How is ASU the most innovative law school in the nation?

Angela M. Banks

Interim Dean and Charles J. Merriam Distinguished Professor of Law

Angela M. Banks is a distinguished law professor and immigration scholar whose career spans academia, judicial advising and legal practice, with extensive publications in leading law journals and academic credentials from Spelman College, Oxford and Harvard Law School.

Innovation is a word that gets used frequently in higher education. In legal education, it should mean something specific: creating new pathways for students, preparing graduates for the realities of modern practice and expanding access to legal knowledge and skills in ways that meet the evolving needs across society and diverse business sectors.

At the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, innovation shapes the way we design programs, support students and engage with the legal profession. It is woven into our approach to legal education and reflected in the opportunities we create for learners at every stage of their careers. 

Arizona State University has built a culture that encourages experimentation, interdisciplinary collaboration and a willingness to rethink traditional models. That is why ASU has placed first every year since the “Most Innovative Schools” category was created by U.S. News & World Report magazine 11 years ago, ranked ahead of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University every year. 

ASU Law applies that same mindset to legal education. The result is a law school that is preparing students not only for the legal profession as it exists today, but for the profession it will become tomorrow.

What does innovation look like in legal education?

Innovation begins with asking whether long-standing assumptions still serve students and society.

One example is ASU Law's new part-time, online JD program. Designed for working professionals, caregivers, military personnel and public servants, the program expands access to legal education without compromising academic rigor. Students complete the same JD curriculum, learn from the same faculty and earn the same degree as campus-bound students. The difference is flexibility.

This June, ASU Law’s part-time and online JD has received the 2026 Excellence in Innovation Award from Insight Into Academia magazine, recognizing its efforts to expand access to high-quality legal education through a flexible, student-centered model.

The program was created in response to a growing need for attorneys in rural and underserved communities. More than 1,300 counties across the United States have fewer than one attorney per 1,000 residents. By allowing students to remain rooted in their communities while pursuing a law degree, ASU Law is helping address legal service shortages and creating new pathways into the profession.

How are law schools preparing students for an AI-driven profession?

Artificial intelligence is already changing how legal work is performed. Lawyers increasingly use AI-powered tools for research, drafting, document review and client service. Legal education must prepare students to understand both the opportunities and responsibilities that come with these technologies.

That is why ASU Law launched the AI and Legal Tech Studio within the Center for Law, Science and Innovation. The studio gives students opportunities to explore how emerging technologies are reshaping legal services, professional ethics and access to justice. Students learn how to use new tools effectively, evaluate their limitations and exercise sound professional judgment.

Our goal is to help graduates understand emerging technologies, use them responsibly and contribute to shaping how the legal profession evolves in the years ahead.

How is ASU Law expanding legal education beyond future lawyers?

Innovation also means recognizing that legal skills and knowledge creates value far beyond the practice of law.

ASU Law's new Master of Legal Studies in Health Care Compliance and Administration (MLS Health) reflects the growing demand for professionals who can navigate the increasingly complex legal and regulatory environment of health care. The program is designed for health care administrators, compliance professionals, clinicians and organizational leaders who need legal fluency without pursuing a JD.

This approach builds on the success of ASU Law's Master of Legal Studies program, which offers more than 20 emphasis areas and flexible online and on-campus pathways for professionals seeking legal expertise in their industries. This year, the ASU legal master’s degree celebrates 20 years since its inception as one of the first in the nation, and has led to ASU ranking No. 1 in the U.S. for legal master’s graduates.

By creating specialized programs that connect law with fields such as health care, business, technology and public policy, ASU Law helps professionals become more effective leaders in their communities and organizations.

Why does innovation matter for students?

Students deserve a legal education that reflects the world they will enter after graduation.

That means:

• Flexible pathways that expand access to legal education
• Opportunities to engage with emerging technologies
• Programs that connect law with rapidly evolving industries
• A commitment to public service and access to justice
• Faculty who are actively shaping conversations about the future of law

Innovation is not an end in itself. It is a means of better serving students, the legal profession and the communities that depend on both.

At ASU Law, we continue to ask how legal education can evolve to meet new challenges, create new opportunities and prepare graduates to lead. That commitment to reimagining what is possible is why ASU Law continues to be recognized as a national leader in innovation and why we remain focused on building the future of legal education.