Stetson Law Retains Top U.S. News Rankings in Advocacy, Legal Writing

An exterior shot of a red and beige building with a palm tree in the foreground. — The Advocacy Institute at Stetson Law.

For the second year in a row, two key programs at Stetson Law have earned major recognition from the publication U.S. News & World Report.

The College of Law’s renowned Trial Advocacy program has earned the No. 1 ranking for 2025, while the school’s nationally recognized Legal Writing program has maintained its No. 3 spot in that category.

Both of these rankings remain unchanged from U.S. News’ 2024 voting cycle. College of Law leadership believes this continued recognition is a reflection of the community’s steadfast commitment to student success.

“We are honored that U.S. News & World Report continues to recognize Stetson Law for its outstanding advocacy and legal writing programs,” said Stetson Law Dean Benjamin Barros. “As a community, we invest in these programs because they build competencies that are critical to the practice of law. We pride ourselves on doing an outstanding job in preparing our students for practice, and this continued recognition of our national reputation for excellence in advocacy and writing reflects our dedication to student professional success.”

Overall, the College of Law ranked No. 98 for its full-time J.D. program and No. 30 for its part-time J.D. Program. See all rankings.

A national leader in advocacy

Last fall, the College of Law opened the doors of its state-of-the-art Advocacy Institute, a large facility dedicated to the study and practice of this fundamental skill – but the college’s legacy as a national advocacy leader is deeply rooted.

Professor Elizabeth Boals speaks at a podium at the 2023 Educating Advocacy Teachers Conference. — Law Professor Elizabeth Boals at the 2023 Educating Advocacy Teachers Conference.

With support from faculty, staff, alumni, and other members of the community, students are invited to cultivate strong lawyering skills through competitive advocacy, transformative pro bono work, and immersive experiences like clinics and externships. Students have the support they need to not only win state, regional, and national competitions, but to apply their growing skills in all areas of work and life.

“This is wonderful news for the Stetson Law community,” said Law Professor Elizabeth Boals, Director of Stetson Law’s Center for Excellence in Advocacy. “It is especially meaningful to our students, who work so hard to represent our program at advocacy team competitions across the world. I want to express my deepest thanks for our faculty, staff, coaches, and volunteer judges who give so much to our students and support us at all our advocacy events. We are Stetson and it shows!”

Innovation in legal writing

The Stetson Law community understands that legal communication is fundamental to the study and practice of law. Stetson Law’s celebrated Legal Writing program ranking at No. 3 for the third year in a row reflects this.

This program utilizes proven methods of developing legal communication skills while program leadership works diligently to ensure the curriculum evolves as emerging cultural and technological patterns continue to shape legal scholarship and practice.

A woman wearing a grey sweatshirt smiles as she gestures to the audience. — Dr. Kirsten Davis, a Professor of Law at Stetson, presented on artificial intelligence’s impact on law careers at Campus to Career 2024.

One such example of this is artificial intelligence, which is poised to have an immeasurable impact on legal writing in the classroom and the courtroom. Dr. Kirsten Davis, who is a Professor of Law who teaches legal writing, Faculty Director of Online Legal Education Strategies, and Provost Faculty Fellow for Generative Artificial Intelligence and Higher Education, has become a national leader in this area. Earlier this year, the American Association of Law Schools Section on Technology, Law, & Legal Education honored her with its inaugural Technology Mentorship Award.

Learn more about Stetson Law’s Institute for the Advancement of Legal Communication.

Building on decades of success

Through strategic investments and innovative initiatives, Stetson Law is committed to offering students opportunities to successfully launch meaningful careers.

Efforts to grow and sustain enrollment include the J.D. Flex, a new iteration of Stetson Law’s part-time J.D. program that invites working professionals to pursue a law degree part-time while limiting required commute time and incorporating more virtual courses and coursework. In the fall of 2024, the college will also begin to incorporate flat-rate tuition to ease financial stress for incoming students.

As always, Academic Success and Bar Preparation starts with first-year students, while career services and student support aim to equip our students with everything they need to be practice-ready upon graduation.

Through centers and institutes led by globally and nationally renowned faculty, the College of Law gives students real-world experience working in areas that matter most to them. In addition to the Center for Excellence in Advocacy and The Institute for the Advancement of Legal Communication, these include: The Center for Excellence in Elder Justice, The Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy, The Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy, The Institute for Caribbean Law and Policy, and The Veterans Law Institute.