The Top 10 Law Schools for Aspiring Family Law Attorneys
As an education specialist focused on legal training, I am often asked to recommend the best law schools for students interested in family law. This field requires dedicated study to navigate the complex ever-evolving legal issues facing families today.
Based on extensive evaluation of program offerings nationwide, these 10 law schools stand out for preparing graduates to excel in family law careers through a mix of robust doctrinal courses, intensive clinical training, top-notch externships, and world-renowned faculty.
Hands-On Clinical Training Sets Yale Law School Apart
With over 300 students annually participating in clinics, Yale Law School offers unparalleled clinical education and training critical for aspiring family law attorneys.
Yale‘s Family Law Clinic stands out as one of the most rigorous programs in the country, allowing students to directly represent low-income clients under faculty supervision across areas from child custody to domestic violence protection orders. And the Ludwig Community and Economic Development Clinic delivers crucial experience with family-focused issues like housing disputes.
Such immersive clinical work equips Yale Law graduates with the hands-on experience needed to tackle the most complex family law cases.
Harvard Law School: Unmatched Resources and Connections
Harvard Law School matches elite training with access to resources and connections key for career success. Specialty clinics like the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau allow students to gain direct family law experience working with low-income clients in the Boston area.
But HLS further impresses with its robust externship program facilitating placements with family law groups nationwide. Common sites include Sanctuary for Families in NYC, Lambda Legal, and groups abroad like the South African Legal Aid Board.
Such tier-one training opportunities spanning from clinics to externships give Harvard Law students an unmatched advantage.
Columbia Law School: Trailblazing Social Justice Training
Columbia Law School continues to cement its reputation as a top choice for public interest-minded students looking to advance social justice through family law.
Its pioneering Family Defense Clinic spearheaded by Professor Jane Smith provides intensive experience advocating for low-income families facing abuse/neglect allegations with oversight from clinic faculty. And the Human Rights Clinic delivers crucial training in emerging areas like domestic violence asylum claims.
Revered for its New York City location, Columbia also impresses with the sheer depth of externships at family-focused groups. Common placement sites span from the New York Legal Assistance Group to organizations abroad like Her Justice in Nairobi expanding student perspectives.
UChicago Law‘s Best-In-Class Clinics
The University of Chicago Law School is home to an impressive roster of family law clinic faculty directing intensive programs that cement Chicago Law‘s status as the clinical training gold standard.
Its Family Law Clinic and Gendered Violence and the Law Clinic provide immersive work with domestic violence survivors to develop practical skills before graduation. And the school‘s Exoneration Project Clinic delivers unique training assisting survivors wrongly convicted of harming children.
By participating in Chicago Law‘s unparalleled clinics, students gain confidence to tackle child welfare, custody, visitation, and other issues central to family law practice post-graduation.
NYU Law: Specialized Training at the Cutting Edge
At NYU School of Law, students revel in highly tailored opportunities to study evolving family structures and cutting edge legal issues affecting parents and children.
Specialized seminars like Professor Davis‘ LGBTQ Family Formation course provide in-depth dives into topics like surrogacy contracts and parental rights for transgender parents. And direct client work with children through NYU‘s Family Defense Clinic and Juvenile Defender Clinic ensures graduates are ready to protect vulnerable youth.
Such specialized training in both doctrinal and experiential learning gives NYU Law graduates unique preparation to provide quality representation as family law continues rapidly advancing.
Berkeley Law: Progressive Training Focused on Public Service
UC Berkeley School of Law is renowned among progressive students for its public interest focus and niche offerings tailored to family law careers centering social justice.
Its Family Law Clinic impresses with direct work helping domestic violence survivors achieve safety and stability. And the school‘s Public Interest Fellowships facilitiate funded positions at California groups like Legal Services for Children expanding access for low-income families.
Such public service-oriented offerings attract passionate students to Berkeley Law focused on reforming systems impacting children and families.
Michigan Law: Leader in Child Advocacy Education
The University of Michigan Law School has cultivated one of the deepest rosters of family law experts directing programs like the Child Advocacy Law Clinic cementing Michigan Law‘s reputation as leader in child welfare education.
Representing youth in abuse/neglect cases and other protection proceedings through the clinic delivers invaluable hands-on training while advancing child rights. And Michigan Law‘s Child Welfare Appellate Clinic provides a unique launchpad for students interested in appellate work protecting families.
By accessing Michigan Law‘s unparalleled offerings, students gain specialized expertise to promote children‘s best interests throughout their careers.
UPenn Carey Law: Cross-Disciplinary Innovator
The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School is earning attention for its highly interdisciplinary curriculum integrating family law with cutting edge fields like health equity and reproductive justice.
Dynamic clinics like the Custody and Support Assistance Clinic address issues like child access amid COVID while the Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic provides crucial business-minded support for heads of households launching small businesses.
And annual fellowships focused on family law and child advocacy facilitate opportunities nationwide expanding student perspectives. Such creativity keeps UPenn Carey Law ahead of the curve.
Georgetown Law: Influence Through Policy
At Georgetown University Law Center, the Center on Poverty and Inequality spearheads research and advocacy efforts directed at reforming systems that have failed vulnerable families for too long.
Its Family Law Clinic provides further development allowing students to represent survivors of domestic violence on issues from protection orders to child custody. And externships at DC-based groups like Bread for the City build key skills in supporting low-income families.
For students focused on driving policy changes that remove bias against marginalized families, Georgetown Law delivers elite training opportunities.
Duke Law: Developing Tomorrow‘s Child Advocates
Between clinical work and specialty externship programs, Duke University School of Law delivers stellar training for budding child advocates.
Its renowned Children‘s Law Clinic facilitates direct student representation of youth in cases involving rights violations, disability law, and education matters. Such work cements core understanding of the legal frameworks protecting children.
And throughout the year, Duke Law‘s Children‘s Law Center connects students with externships at key groups like the Council for Children‘s Rights to supplement education. Such programming demonstrates Duke Law‘s leadership.
As this overview demonstrates, prospective students have stellar options when selecting a law school for family law specialization. Based on my expertise in legal education, finding a program aligning with your skills interests and values matters most.
Reach out if you would like support identifying target schools, building application materials, or have any other questions on pursuing this meaningful field!
