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William S. Richardson School of Law students work with clients at an Elder Law Clinic.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law has again been ranked among the top law schools in the nation for the opportunities it offers students to have hands-on legal experience as part of their legal training.

In the February issue of Prelaw magazine, the School of Law ranked 6th for offering clinics in which students help actual clients handle legal issues. And now The National Jurist’s March issue includes school on its honor roll as one of the country’s Top 60 law schools delivering practical training.

In The National Jurist ranking, the law school earned an A- for the variety of opportunities it provides students, including externships, clinics and pro bono work in the community. The story notes that a 2012 survey of law school students by the Law School Survey of Student Engagement showed that clinics, pro bono work and field experience offer students opportunities to fine-tune their thinking and to sift, sort and analyze information that likely will benefit them in future practice.

Dean Avi Soifer said the school has long considered service to the community as one of the most important elements of the legal training it provides. “We are extremely fortunate to have a faculty very much engaged in the community and we are small enough that our students get individualized attention and first-rate training from these terrific, caring mentors,” Soifer said.

Richardson was one of the first Law Schools in the country to add a pro bono requirement for graduation, which was suggested by students themselves in the early 1990s. Students are required to provide 60 hours of free legal help to the community.

In giving Richardson an A- as one of the Best Schools for Practical Training, National Jurist ranked schools for their overall comprehensive programs. The School of Law was one of 15 schools to receive an A- among the top 93 schools in the country. Of those 93 schools, only 60 made the magazine’s Honor Roll.

Read the William S. Richardson School of Law news release for more.

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