The University of Florida Levin College of Law is up in U.S. News & World Report rankings released March 12. Among the nation’s 201 public and private ABA-accredited JD-awarding law schools, UF’s law school is 23rd among public schools and 46th overall.

The publication places the school in two top specialty program rankings: first among public law schools and third overall in tax, and fifth among publics and 12th overall in environmental law. UF Law also continues to be highly rated in terms of reputation – 10th among publics and 26th overall in the assessment of practicing lawyers and judges, and 15th among publics and 35th overall in the assessment of academics.

“We are pleased that we continue to be one of the best values available in legal education,” said UF Law Dean Robert Jerry, referring to UF Law’s high placement for quality and equally low placement for cost among all U.S. law schools. “We’re among the three most affordable law schools in the US News top 50, when taking tuition and cost of living into account.

“At the same time, I caution every year that U.S. News and other rankings need to be considered in context and weighed along with other factors in evaluating institutional quality and fit, particularly when one considers the many factors not reflected in this ranking that make UF Law a leading law school,” Jerry said. “For example, we have a proven track record in providing leaders for the profession at both the national and state levels, and the prominence of our alumni in the federal and state judiciaries also sends a strong statement about our quality.”

In other national rankings, UF Law was fourth among public law schools in 2011 (eighth among all law schools in the nation) in the number of its graduates serving as federal district and circuit court judges.  More than 250 graduates serve as state appellate and trial judges in Florida, and many serve in those roles in other states as well. A 2012 Journal of Legal Education article titled “Where Do Partners Come From?” surveyed the National Law Journal 100 law firms and found that UF Law ranked 11th among publics and 29th overall in the number of alumni graduating from 1986 to the present serving as partners. A ranking by Super Lawyers magazine placed UF Law first in Florida, fourth among public schools, and eighth overall in “output,” i.e. the caliber of a school’s graduates. A 2012 article from Legal Metrics ranking law schools based on the number of arguments by their alumni before the U.S. Supreme Court since 2000 placed UF Law in the top 10 nationally.

“That a large number of law schools hire our graduates as law professors is also a sign of the college’s strength,” said Jerry.

A study published in the August 2011 Journal of Legal Education ranked UF Law in the top 33 (17 percent) of law schools nationwide, and as high as 22nd (11 percent) in one calculation, for the impact of its faculty on the law.

UF Law is also one of the top 10 law schools in the nation for Hispanics, according to Hispanic Business Review (seven times in nine years), and was ranked in 2012 as one of the top six schools for blacks in the South by On Being a Black Lawyer magazine.

It is unusual for a school to be so affordable, successful in both academia and the profession, and highly rated in such diverse areas.

“Thanks to our exceptional faculty and outstanding graduates, the UF Law Graduate Tax Program has ranked at the top of the U.S. News specialty tax area for as long as they have published the list, and remains the No.1 public school in this area,” said Associate Dean for Graduate Tax Mike Friel. “We are always gratified to see the program’s quality recognized in this way.”

ELUL Program Director Mary Jane Angelo said, “We are proud that UF’s Environmental and Land Use Law Program continues to be distinguished as a top program in this critical area. We have a large and dynamic program, and the faculty and students work very hard through projects like our annual Public Interest Environmental Conference, which attracted 250 participants to Gainesville this year, to make a genuine impact on current environmental issues.”

Jerry concluded, “The University of Florida is a quality school that cares about our students and offers them multiple paths to career satisfaction and success. We have state-of-the-art facilities and a beautiful campus, and we are part of one of the best and most comprehensive universities in the nation. The loyalty and influence of the Gator Nation’s law alumni cannot be overstated. Rankings like those published in the Journal of Legal Education and elsewhere offer interesting information for prospective students to consider and can help guide us in our continuing efforts to improve, but should be used as only one data point among many.”

The University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Tax Program continues to rank first among public law schools and second overall, its Environmental and Land Use Law Program rose four places to fifth among publics/ninth overall, and its Dispute Resolution Program rose three places to seventh among publics/16th overall in U.S. News & World Report rankings released today. UF’s law school is in the top 20 (10 percent) in three of the nine specialty program rankings.

The publication’s annual rankings of the nation’s graduate schools place UF’s law school 25th among public schools and 48th out of 200 accredited law schools nationwide.

“While we are pleased to remain ranked in the top quarter of the nation’s law schools, particularly as we deal with continuing budget challenges, we are certain UF Law would have ranked considerably higher if U.S. News had not changed how it ranks schools,” said UF Law Dean Robert Jerry. “The method for ranking shifted last year to counting graduates who immediately enroll in post-J.D. programs like LL.M. programs as unemployed. This hurts us more than most other institutions due to the much larger number of UF Law students — 10.7 percent in this class — who continue their study in a graduate program such as our highly regarded tax LL.M.”

