-to-be graduates will have already dipped a toe into practicing law before even taking the bar exam. But which law schools are offering the best training opportunities?
The National Jurist’s preLaw Magazine recently released its ranking of the best law schools for practical training, highlighting the schools that are really doing their homework when it comes to readying their students for their future careers as lawyers. Here’s the methodology that was used:
The largest weight (32%) went to clinics. We asked schools for the number of students who completed a clinic in 2024-25. If a student was enrolled in two semesters, that counted as two. Extra credit was given for guaranteed or required clinic work. Externships accounted for 25%. If a student had two externships, that counted as two. Simulation courses accounted for 20%. We asked for the total enrollment in such courses. Moot court and pro bono hours accounted for 10%. Required pro bono hours got extra credit. We gave 10% to additional practical training offerings, such as required legal writing. If schools did not reply, we used ABA data.
Without further ado, according to preLaw Magazine, these are the top 10 best law schools for practical training:
- Northeastern
- St. Thomas (MN)
- Baylor
- Minnesota
- Denver
- Quinnipiac
- Arizona
- Pepperdine
- UC Irvine
- San Diego
Click here to see the rest of the ranking.
Congratulations to all of the law schools that made the cut for this important ranking.
Best law schools for practical training [preLaw Magazine / National Jurist]
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
The post The Best Law Schools For Practical Training (2026) appeared first on Above the Law.
