Brandeis Law’s Lawyering Skills Program Ranked Among Nation’s Top 25

The University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law is ranked No. 22 in the nation for legal research and writing by U.S. News & World Report, placing its Lawyering Skills Program among the top 25 in the country.

The ranking falls under U.S. News’ “Legal Research and Writing” category, which evaluates how effectively law schools teach the core skills lawyers use every day. At Brandeis Law, that work is delivered through the Lawyering Skills Program, a required, full-year first-year course.

While students are learning legal doctrine in their other 1L classes, Lawyering Skills focuses on rhetorical doctrine, legal analysis, and application. The course is designed to help students think, reason, write, and argue like lawyers, using writing as a tool for analysis and problem-solving.

Students complete a range of writing and research assignments, including foundational legal memoranda, building skills through consistent practice, feedback, and revisions. As the curriculum progresses, it expands to include oral advocacy, giving students the opportunity to present and defend their analysis with confidence.

The program is shaped by ongoing pedagogical innovation and faculty scholarship in legal writing, informing a curriculum that is both structured and adaptable to how students learn best.

By the end of the first year, students have developed a strong foundation in research, writing, and advocacy that prepares them to contribute in real legal settings, including their first summer internships.

The program also reinforces professionalism throughout the year, from how students approach their work to how they communicate and collaborate.

This recognition reflects the strength of Brandeis Law’s approach to skills training and its continued investment in how lawyering skills are taught. It also aligns with broader momentum for the Brandeis School of Law, which rose 22 spots in this year’s U.S. News rankings, tied for the largest increase nationally.