Which US University Should I Study at to Be a Judge?

Seventh in the US and joint 11th in the world for law, according to the most recent subject rankings, is the University of Chicago. The school has excellent employment prospects, with 99 percent of the class of 2020 employed or in further study 10 months after graduation.  

The University of Chicago’s students are encouraged to pursue a judicial clerkship after graduation. Over the past few years, approximately 32 to 38 percent of each graduating class obtained a judicial clerkship, with 22 alumni placed in Supreme Court clerkships between October 2010 and October 2020. 

The University of California, Berkley (UCB) ranks ninth in the world and sixth in the US for its law programme this year. UCB’s law school has some extremely successful alumni, including California Supreme Court Justice, Cruz Reynoso. 

Students can gain experience, academic credit and key connections in the school’s Field Placement Program, where they act as judicial externs or assist supervising lawyers in public interest organisations and government agencies. 

Berkley Law’s employment centre offers a range of services, including individual appointments, professional development programmes, job fair preparation, resume review and mock interviews. As a result, 98 percent of the class of 2020 found employment nine months after graduation, with 65 percent of these working at law firms. 

Eighth in the world for law and fifth in the US is New York University (NYU). NYU’s law school is often regarded as a leader in international law, home to the Hauser Global Law School Program and the Guarini Institute for Global Leaders Studies. NYU students can study abroad in Buenos Aires and Paris, helping graduates stand out to future employers. 

The school’s Office of Career Services, together with the Public Interest Law Centre, organise recruiting programmes, panels, workshops and practice interview programmes to help students boost their employment prospects. NYU Law School offers more than 40 clinics and guarantees summer funding for first year and second year students working in government and non-profit organisations. 

Seventh in the world for law and fourth in the US is Columbia University in New York City, where Columbia Law School has been teaching students for more than 160 years. The institution has a hands-on approach to education, with students regularly participating in clinics, externships, simulations, and moot court programmes, enabling them to work with real clients on real cases. 

The school has longstanding relationships with top employers around the world, and the career centre offers a range of resources to boost students’ career options, including counselling, peer mentoring and mock interview programmes. In 2020, 94 percent of Columbia’s graduates were employed in a role that required a passage of the Bar exam 10 months after graduation. 

Fifth in the world and third in the US is Stanford University. The law school has an exceptionally high graduate success rate: 96 percent of law students had found employment within nine months of graduation, with a median salary of US$185,000. 

Stanford Law’s Office of Career Services helps students with career planning skills and job search strategies, as well as providing employment information and offering career-related resources and services. On-campus interviews are also held during the fall and winter terms.  

Yale Law School benefits students with the knowledge of its world-renowned faculty, small classes, opportunities for clinical training and a strong encouragement of public service. Placing fourth in the world for law, Yale University counts 11 supreme court justices and 44 federal court judges amongst their successful alumni. 

Of the 204 Yale Law graduates of 2020, 170 are now working in full-time employment which requires passage of the bar exam, and 15 are working in a university-funded position. Yale Law offers one-on-one counselling, resources and programmes on career paths, as well as the chance to network with employers through on-campus recruiting events. 

Harvard Law School (HLS) is the top university in the world to study law according to the recently released subject rankings. Founded in 1817, HLS is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States and contains the largest academic law library in the world. 

Over 500 employers recruit on campus every year. After graduation, around 60 to 65 percent of graduates enter private practice, 20 percent enter judicial clerkships and 10 to 15 percent enter public interest or government work or other pursuits. 

According to Harvard Law School’s website, one-quarter of all Supreme Court clerks over the last decade were HLS graduates.