Top Public Service Law Schools: The National Jurist Public S

In its February edition, National Jurist magazine published the Public Service Honor Roll--four law schools that excel in public service legal education. Here are the law schools that make the grade:

• Boston University School of Law
• Brooklyn Law School
• Cornell Law School
• University of Maryland School of Law

Even though it's only four schools long, the Honor Roll is surprisingly diverse, with both public and private schools in urban and suburban areas. Since 1994, a number of schools have made repeated appearances on the Honor Roll. These include Northeastern University School of Law, Yale Law School, NYU School of Law and CUNY School of Law--Northeastern was ranked No. 1 in 1994 and 2008.

Despite the diversity of the Honor Roll, National Jurist highlights the qualities they have in common--the programs and support that make them top public service law schools. They are:

• Strong support from the law school's administration, faculty and staff--financially and emotionally
• An office or administrator solely devoted to the subject, giving students access to alumni, working professionals and others in their field of interest
• A large and vast array of projects, all designed to accommodate a law student's normally hectic workload
• A social network for students interested in public service ranging from student organizations to lectures to events focused on the issues surrounding this career
• Orientation programs, welcome receptions and recognition awards for the public service work among students, faculty and graduates

The magazine also notes that the number of students interested in public service has increased from 2 to 5.4 percent since 1990. Though many soon-to-be JDs may be looking to the public sector as a Plan B, many others consider it Plan A. Competition is sure to be tough for 2010 and 2011 grads, so if you're a BU, Brooklyn, Cornell or UMD law student, be sure to take advantage of the great public service programs that earned the schools a spot on the Public Service Honor Roll.