The best five law schools presented here were selected based on the bar passage rates, selectivity/LSAT scores, the quality of their academic programs, students' opportunities to participate in clinics and internships/externships, and graduate employment rates.
Ultimately, the law school in Texas you choose to attend will need to prepare you to pass the bar exam, followed by a successful start to your legal career.
5.Texas A&M University School of Law
| Admissions Statistics (2019 Entering Class) | |
| Acceptance Rate | 28.73% |
| Median LSAT Score | 158 |
| Median Undergraduate GPA | 3.58 |
Texas A&M University School of Law was part of Texas Wesleyan University until 2013 when Texas A&M purchased the school together with the ABA accreditation.
The Texas A&M University Law School is located in Fort Worth in a bustling legal district. Many Fortune 500 companies are a short drive away. U.S. News & World Report ranked the school's Intellectual Property program #8 in the nation, and its Dispute Resolution was ranked #13.
The school has a rigorous and flexible curriculum. It supports its students through the Professionalism and Leadership Program and student mentor program. Second-year students can follow a specialized path for becoming a litigation and dispute resolution expert, regulatory lawyer, or business lawyer. The third-year is all about experiential learning through simulations, externships, and clinics.
4.Baylor University Law School
| Admissions Statistics (2019 Entering Class) | |
| Acceptance Rate | 35.45% |
| Median LSAT Score | 159 |
| Median Undergraduate GPA | 3.56 |
Frequently ranked among the top 50 law schools in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report, Baylor Law enrolls 170 law students each year.
Unlike most law schools that operate on a semester system, Baylor Law works on a quarter system. Instead of the usual 14- to 15-week classes, Baylor Law students have 9-week courses, which allows them to take a greater breadth of courses. The quarter system, which the school compares with the actual type of schedule a working attorney would have, allows students to earn their J.D. in 27 months if they choose not to take breaks between quarters.
The school takes pride in its Trial Advocacy Program. Throughout the curriculum, students learn to work with clients, interview witnesses, conduct trials, make opening statements and closing arguments.
Students gain advocacy research and writing skills. Some of these skills are learned in clinics that include the Veterans Clinic, Estate Planning Clinic, and Immigration Clinic. The school also encourages its law students to do pro bono and volunteer work.
3.University of Houston Law Center
| Admissions Statistics (2019 Entering Class) | |
| Acceptance Rate | 35.05% |
| Median LSAT Score | 159 |
| Median Undergraduate GPA | 3.56 |
The Law Center at the University of Houston excels at making a law degree accessible to busy students with commitments that make evening and weekend study the only option. The U.S. News & World Report ranked its part-time law program ninth in the country.
The Law Center's location in Houston puts it close to corporate headquarters and internationally recognized centers for health care and energy. Being part of the University of Houston, the Law Center can offer dual degrees such as a J.D./M.P.H or J.D./M.B.A. Students can also earn a J.D./M.D. in collaboration with the Baylor College of Medicine.
Experiential learning is a central part of the school's legal curriculum. Students can gain practical training through clinics, such as the Immigration Clinic, Consumer Law Clinic, and Mediation Clinic.
2.Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
| Admissions Statistics (2019 Entering Class) | |
| Acceptance Rate | 47.41% |
| Median LSAT Score | 159 |
| Median Undergraduate GPA | 3.62 |
Southern Methodist University's Dedman School of Law is located in Dallas. It is home to the most extensive collection of legal materials in the Southwest. Founded in 1925, the law school enrolls around 200 students each year and has a large alumni base representing all 50 states.
Students have plenty of opportunities to practice their legal research and writing through the school's five law journals, including SMU Science and Technology Law Review, the Journal of Air Law and Commerce, and The International Lawyer.
Students have plenty of opportunities to gain practical lawyering skills through classroom simulations and participation in one of the school's ten clinics. Options for clinics include the Patent Law Clinic, Federal Taxpayers Clinic, Civil Clinic, and the Legal Center for Victims of Crimes Against Women.
1.University of Texas at Austin School of Law
| Admissions Statistics (2019 Entering Class) | |
| Acceptance Rate | 17.53% |
| Median LSAT Score | 167 |
| Median Undergraduate GPA | 3.69 |
Consistently ranked among the best law schools in the country, the University of Texas Law School offers plenty of hands-on, experiential learning opportunities. Academics are supported by the school's impressive 4 to 1 student/faculty ratio.
Texas Law takes pride in the supportive and collegial environment they have created for legal study, including the first-year society and mentoring programs that help new students feel at home.
As a part of UT Austin, Texas Law can offer dual degree programs and interdisciplinary study. The law curriculum allows for flexibility so that students can craft their educations to their specific interests.
See also:
The University of Texas School of Law - Brief Overview
