The national rankings for University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law continue to rise, according to a national study released today.

U.S. News & World Report's Best Graduate School rankings placed McGeorge No. 21 in the nation, and second in California, in legal writing, jumping 11 spots.

McGeorge also moved up to No. 8 nationally for trial advocacy, which evaluates a law school's mock trial advocacy program.

The award-winning McGeorge Mock Trial Competition Program has received numerous accolades this year, including being a finalist in the National Civil Trial Competition and winning individual awards at the Battle of the Experts tournament and Martin Luther King Civil Rights Mock Trial Competition.

"These rankings recognize the importance and value we place on providing each student with an excellent legal education that will help them launch a successful career," said Michael Hunter Schwartz, Dean of McGeorge School of Law. "I am proud of the work our faculty and staff have done in preparing our hardworking students to practice law in California, throughout our country, and around the world."

McGeorge's influential International Law program was ranked No. 43 in the nation. The program is led by Stephen McCaffrey, who is recognized as one of the world's foremost authorities on international law. He recently received the 2020 Louis B. Sohn Award for Public International Law, which is given each year to a recipient "who has made significant contributions to the field of international law."

McGeorge's overall ranking improved seven spots among accredited law schools, coming in at 141st overall and No. 13 among California law schools.

"These rankings illustrate the world-class, hands-on legal education McGeorge provides its students," said Pacific President Christopher Callahan. "They are a testament to our extraordinary faculty, who have devoted their careers to the success of our law students."

The U.S. News World Report rankings evaluate the 193 law schools fully accredited by the American Bar Association and are based on a weighted average of the 12 measures of quality including bar passage rate.

On the October 2020 bar exam, McGeorge's recent graduates celebrated the law school’s highest first-time bar pass rate in 25 years, as 86% of the law school’s first-time takers passed the October California Bar exam. McGeorge's rate surpassed the average first-time pass rate for graduates from all California ABA-Approved law schools, which was 84%, and from all out-of-state ABA law schools, which was 77%.

Located in Sacramento, California’s capital city, McGeorge is led by professors who have attained national and international renown in their fields, including retired U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, the law school's longest continuously serving faculty member. McGeorge also houses renowned law clinics that provide students experiential learning opportunities to support community members in elder and health law, homeless advocacy, immigration, legislative and public policy and prisoner civil rights.

U.S. News & World Report's full methodology for best law school rankings can be found here.