Law Schools Ranked by Religion
Paul Caron of the TaxProfBlog points to an interesting study that breaks down the best law schools ranked by religion.
Religious Law School Rankings
We first identified the 52 law schools that are affiliated with a religious faith. We then gathered detailed information from the schools and from other sources. We also gathered information on non-faith schools with large populations of Muslims, Jews and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also know as Mormons.
From that data, we compiled a ranking based on the following: percentage and activity of students who belong to the faith; percentage and activity of faculty who belong to the faith; number of religion-focused courses and other ways the school incorporates the faith into the curricula; religion-based journals, centers and clinics; religious services and clergy at the law school; mission of the law school.
The end result: we rank the top ten law schools for devout Catholics, and the top 5 for devout Christians of other denominations, Jews, Muslims and Mormons.
Top 10 Law Schools for Devout Catholics:
- Ave Maria (U.S. News & World Report Rank: Tier 2)
- University of St. Thomas (#124)
- St. John’s (#98)
- Catholic (#80)
- Fordham (#38)
- Boston College (#31)
- Notre Dame (#23)
- Gonzaga (#113)
- Loyola-Chicago (#76)
- St. Louis (#102)
Top 5 Law Schools for Devout Christians (Other Than Catholics):
- Liberty (Tier 2)
- Trinity (n/r)
- Regent (Tier 2)
- Pepperdine (#61)
- Baylor (#54)
Top 5 Law Schools for Devout Jews:
- Cardozo (#58)
- Touro (Tier 2)
- Emory (#23)
- American (#56)
- George Washington (#21)
Top 5 Law Schools for Devout Muslims:
- UCLA (#17)
- Michigan State (#80)
- George Washington (#21)
- Michigan (#9)
- Yale (#1)
Top 5 Law Schools for Devout Mormons:
- BYU (#44)
- Creighton (#119)
- Gonzaga (#113)
- George Washington (#21)
- Utah (#41)
Comments
Whoa! Not too much research went into this. I’m a graduate of both Boston College and BC Law. The most that can be said of BC is that at one time, in the very distant past, BC WAS a Catholic school.
Catholic law schools don’t have LAMBDA as a recognized student organization and on their internet servers.
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/law/st_org/lambda/
(“Lambda Law Students Association is a group of students, faculty, and staff dedicated to increasing awareness of and support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community at Boston College Law School.”)
BC also has recognized pro-abortion groups among the full panoply of left-wing causes.
Other schools that once had been Catholic have similar paths. Georgetown, Notre Dame, are examples, though there are others.
Do some thorough research; don’t rely on titles.
I find it interesting that the #1 law school for Muslims is Yale, the Yale of the Skull and Bones, the Yale of the Bushes, John Kerry and all those other 1 %er’s. I guess the Muslims know where to go to be close to the handles of power.