QS World Law School Rankings

QS World University Rankings has released its list of the world’s top law schools.  Here are the top 30:

1.  Harvard
2.  Oxford
3.  Cambridge
4.  Yale
5.  Stanford
6.  Berkeley
7.  Columbia
8.  London School of Economics
9.  Melbourne
10. NYU
11. Sydney
12. McGill
13. Toronto
14. Chicago
15. Australia National University
16. UCLA
17. Michigan
18. Auckland
19. Victoria University Wellington
20. Monash
21. King’s College London
22. University College London
23. University of British Columbia
24. National University Singapore
25. University of Pennsylvania
26. Duke
27. Texas
28. Cornell
29. New South Wales
30. Otago

Any ranking system should be taken cum grano salis, of course, and the law rankings are no different.  I find it difficult to believe that Chicago and UCL aren’t ranked considerably higher, and the list seems considerably Anglocentric, with the first non-English-speaking law school — the University of Bologna — not checking in until number 32.

That said, I am delighted to see Melbourne ranked so highly.  I have noted before the exceptional quality of our public international law faculty, but we are very strong across the board — in both private and public law.  It’s good to see my colleagues’ skill and productivity recognized.

ADDENDUM: Congratulations are also due to my former colleagues at Auckland, a law school with wonderful faculty and students that is held back solely by its inadequate facilities.