KU law school ranks among top third in the nation for employment success

Margaret Hair


LAWRENCE – More than 86% of graduates in the Class of 2019 at the University of Kansas School of Law landed positions considered “best jobs,” according to data recently released by the American Bar Association.

KU Law is among the top third of law schools nationwide in the best jobs category – defined as full-time, long-term positions that require passing a bar exam or where a law degree offers an advantage. Overall employment was more than 93% and exceeded 90% for the sixth consecutive year. The school also ranks in the top third nationally for overall employment.

Graduates accepted positions with law firms, businesses, government agencies, public interest organizations and judges across the country. In a Law.com analysis of the employment outcomes, KU Law ranked 22nd nationally for placement in government or public interest jobs, with more than 27% of the Class of 2019 working in those areas.

“We are very excited to have reported our strongest employment numbers in ‘best jobs’ since the ABA began collecting this granular data in 2010,” said Heather Spielmaker, assistant dean for career services at KU Law. “We are incredibly proud of the hard work these graduates put into blazing career paths that we hope will bring them great satisfaction in the future.”

Employment highlights for the Class of 2019 include:

  • Twelve students secured federal and state judicial clerkships, including two students clerking at a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In the Law.com report, KU Law ranked in the top third nationally for placing students in federal clerkships.
  • After the Kansas City metro area, the largest number of graduates in the Class of 2019 reported jobs in Washington, D.C. The law school’s 6th Semester in Washington, D.C. program matches students with internships during their final semester.

PreLaw Magazine ranked KU Law among the top schools in the country for practical training in its spring 2020 issue. The rankings are based on schools’ hands-on learning offerings including clinics, externships, pro bono service hours and moot court participation. KU Law offers nine clinics and field placements and numerous simulation and hybrid courses.

The law school also ranks 26th in the nation for ultimate bar passage, putting it in the top 15% of all ABA-accredited law schools. The ABA collects and compiles information from schools about students who sat for a bar exam within two years of graduation. The most recent data, released in February 2020, is based on graduates from the 2017 calendar year.

All KU Law students have access to the school’s Free Bar Prep Program, launched in 2018. At no cost, students receive a post-graduation Themis Bar Review course, a Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam prep course, a first-year diagnostic exam and access to an on-site bar exam instructor.

“The bar prep program is one example of our efforts to help students succeed after they leave KU Law. Ensuring that all students have access to a clinic or field placement opportunity is another part of that effort,” said Stephen Mazza, dean and professor of law.

Employment data for KU and all ABA-accredited law schools is available on the ABA website. Visit the KU Law website for an infographic with complete Class of 2019 employment data.