Joins four other schools on list of ‘Best Regional Law Schools’ in the Midwest 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The School of Law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City has been listed as one of “the best law schools for black students” in the 2013 Edition of The Black Student’s Guide to Law Schools.

            The 2013 Guide includes a list of their Best 25 National Law Schools for Black Students, along with Five Best Regional Law Schools for each of six regions. The full list is available here. UMKC is listed among the best five schools in the Midwest, along with Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University in Ohio; the University of Kentucky College of Law; the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville; and the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis.

            The Guide is published by On Being A Black Lawyer, a media company established in 2008 to report news of import to black legal professionals. The methodology used by the Guide accounts for a variety of factors, including cost, selectivity, placement rates and the local legal market.

            A law school’s admissions selectivity will have a significant impact on a graduate’s career, the Guide contends, because “the level of intellectual discourse and strength of your professional network will be largely determined by classmates.” As for the local legal market, the Guide states: “Students attending law schools in cities with large legal communities – courts,   law firms, major companies – will stand a much better chance of building professional relationships with established lawyers and judges, who might ultimately assist you in securing a job as a lawyer.” Placement rates are based on “the number of J.D. graduates working full time in a legal or J.D.-advantaged job.”

“We are delighted to be included in the Guide’s Top 5 Midwestern law schools. The ranking speaks to our value, the quality of our instruction and the way our reputation drives job opportunities for our graduates in Kansas City’s legal community,” said Ellen Suni, dean of the UMKC School of Law. “This is what it means to be a great university in a great city.”

“We are all aware of the additional barriers and challenges facing African Americans in the legal profession. The increasing costs of securing a law degree and the decreasing legal job opportunities make pursuing a law degree a daunting task. OBABL strives to equip black prospective law students with the tools to become discerning consumers of law school education,” said OBABL’s CEO and publisher, Yolanda Young. “We highly endorse the law schools that appear on our list. After months of careful and meticulous research, we are confident these law schools provide the clearest path to law school success for future black attorneys.”Students attending law schools in cities with large legal communi-ties — courts, law firms, major companies — will stand a much better chance of building professional relationship with established lawyers and judges, who might ultimately as-sist you in securing a job as a lawyer.

On Being A Black Lawyer was established in 2008 to report news of import to black legal professionals. In addition to an eponymous blog, the company also produces e-newsletters, events, and social media platforms to engage black legal professionals. The company aims to promote the causes and contributions of African-American attorneys. On Being A Black Lawyer has received recognition from the American Bar Association and The National Black Law Student Association, among others.

About the UMKC School of Law
The UMKC School of Law is a top 20 “Best Value” law school that prepares students for practice by integrating high level theory and lawyering skills throughout the curriculum. The School provides a supportive academic and professional community, offering high level student interaction with faculty and the legal community. It is committed to the foundations of good lawyering: respect for people, for knowledge and ideas, and for justice. 

About the University of Missouri-Kansas City
The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), one of four University of Missouri campuses, is a public university serving more than 15,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UMKC engages with the community and economy based on a four-part mission: life and health sciences; visual and performing arts; urban issues and education; and a vibrant learning and campus life experience.  For more information about UMKC, visit http://www.umkc.edu/.  You can also find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch us on YouTube.

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