Brooklyn Law School Earns 'A+' and No. 16 National Ranking for Practical Training in preLaw Magazine’s 2026 Issue
Brooklyn Law School has once again been recognized among the nation’s leading institutions for experiential legal education. In the 2026 edition of National Jurist’s preLaw magazine, the Law School earned an "A+" and a national ranking of 16 for Practical Training, underscoring its continued strength in preparing students for practice through hands-on, skills-based learning.
The ranking highlights law schools that deliver the strongest real-world training—helping students move from legal theory to practice through work such as drafting contracts, negotiating disputes, developing litigation strategy, and building client counseling skills.
How the Ranking is Determined
preLaw magazine evaluates schools based on student participation across key experiential categories, with clinics carrying the greatest weight (32%):
-
Clinics: 32%
-
Externships: 25%
-
Simulation courses: 20%
-
Moot court and pro bono work: 10%
-
Additional practical training offerings: 10%
-
Extra credit is awarded for required or guaranteed clinic participation
Brooklyn Law School’s Experiential Strength
During the 2024–2025 academic year, 357 students completed clinic semesters, reflecting the depth and scale of the Law School’s clinical education program. Clinics span a wide range of practice areas, including:
-
Civil and criminal litigation
-
Immigration and deportation defense
-
Housing and tenant advocacy
-
Disability and civil rights
-
Consumer law and policy work
-
Transactional and business-focused practice
Clinical opportunities in 2024-25 included the in-house clinics Brooklyn Law Incubator & Policy (BLIP) Clinic, Community Development and Movement Infrastructure Clinic, Criminal Defense & Advocacy Clinic, Disability & Civil Rights Clinic, Housing Justice Clinic & Externship, LGBTQ Advocacy, and the Safe Harbor Clinic. (The Sports Law Clinic was added this academic year).
Other clinical offerings were in a range of areas including Children’s Law, Deportation Defense (NYLAG), Mediation, and government placements such as the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
Brooklyn Law School guarantees every student the opportunity to participate in a clinic or externship prior to graduation. All clinic and externship work carries a six-credit academic requirement, reinforcing the central role of experiential learning in the curriculum.
Broader Experiential Learning
Experiential education extends far beyond clinics:
-
539 students participated in externships or field placements, including paid opportunities across courts, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private practice settings
-
1,546 students enrolled in simulation courses focused on core lawyering skills such as negotiation, drafting, advocacy, and client counseling
-
146 students participated in moot court or mock trial competitions, strengthening oral advocacy and litigation skills
Additionally, students contributed an estimated 99,186.64 hours of pro bono service during the 2024–2025 academic year, supporting access to justice initiatives across New York City and beyond.
A Fully Integrated Experiential Model
The Law School’s broader experiential ecosystem includes Business Boot Camp and a wide range of Pro Bono Practical Skills Projects that give students additional opportunities to engage in real-world legal problem-solving. These include initiatives focused on asylum relief, parole advocacy, consumer debt assistance, immigration representation, housing and tenant advocacy, name change and identity work, and other community-based legal services.
Taken together, these experiences reflect a fully integrated approach to skills-based legal education that spans the student journey—from classroom learning to clinics, simulations, field placements, and community practice.
National Recognition
Brooklyn Law School’s continued recognition for Practical Training by preLaw magazine, including its "A+" designation and top-tier national ranking, underscores its sustained commitment to preparing students for practice through rigorous, hands-on legal education and ensuring graduates enter the profession with the skills, judgment, and experience to succeed.