April 8, 2025
St. Mary’s Law also ranks for part-time J.D. program, clinical training
The St. Mary’s University School of Law Advocacy Programs ranked in the top 20 in the nation by U.S. News and World Report — tied for the No. 16 spot in the 2025 Best Graduate School Rankings released today.
St. Mary’s Law also tied for No. 36 on the Best Part-Time Law Programs ranking. The School of Law’s rankings for its part-time program continue to increase since the inception of a highly competitive Online J.D. Program option. The overall ranking for St. Mary’s Law rose five spots to tie for No. 148 in the nation among Best Law Schools. St. Mary’s Law’s international law programs also rose significantly to tie for No. 109 on the Best International Law Programs list.
“St. Mary’s University School of Law remains committed to providing an excellent legal education that includes exceptional opportunities for skill building to talented students who embrace our Catholic and Marianist values of service, justice and peace,” said Patricia Roberts, J.D., St. Mary’s School of Law Dean and Charles E. Cantú Distinguished Professor of Law. “Outcomes for our students continue to trend upward, and St. Mary’s is steadfast in its goal of additional improvement.”
Advocacy Rankings
The St. Mary’s Law Advocacy Programs prepare students for real-world litigation by developing their trial and appellate courtroom skills. The Advocacy Programs at St. Mary’s include the National Team, which focuses on trial advocacy, moot court and alternative dispute resolution competitions across the country; and the Board of Advocacy, which administers competitions throughout the year at St. Mary’s.
St. Mary’s Law also tied for No. 35 in the U.S. News and World Report rankings of Best Dispute Resolution Programs.
Two members of the St. Mary’s University School of Law National Dispute Resolution Team were recently named national champions at the American Bar Association National Negotiation Competition Finals in Chicago. Scott Lopez, third-year J.D. student, and Caroline Villarreal, second-year J.D. student, won the national championship.
This honor offers St. Mary’s Law the opportunity to represent the United States at the 2025 International Negotiation Competition for Law Students in July in London. The St. Mary’s National Dispute Resolution Team consisted of Lopez, Villarreal and second-year J.D. students Anthony “Kash” Maley and Kendall Michaelis.
A.J. Bellido de Luna, J.D., Assistant Dean for Advocacy and Conflict Resolution Programs, congratulated the J.D. students on this remarkable achievement.
“Their outstanding performance exemplifies the excellence, strategy and teamwork that define our National Dispute Resolution Team, bringing immense pride to St. Mary’s,” he said.
For the first time in St. Mary’s University School of Law history, the National Team tied for the No. 1 ranking in the nation by the American Bar Association in 2024. The ABA rankings capped a historic year for the Advocacy Program, which brought home a dozen national championships and represented the United States internationally during the 2023-2024 academic year.
Clinical Training Ranking
St. Mary’s Law also tied for the No. 60 ranking on the U.S. News and World Report 2025 list for Best Clinical Training Programs.
The Clinics at St. Mary’s Law include the Consumer Protection Clinic, Real Estate Clinic, Family Law Clinic, Criminal Justice Clinic, the Immigration and Human Rights Clinic.