UGA LAW SCHOOL MOVES UP IN U.S. NEWS\u27 REVISED RANKINGS

Wednesday, March 5, 1997 WRITER: Kathy R. Pharr, (706) 542-5172 CONTACT: Kathy R. Pharr, (706) 542-5172 UGA LAW SCHOOL MOVES UP IN U.S. NEWS\u27 REVISED RANKINGS ATHENS, Ga. -- The University of Georgia School of Law climbed in U.S. News & World Report\u27s revised rankings of the nation\u27s 179 accredited law schools released this afternoon, moving up from 27 to 26. The law school maintained its position as the ninth best public law school in the nation and second best state law school in the east, according to the survey. U.S. News announced via a facsimile sent to the University that it had made a mistake in its previously released rankings. U.S. News\u27 admitted miscalculation of employment data caused 33 of the law schools in the top 50 to shift, including UGA. U.S. News\u27 release says it is recalling its March 10 issue which ran the rankings and will print a revised table next week; it is also recalling its guidebook of the rankings, currently on sale at newsstands. Correction of the error boosted UGA\u27s overall score in the survey by two points, from 79.2 to 81.2. U.S. News bases its law school rankings on five criteria: student selectivity (median LSAT and GPA and proportion of students accepted); employment success and bar passage; faculty resources (total expenditures per student for instruction, library and supporting student services, financial aid, law library volumes and student:teacher ratio); and reputation among academics and practicing lawyers and judges. As evidenced by the effect of U.S. News\u27 recalculations, any attempt to rank order the quality of all 179 accredited law schools is skewed by the criteria used and how they are weighted, said Edward D. Spurgeon, law school dean. Nonetheless, we are gratified that the University of Georgia has been consistently ranked by U.S. News among the top 10 public law schools in the country and within the top 15 percent of all law schools for four consecutive years, moving up to number 26 this year. The University of Georgia School of Law continues to enhance its national reputation while maintaining its primary mission to serve the state of Georgia -- nearly three-quarters of this year\u27s entering class and approximately 85 percent of the entire student body are Georgia residents. -30