“This highlights how frustrating rankings can be, since, as I have said every year, they are rarely accurate measures of institutional quality,” said Jerry. He added that a better indication of institutional strength in U.S. News rankings is reputation, where UF Law continues to be highly rated in the top 20th percentile or better – 15th among publics and 35th overall in peer assessment, and 17th among publics and 38th overall in lawyer/judge assessment. This coupled with comparatively low tuition makes the Levin College of Law widely regarded as one of the nation’s best values in legal education. (A chart ranking law schools by reputation was posted on the blog Taxprof at http:/taxprof.typepad.com/.)

“The college’s reputation is one reason UF Law has ranked in the top three in the U.S. News specialty tax area for as long as they have published the list,” said Associate Dean for Graduate Tax Mike Friel. “It is gratifying to know we remain listed as the top public school and second overall, and credit our outstanding faculty’s scholarship and reputation for this distinction.”

UF’s Law Environmental and Land Use Law (ELUL) and Dispute Resolution programs have been steadily rising in the annual specialty area rankings.

ELUL Program Director Mary Jane Angelo said, “We are proud that UF’s Environmental and Land Use Law Program is ranked 5th among all public and 9th among all law school environmental programs. The program’s ranking has been steadily rising in recent years and our current ranking reflects the depth and breadth of our program, as well as the accomplishments and strong reputation of our faculty and students.”

The University of Florida’s Levin College of Law played an active role in the development of alternative dispute resolution in the state, and its Institute for Dispute Resolution (IDR) was the first of its kind established at a law school in Florida, as a result of state legislators enacting one of the first laws in the country giving judges broad authority to order mediation in all types of civil lawsuits, according to IDR Director Robin Davis.

“We monitor the school’s progress closely. We know that we have earned our excellent reputation in very real, measurable ways and we are proud that our graduates continue to lead the profession,” Jerry said, citing the college’s long history of producing national leaders, including 2010-11 ABA President Stephen Zack and the majority of Florida Bar presidents. The prominence of our alumni in the federal and state judiciaries also speaks loudly about our quality.”

UF Law was ranked fourth among public law schools in 2011 (eighth overall) in the number of its graduates serving as federal district and circuit court judges; more than 250 graduates serve as state appellate and trial judges in Florida, and many serve in those roles in other states as well.

“That a large number of law schools hire our graduates as law professors is also a sign of the college’s strength,” said Jerry. A study published in the August 2011 Journal of Legal Education ranked UF Law in the top 33 (17 percent) of law schools nationwide, and as high as 22nd (11 percent) in one calculation, for placement in the professoriate in legal education.

“It is remarkable that despite continuing budget cuts, the Levin College of Law has not only managed to sustain its top tax ranking and remain a top 50 law school, it is also attracting national attention for its strength in environmental and land use law and dispute resolution.”

“We’ve had to manage our money very carefully,” said Jerry. “But we’ve been able to continue to move forward when other schools have not thanks to the generosity and foresight of our graduates and their families as well as others who believe in the value of what we do here. When we dedicate the Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center March 30, we will be wrapping up a decade of transformation for our law school these supporters have made possible.”

U.S. News & World Report has released its annual rankings of the nation’s graduate schools. The 2012 rankings place the University of Florida Levin College of Law in a tie for 24th among public law schools and 47th overall.

The UF Law Graduate Tax Program continues to rank first among publics and was second overall this year. Its Environmental Law Program rose to sixth among publics and 13th overall.

The law school’s growing strength in the area of dispute resolution was recognized with a specialty area ranking of seventh among publics and 19th overall. UF Law continues to be rated highly in terms of reputation – tying at 17th among publics and 38th overall in peer assessment, and 17th among publics and 39th overall in lawyer/judge assessment.

“UF Law tax faculty have ranked in the top three in the U.S. News specialty tax area for as long as they have published the list,” said Associate Dean for Graduate Tax Mike Friel. “It is gratifying to know we remain listed as the top public school and second overall, and credit the scholarship and reputation of our outstanding faculty for this distinction.”

UF Law Environmental and Land Use Law Program Director Alyson Flournoy said, “We’re pleased to be in the company of highly regarded programs such as Vermont, Lewis & Clark, California-Berkeley, Stanford, Georgetown and Maryland, to name just a few.”

Robin Davis, director of the UF Law Institute for Dispute Resolution, said, “I’m happy to see us ranked highly in the specialty rankings in dispute resolution, an area that is steadily increasing in emphasis and importance to the legal profession and to institutions in general, including here at the University of Florida.”

UF Law Dean Robert Jerry sounded a note of caution about the report.

“We are, of course, pleased with this recognition of our strong tax, environmental and dispute resolution programs, and that we continue to be ranked as a top-tier school, with a peer reputation ranking in the 30s. However, I am on record every year, regardless of how well we do, in stating my belief that rankings such as these are not a true reflection of institutional quality,” Jerry said.

