Boyd School of Law Moves Up Seven Spots in Rankings of Nation's Best Law Schools

UNLV Boyd School of Law Moves Up Seven Spots in
Rankings of Nation's Best Law Schools

A 29-Place Improvement over the Last Four Years

LAS VEGAS, NV – March 17, 2011 –The William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV moved up seven spots to 71— its highest rank ever—according to the U.S. News & World Report's annual national rankings of the best law schools and specialty programs released Tuesday. The move constitutes a 29-place improvement over the past four years for the law school, which was established 13 years ago.

"We have worked hard to maintain our strong, innovative programs throughout the economic crisis, and we are happy that our success is reflected in these rankings and others. The U.S. News rankings of law schools are but one indication of our continued success at building a world-class faculty and cutting-edge program of legal education," said John Valery White, dean of the law school. "The law school's achievements in recent years are many and, irrespective of recognition of outside rankings, we are proud of our work to provide students with an excellent legal education that emphasizes academic rigor, professionalism, skilled representation and community service."

The Boyd School of Law's programs continue to be regarded as among the best in the country.

• Boyd's Lawyering Process Program – which emphasizes professionalism, the relationship between legal analysis and lawyering skills, including legal writing, research, oral advocacy, client interviewing, counseling and negotiation – is the fourth ranked program of its kind.
• UNLV's Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution ranked the nation's ninth best dispute resolution program.
• The Thomas & Mack Legal Clinic ranked 22 in clinical training.
• In a category ranking part-time law programs, UNLV's law school was ranked 26.

The Boyd School of Law and Legal Education Programs

The William S. Boyd School of Law has more than 450 students and offers three juris doctor degree programs: a full-time day program, a part-time day program and a part-time evening program. The school also offers three dual degree programs: a J.D./MBA, a J.D./M.S.W. and a J.D./Ph.D in Education. It is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and a member of the American Association of Law Schools – accomplishments it achieved in record time.

Lawyering Process Program

The Lawyering Process program emphasizes professionalism and prepares students to enter the workforce proficient in the key language skills of legal practice.

Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution

Established in 2003, the Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution is dedicated to advancing education in the field of alternative dispute resolution and provides a venue for advanced study of the nature of conflict and the methods through which conflicts may be resolved. The Center is the 2008 recipient of the prestigious Ninth Circuit ADR Education Award.

Thomas & Mack Legal Clinic

The Thomas & Mack Legal Clinic represents clients in cases involving appellate, education, family justice, immigration, innocence, and juvenile justice.

The law school's externship programs offer students integrated academic and practice-based educational experiences. The programs teach students how to be reflective practitioners and multi-disciplinary professionals, how to improve the quality of and access to legal systems and how to provide service to communities in need of legal assistance in Nevada.

For more information about the William S. Boyd School of Law and its programs, go to www.law.unlv.edu. A complete list of rankings is available on the U.S. News & World Report Web site here: