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Law school earns recognition from National Jurist

CARBONDALE, Ill. – The SIU School of Law is again earning national recognition as one of National Jurist magazine’s “Best Schools for Practical Training” for 2016.

The magazine ranked the law school one of one of the top 57 in the nation for practical training. The law school was also ranked in 2014 and 2015.

The ranking assesses areas that include clinical experience, externships, simulation courses, interschool competition, and “other areas,” such as whether schools require students to perform pro bono work. The ranking will be released in the magazine’s spring 2016 online and print issues next week.

“We are proud of this recognition. SIU has always been a law school that teaches lawyers the skills they need to practice, and we continue to expand and enhance practical educational opportunities for students,” Dean Cynthia L. Fountaine said. “I am also proud of our students who take full advantage of these opportunities, which is what is reflected in this ranking.”

The law school provides a variety of practical experience opportunities for students including legal clinics, public interest and judicial externships, semester-in-practice, Illinois Innocence Project, and the Immigration Detention Project. SIU was also the first law school in Illinois to implement a pro bono requirement for students.

Some of the new opportunities include assisting attorneys on civil rights litigation involving federal prisoners; patent law practicum; electronic discovery; and veterans’ legal assistance. The law school is one of the few in the country to guarantee its students an opportunity to participate in a legal clinic or field placement experience.

Last fall, the magazine recognized the law school as one of the top 64 law schools in the nation for providing the best value.