The University of Tennessee College of Law has ranked 39th among all U.S. law schools in placing its graduates in law-related jobs and far exceeds the national average for graduate job placement 10 months after graduation.
Above the Law, a publication specific to law school news and happenings, released its rankings of the top 50 national schools with quality employment prospects both outside of their particular region and for all graduates – regardless of their level of academic success.
In compiling the list, Above the Law examines the quality of jobs attained (35%), the number of students employed in full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage (30%), the cost of education (15%), the debt-per-job ratio (10%) and the percentage of graduates who are either U.S. Supreme Court clerk or sitting Article III judges (5%).
Among the College of Law’s class of 2020, 89% of the 118 graduates were employed in full-time, long-term bar passage required jobs 10 months after graduation. Four graduates were enrolled in graduate studies programs, leaving only three unemployed.
That percentage is up two points over 2019 figures and is 12 points above the national average of 77%.
Career Center Director Brad Morgan said his team’s multi-faceted approach to helping students and graduates find employment is built on relationships.
“We know that these results wouldn’t be possible without the collaboration and efforts of faculty, staff, alumni, and of course our graduates,” Morgan said.
College of Law Interim Dean Doug Blaze said the success of the University of Tennessee College of Law Bettye B. Lewis Career Center is vitally important to the overall success of the college.
“Brad and his team serve perhaps one of the most important roles for our students,” Blaze said. “Our goal is to educate and graduate the most successful lawyers possible. The first phase of that journey is to help them find those job opportunities after graduation.”
This is the ninth year that Above the Law has ranked the top 50 schools with editors saying “these are the only rankings to incorporate the latest (American Bar Association) employment data concerning the class of 2020,” and that “students should prioritize their future employment prospects over all other factors in deciding where to attend law school.”
The Bettye B. Lewis Career Center, named for the first president of the Tennessee Bar Auxiliary and former president of the Memphis Bar Auxiliary, works with students and alumni at every stage of their careers.
The Career Center also serves as a resource for employers of all types on issues related to not only talent recruitment and retention, but also hiring trends, salary data and legal market trends.