Harvard University has added yet another title in its kitty. The prestigious university is the top law school in America, according to a survey conducted by Business Insider.
The news website arrived at the conclusion after approaching more than 400 American legal professionals to choose the country's top law schools. Most of the professionals rated Harvard Law School as the best institution to pursue a legal career. This is the second consecutive year that Harvard took the top spot in the list of Best Law Schools.
Alan M. Dershowitz is currently serving his final semester of teaching at Harvard Law School. He joined the faculty in 1964 after graduating first in his class at Yale Law School. Well known for his expertise in criminal and constitutional law, Dershowitz served as a clerk at the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Appeals.
"I chose Harvard for a reason, because I wanted to be at the best university in the world. I wanted to have a platform to teach the future leaders of the world - not only of the United States - and I wanted to have a voice that could be heard around the world. And Harvard has given me that," Dershowitz said in an official statement.
Following right behind Harvard, is the Yale Law School. Its 13,000-plus alumni network - which includes several famous graduates, comes as a huge bonus for incoming students. Currently, three Yalies work in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Around 40 percent of the respondents in the survey claimed that to have a successful legal career, it is important to graduate from a top-tier school.
"If you want to work at a large firm or company in a large city, then a top tier school is more important," one respondent wrote to Business Insider. "If you want to be a lawyer in a mid-size city or smaller, then attending a top tier school is not as important."
Respondents also said that when selecting a law school, it is also necessary to take into consideration the area of practise as some of the state schools have strong networks in the region.
"Someone practicing in Portland, Maine is better off going to UMaine Law as opposed to Harvard for the very fact that that network is more beneficial in Maine," another respondent wrote.
Other respondents stated that attending a second-tier law school can also be beneficial, provided students secure top marks.
Rank | Law School | Location | Tuition | Score |
1 | Harvard University | Cambridge, Mass. | $53,308 | 4.56 |
2 | Yale University | New Haven, Conn. | $54,650 | 4.55 |
3 | Columbia University | New York, N.Y. | $57,838 | 3.78 |
4 | Stanford University | Palo Alto, Calif. | $50,802 | 3.65 |
5 | Georgetown University | Washington, D.C. | $50,890 | 3.30 |
6 | University of California - Berkeley | Berkeley, Calif. | $48,058 | 3.06 |
7 | Cornell University | Ithaca, N.Y. | $55,301 | 2.78 |
8 | New York University | New York, N.Y. | $48,950 | 2.67 |
9 | Duke University | Durham, N.C. | $53,596 | 2.65 |
10 | University of Chicago | Chicago, Ill. | $53,406 | 2.64 |
