Criminal law in America stands at the heart of the justice system, offering law students a front-row seat to the tension between accountability and fairness. Whether aspiring to become prosecutors seeking justice for victims or defense attorneys safeguarding the rights of the accused, students drawn to this field quickly learn that every case tests the balance between power and principle. Some law schools are leading the way, equipping future lawyers with real-world experience and a strong sense of purpose.
The National Jurist’s preLaw magazine recently released its ranking of the best law schools for criminal law on its Criminal Law Honor Roll, highlighting schools for the strength of their programs. Here’s the methodology that was used:
preLaw magazine grades law schools based on the breadth of their curricular offerings. The scores are figured as follows: 30% for a concentration, 24% for a clinic, 12% for a center, 12% for an externship, 9% for a journal, 8% for a student group, 5% for a certificate and added value for additional offerings.
Without further ado, according to preLaw magazine, these are the law schools that earned A+ grades for their criminal law programs (listed in alphabetical order):
- Brooklyn Law School
- Case Western Reserve University
- LMU Loyola Law School
- Northwestern Law
- Oklahoma City University
- Rutgers Law
- UC Berkeley
- UC Law SF
- University of Minnesota
- University of Texas
- Western State College of Law
Click here to see the rest of the Honor Roll.
Congratulations to all of the law schools that made the cut for this important ranking.
Top law schools for criminal law [preLaw magazine / National Jurist]
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
The post The Best Law Schools For Criminal Law (2025) appeared first on Above the Law.
Criminal law in America stands at the heart of the justice system, offering law students a front-row seat to the tension between accountability and fairness. Whether aspiring to become prosecutors seeking justice for victims or defense attorneys safeguarding the rights of the accused, students drawn to this field quickly learn that every case tests the balance between power and principle. Some law schools are leading the way, equipping future lawyers with real-world experience and a strong sense of purpose.
The National Jurist’s preLaw magazine recently released its ranking of the best law schools for criminal law on its Criminal Law Honor Roll, highlighting schools for the strength of their programs. Here’s the methodology that was used:
preLaw magazine grades law schools based on the breadth of their curricular offerings. The scores are figured as follows: 30% for a concentration, 24% for a clinic, 12% for a center, 12% for an externship, 9% for a journal, 8% for a student group, 5% for a certificate and added value for additional offerings.
Without further ado, according to preLaw magazine, these are the law schools that earned A+ grades for their criminal law programs (listed in alphabetical order):
- Brooklyn Law School
- Case Western Reserve University
- LMU Loyola Law School
- Northwestern Law
- Oklahoma City University
- Rutgers Law
- UC Berkeley
- UC Law SF
- University of Minnesota
- University of Texas
- Western State College of Law
Click here to see the rest of the Honor Roll.
Congratulations to all of the law schools that made the cut for this important ranking.
Top law schools for criminal law [preLaw magazine / National Jurist]
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
The post The Best Law Schools For Criminal Law (2025) appeared first on Above the Law.
