School of Law named a Top 10 school for prosecutors/public defenders
Preparing law students to make a difference in society is an area of strength at The University of Akron School of Law. In recognition of this, The National Jurist in December 2015 named Akron Law as the seventh ranked law school in the country for those seeking a career as a prosecutor or public defender.
The study recognizes the best schools in three categories — public interest, government and prosecutors/public defenders. It is based on curricular offerings, employment placement, student debt, starting salary, and loan repayment assistance programs (LRAP). The list was published in the winter 2016 edition of The National Jurist’s preLaw Magazine.
Rich experience for students
Akron Law is one of 49 public and private schools to make the list — and one of only two Ohio schools. In the category of prosecutors/public defenders, Akron Law joins 20 other schools around the country.
Dean Matthew J. Wilson notes, “Akron Law has a rich tradition in providing its students with the opportunity to succeed in the criminal courtroom through its curriculum, clinical programs, trial advocacy offerings, externships, pro bono efforts and award-winning trial team program.”
He further explains, “Akron Law continues to add new tools for students to excel in the courtroom including the addition of several new clinics and an innovative Summer Trial Academy that employs the assistance of leading trial attorneys and judges to teach students how to conduct a trial from beginning to end.”
Innovative programs
The criminal law clinics particularly prepare Akron Law students for a career in the public sector. In fact, Akron Law’s Re-entry Clinic, recently honored as one of the Top 15 Innovative Clinics by The National Jurist’s Pre-Law Magazine, provides premier experiences for law students seeking to make a difference in society. It was also recognized by the American Association of Law Schools as an "Innovative and Outstanding Program" in 2015.
The strength of Akron Law’s criminal law program is reflected in the numbers of graduates who practice in the field. Many graduates work as prosecutors, criminal defense attorneys, public defenders, and judges. Akron Law also has alumni working in the areas of juvenile justice and criminal justice policy.
The National Jurist has been the leading news source in legal education since 1991. preLaw Magazine grew out of The National Jurist in 1998. It is the only news source for prospective law students, writing about trends in legal education, comparison features and comprehensive listings.
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Media contact: Lisa Craig, 330-972-7429 or lmc91@uakron.edu.
Dean Matthew Wilson