For the second year in a row, the University of Colorado School of Law is ranked among the top five state law schools in the country and among the top 10 overall for placing graduates in judicial clerkship positions.
Out of the top 50 law schools listed in U.S. News & World Report's 2002 edition of "Best Graduate Schools," CU-Boulder was ranked third in judicial clerkships with a 19.8 percent placement rate, trailing only the University of Minnesota and the University of Maryland in the state law school category. Judicial clerkships are a key educational quality indicator.
"Once again we are delighted that our graduates have distinguished themselves in our state and national courts," said Anthony Bastone, assistant dean for the CU law school's Office of Career Services. "This distinction continues to underscore the quality of this law school, our faculty and indeed our students."
Clerkship positions are offered to law graduates and are usually temporary, lasting one to two years. Bastone pointed out that as a judge's clerk, a young lawyer fresh out of school gets invaluable firsthand experience learning the legal profession from a skilled jurist.
"Clerks have an opportunity to further refine their developmental research and writing skills," said Bastone.
Judicial clerkships are available at the federal and state level, in both appellate and trial courts. Appellate courts stress research and writing while trial courts expose graduates to trial practice and procedure.
The CU School of Law is highly ranked in other key categories as well. The bar passage rate of CU law graduates was 90 percent in July 2000, surpassing the national average of 87 percent.
The University of Texas School of Law's Educational Quality Ranking lists the CU law school No. 25 in the nation, and U.S. News & World Report ranks the law school's environmental program No. 4 in the nation.
For more information call the CU-Boulder School of Law Office of Career Services at (303) 492-5911 or visit the Web site at .