National Jurist Ranks Public Service
University of St. Thomas School of Law top ten in “Where Public Interest Lawyers Go to School”
In the March 2008 issue National Jurist Magazine listed the University of St. Thomas School of Law seventh nationally for the percent of students going into public interest law. National Jurist used American Bar Association information to rank the law schools. Over the past several years the number of University St. Thomas School of Law graduates going into public service has exceeded the national average. National Jurist reported that 7.3 percent of graduates were engaged in government practice while 12.2 were employed in public interest law. Public interest law includes non-profit and government positions. National Jurist cited 2005 numbers, but 2006 and 2007 numbers at the School of Law have held near those percentages.
Since its founding, the School of Law has had a strong public interest focus and public service is at the heart of the law school’s mission. The school has a public service requirement of 50 hours, and it is not uncommon for students to exceed that by hundreds of hours. The School of Law also has strong representation of public service law in its Mentor Externship Program and through the Interprofessional Center which is part of the School of Law.
“Year after year, our students demonstrate amazing commitment to public service and a passion for representing the underserved and disenfranchised in our communities. It is inspiring, but not surprising, to see their success in pursuing public interest careers.” noted Catherine Powell Finnegan, Interim Director of Career Services.
