KU News Release

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Law has been named a Best Value Law School by National Jurist magazine.

The school ranked No. 21 out of 65 schools that the magazine says “carry a low price tag and are able to prepare their students incredibly well for today’s competitive job market.”

“We are fortunate to have on our faculty great teachers committed to our students’ success and nationally and internationally known legal scholars,” said Gail Agrawal, dean of the law school. “All of us share the goal of providing an exceptional legal education that is also an exceptional value. Over many years, the KU School of Law has prepared excellent lawyers and leaders for here at home and across the country. We take great pride in the achievements of our students and graduates.”

Total tuition and fees for the 2009-10 academic year for a first-year Kansas resident are just over $14,400.

The magazine derived data for the rankings from the Law School Admissions Council’s “Official Guide to ABA-approved Law Schools” 2009 edition. The magazine’s staff looked at tuition, considering only public schools with an in-state tuition of less than $25,000, and private schools with an annual tuition under $30,000. They narrowed the playing field again by including only schools that had an employment rate of at least 85 percent and a school bar passage rate that was higher than the state average. They then ranked the schools, giving greatest weight to tuition, followed closely by employment statistics.

“Our formula for ranking the schools did not focus on bar passage rates as much as employment statistics, and for good reason. While bar passage rates do speak to an institution’s ability to prepare students for the intellectual challenges of the practice of law, the current economic state prompted us to give more weight to law schools that produce highly employable students,” the article explained.

“The KU School of Law has always offered a top-notch, affordable legal education, and most students accrue far less debt than their peers at other law schools,” said Todd Rogers, assistant dean for career services. “In uncertain economic times, graduating from law school with a manageable debt load is of heightened importance. When jobs are less abundant, it pays to have the financial flexibility to accept a summer or full-time position that offers a good opportunity to gain marketable experience, if not a fat paycheck.”