Published on April 9, 2024 by Morgan Black  
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As part of U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Law School rankings released Tuesday, April 9, Samford University Cumberland School of Law has been ranked #103 (tie) in the nation, climbing 28 spots. This climb was the largest of any law school in the nation, tied with only one other school. Additionally, Cumberland School of Law retains its top 10 position for trial advocacy training, ranking #6 in the nation in this category. 

Blake Hudson, dean of Cumberland School of Law, said, “While we know the high value of a Cumberland Law education, it is nice to be recognized by national ranking organizations like U.S. News & World Report. This recognition is a testament to the excellent job our faculty and staff do in recruiting, retaining, and training our wonderful students to succeed in the practice of law.” 

With a history dating back more than 175 years, Cumberland School of Law is one of the most distinguished law schools in the country. Behind these rankings are a collegial, supportive law school environment, internationally distinguished faculty and robust academics, which combine to create a unique legal education. 

Some key factors that play into this year’s rankings include peer assessments and more outcome measurements like employment rates and ultimate bar passage rates. For Cumberland School of Law, the class of 2022 held a 95% employment rate 10 months after graduation and the school’s ultimate bar passage rate is 97%. 

Hudson added, “The increased emphasis that U.S. News now places on outcome measures like employment and bar passage, and its reduced emphasis on reputation, resources and selectivity, tells others what we already knew about Cumberland School of Law—that it punches well above its weight given its resources." 

Other Cumberland School of Law distinctives include several rankings by The Princeton Review: #6 in the nation for Best Quality of Life, #7 in the nation for Greatest Resources for Women and Best Online Master of Studies in Law programs for nonlawyers. The school also offers programs focusing on service to the community including numerous externship, clinical and public interest opportunities. Since opening in 2020, the school’s veterans legal assistance clinic has provided free legal services to nearly 600 veterans. 

Additionally, Cumberland School of Law, which was founded on the basis of preparing practice-ready lawyers, holds a longstanding tradition of excellence in advocacy training. Currently, the school is ranked 3rd in the nation in the Gavel Rankings (2nd overall since 2019), and 5th in the nation in the Trial Competition Performance Rankings (4th overall since 2016). 

Hudson said, “Our trial advocacy program remains one of the best in the nation. But we are not done. We are setting exciting new initiatives in place to expand our advocacy program and to become even better.” 

See the complete rankings and methodology behind them at USNews.com.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.