Syracuse University’s College of Law ranked among top 10 trial advocacy programs by U.S. News & World Report

Syracuse University’s College of Law ranked among top 10 trial advocacy programs by U.S. News & World ReportApril 05, 2002Jonathan Hayjhay@syr.edu

Syracuse University’s College of Law tied with the University of Notre Dame’s law school as having the country’s 10th best program in trial advocacy in the latest U.S. News & World Report graduate school rankings. SU’s School of Education also made a strong showing in the rankings, finishing 44th overall among graduate education programs.

The rankings will appear in the magazine’s America’s Best Graduate Schools guidebook, available on newsstands April 8. The book, along with the April 15 “America’s Best Graduate Schools” issue and the U.S. News Web site (www.usnews.com), will feature the current rankings, plus the most recent rankings for academic disciplines not reviewed this year.

“I am pleased with our showing overall, but consistent with the themes of the Academic Plan, I am sure our reputations will catch up with our excellence more in the future,” says Vice Chancellor and Provost Deborah A. Freund.

According to Daan Braveman, dean of the College of Law, the college has traditionally placed heavy significance on its students’ trial advocacy preparation.

“I am very pleased that the Syracuse University College of Law has been ranked among the top 10 trial advocacy programs in the country,” says Braveman. “We have a long history of excellence in trial advocacy and are very pleased to receive this recognition.”

The College of Law was also listed for the second consecutive year among those law schools with the most racially diverse student bodies.

The College of Law has had several successes in trial advocacy competitions in the past year. The College’s National Trial Team finished third in the Region II competition, held in Brooklyn in February. They lost close semifinal rounds to Brooklyn Law School and the University of Buffalo Law School.

Also, the National Tax Moot Court team reached the quarterfinals of their competition in St. Petersburg Beach, Fla. Their brief was judged the second best overall. In the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Regional Competition, held at Western New England School of Law, the SU College of Law team won fourth place for memorials. The team beat the host school in the semifinals and lost narrowly in the finals to Harvard Law School. And in the east regional semifinals of the Saul Lefkowitz Trademark Moot Court Competition, held in New York City, the College of Law’s team received an award as “Best Oralists.”

“Our many moot court and trial advocacy programs are part of our overall Applied Learning Program that is designed to integrate the theory and practice of law,” says Braveman.

Syracuse University’s School of Education returned to the top 50 graduate programs in education this year, after placing 52nd last year. The school was also ranked 12th this year in special education and 18th in elementary education.

“We’re delighted to be back in the top 50 schools, but I’m not sure that the rankings provide a completely accurate view of our national reputation,” says Corinne Smith, interim dean of the School of Education. “Over the years, when superintendents and deans of education have been surveyed, SU’s School of Education typically has ranked among the top 25-30 schools in the country.

“The U.S. News formula favors large public universities,” Smith says. “It is important to recognize that among private schools of education in the nation, we rank 12th. I am confident that this standing is related to the leading-edge scholarship of our faculty. Their textbooks are those being used at our competitor institutions and our programs are among the most innovative in the country, offering students many more field experiences than other schools. That is a testament to the strong, diverse and lively academic environment that has been created by our faculty, staff and students.”

In 2001, the School of Education was ranked 18th in both rehabilitation counseling and speech-language pathology. These categories are not included in the current rankings.