“We carefully track our own progress, and we know that we are very good and getting better every year in the things that matter – including class credentials, our reputation in the legal and academic communities, employment and graduate study opportunities, and bar passage rates,” Jerry said. “Couple that with our long history of producing national leaders, including current ABA President Stephen Zack, and it’s easy to see why we are widely regarded as one of the nation’s best values in legal education.”

Peer and lawyer/judge assessment scores place UF Law in the top 40 on both counts: 38th overall and 17th among publics in peer assessment, and 39th overall and 18th among publics in lawyer/judge assessment. Assessment scores are often regarded as the most accurate rankings categories, since they do not rely on self-reported financial and placement data that may be subject to manipulation and are unverifiable.

“Compared to last year, the college rose in both assessment scores and our internal calculations showed improvement in nearly all areas covered by the U.S. News rankings formula,” said UF Law Dean Robert Jerry. “I emphasize, however, that any improvements are due to our ongoing efforts to become an even better law school, and not in response to external rankings.”

“I reiterate each year my concerns about the validity of rankings, but I have also always said we ignore them at our peril,” said Jerry. “I am pleased that the U.S. News ranking reflects our longstanding status as the state’s premier law school.”

The University of Florida Levin College of Law was also ranked first in Florida, eighth overall and fourth among public schools by Super Lawyers in 2009 in the first national ranking of law schools to consider “output,” i.e. the caliber of a school’s graduates.

“Our school has been preparing its graduates for significant leadership roles for more than 100 years,” said Jerry. “Our 18,000-plus alumni include numerous leaders in law, business, government, public service and education at the state and national level. No other law school has produced as many presidents of the American Bar Association in the past four decades — five including 2010-11 president Steve Zack.”

UF Law graduates also are represented by the majority of The Florida Bar presidents, including its immediate past president, John G. White III, and president-elect, Mayanne Downs; four governors of Florida; and hundreds of state senators and representatives and Florida Cabinet members. Nine graduates became college presidents, including at UF. More than a dozen have served as deans of law schools. It ranked fourth among public law schools in 2008 (eighth overall) in the number of its graduates serving as federal district and circuit court judges; more than 250 graduates serve as state appellate and trial judges in Florida, and many serve in those roles in other states as well.

The school also boasts an impressive list of distinguished visitors to campus, including five Supreme Court Justices in the last five years. A series of major renovation and new construction projects in recent years has transformed the college’s physical space and placed it at the forefront of major law schools providing students with state-of-the-art facilities.

A major $25 million expansion and renovation project that concluded in 2005 made the UF Law library the largest in the Southeast and among the top 20 in the country, and added two “towers” with state-of-the-art classroom space. The first phase of construction on the 20,000 square-foot Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center was completed in time to host the October 2009 oral arguments for the First District Court of Appeals. The facility houses a fully functional trial and appellate courtroom with a 100-seat gallery, bench for seven judges, judge’s chambers, jury box, deliberation room and attorney’s tables. Construction on the second floor is expected to begin in fall 2010, with completion expected in spring 2011.

The law school’s placement “at graduation” rate has steadily increased over the past four years. Students are considered “placed” if they have job offers at graduation, are planning to go on to LL.M. programs, or are not currently seeking employment.

The steady increase in the rate is attributed to a strong job market, student efforts, and strengthened programs from the Center for Career Services under the direction of Assistant Dean Brian Lewis.

“It’s also a testimonial to how much employers value our students and to the strength of a UF law degree,” said Lewis. Associate Dean for Student Affairs Gail Sasnett said, “Our students have worked very hard to improve their marketability and reach out to potential employers. Our Center for Career Services has also stepped up efforts to train students in effective job search techniques, help them gain job experience and develop contacts with law firms and other employers.”

Career Service programs such as the awardwinning Pro Bono Program and externships enable students to gain real-life experience they can put on their resumes, while workshops and seminars offer training in everything from resume writing to interview skills.

Only seven of 218 students in the Spring 2000 class have not been accounted for. It is vital students respond to the Career Services survey after graduation, since placement rates play an important role in law school rankings.

For example, in recent U.S. News & World Report rankings of U.S. law schools, one of the categories shown for UF was a 48 percent placement rate — evidently an averaging by the magazine of Fall ’97, and Spring/Summer ’98 “at graduation” data. As a result, UF ranked 123 nationally in that category. In comparison, UF’s current 78 percent “at graduation” rate would have put us at 32 — well in the top tier of public and private law schools.

And, using the same USN&WR rankings, UF’s 78 percent compared most favorably to UCLA’s 80 percent; Univ. of Iowa, 76; Univ. of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, 74; Univ. of Minnesota – Twin Cities, 73; Univ. of Wisconsin – Madison, 67; Univ. of Kansas, 61; Ohio State Univ., 58; Univ. of Miami, 53; and Florida State Univ., 50.