Moot Court, Journals, IP Program recognized in online rankings

EAST LANSING, MI -- Michigan State University College of Law recently was recognized in a series of national online rankings, each measuring a distinct law school quality indicator. The Michigan State Law Review continued its rise in the annual law journal rankings by Washington & Lee University School of Law, the leading source for data on legal periodicals. The W&L Law report released in February placed the Law Review 48th out of 256 ranked flagship journals, marking the eighth straight year the Law Review has climbed in the rankings. The Law Review also jumped 17 spots in the broader category of student-edited journals--which includes those covering specialty subjects--placing 56th in the field of 697. The W&L Law ranking system is based on the average annual number of citations to the journal's articles, and the total citations to the journal in the preceding eight years. All three of MSU Law's other student-edited journals that are included in the W&L report also moved up in the rankings. The Journal of Business & Securities Law jumped 74 spots among all law journals, and was ranked 22nd among the more exclusive group of journals specializing in commercial law. The Michigan State International Law Review climbed three spots among journals focused on international law, while also gaining 23 spots among all journals. The MSU Journal of Medicine and Law also made small gains both overall and in the category of health-focused publications. The Law College's Moot Court & Trial Advocacy appellate program made an impressive showing in another annual ranking, which placed MSU Law at number 12 among 114 U.S. law school appellate advocacy programs. The Law School Advocacy rankings are based on competition performance during the 2011 calendar year. Schools earn points for each ''top finish'' as a semifinalist, finalist, or winner at a competition, with points awarded based on the number of participating teams. MSU Law's Intellectual Property, Information & Communications Law Program (IPIC) fared well in the ''total points'' category in the 2011 Mitchell Report on IP Curricula. The Law College appeared at number 17 out of 205 American Bar Association-approved law schools across the United States; four schools tied for the spot. The William Mitchell College of Law Intellectual Property Institute report ranks IP programs based on breadth of core course offerings. Michigan State University College of Law, a leading institution of legal education with a long history of educating practice-ready attorneys, prepares future lawyers to use ethics, ambition, and intellect to solve the world's problems. As one of only a few private law schools affiliated with a major research university, MSU Law offers comprehensive interdisciplinary opportunities combined with a personalized legal education. After 100 years as a private and independent institution, the affiliation with MSU has put the Law College on an upward trajectory of national and international reputation and reach. MSU Law professors are gifted teachers and distinguished scholars, its curriculum is rigorous and challenging, and its facility is equipped with the latest resources--all affirming MSU Law's commitment to educating 21st-century lawyers. Published: Mon, Mar 26, 2012