The Best Law Schools For Practical Training, preLaw (Spring 2024):

These 59 law schools are the best schools for practical training — helping to mold law students into courtroom-ready professionals through various hands-on externship and clinic experiences. … 

Law schools have faced criticism for failing to turn out attorneys ready for practice. That has prompted a shift toward more comprehensive practical training programs. 

In the past few years, schools have added more offerings, and every year preLaw highlights the schools that do practical training best. … 

Methodology
We graded schools on a number of data points, focusing on key practical training offerings such as clinics, externships, simulation courses, pro bono hours and moot trial participation.

We gave the largest weight — 32% — to clinics. We asked schools for the number of students who completed a clinic in 2022-23. If a student was enrolled in two semesters, that counted as two. Extra credit was given to schools where clinic work is guaranteed or required.

Externships were weighted at 25%, and we asked schools how many students completed one in 2022-23. Again, if a student had two externships, that counted as two.

Simulation courses accounted for 20% of the score. We asked for the total enrollment in such courses.

Moot court and pro bono hours accounted for 10%. If a school required pro bono hours, it got extra credit.

Finally, we gave 10% to additional practical training offerings, such as required legal writing. We asked schools to provide us with such information as they saw fit.

If schools did not reply, we used ABA data.

• The Best Law Schools For Practical Training (2023) 
• The Best Law Schools For Practical Training (2021)
• The Best Law Schools For Practical Training (2020)
• The Best Law Schools For Practical Training (2019)
• The Best Law Schools For Practical Training (2018)
• The Best Law Schools For Practical Training (2016)
• The Best Law Schools For Practical Training (2015)