ASU Law lands top 20 public law school for the 17th year, secures No. 1 in legal writing

The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University continues to rise as one of the nation’s leading public law schools, earning strong national and global recognition in the latest 2026 rankings.

ASU Law is ranked No. 44 overall by U.S. News & World Report, ahead of University of California - Davis, University of Colorado and University of Washington. For the 17th consecutive year, ASU Law remains a top 20 public law school in the United States. The college’s momentum extends beyond national rankings. It is ranked No. 15 globally and No. 12 in the U.S. by the 2025 ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, highlighting its growing research impact and international reputation. ASU Law is one of the highest-ranked law schools in the country to offer an online, part-time JD program.

“Our momentum is no accident. It’s the result of intentional innovation in legal education and a deep commitment to excellence. We’re proud to see ASU Law recognized both nationally and globally as a leader shaping the future of the legal profession,” said Stacy Leeds, the Willard H. Pedrick Dean and Regents and Foundation Professor of Law. 

The college stands out for delivering value and outcomes. ASU Law ranks No. 10 nationally for return on investment, according to the ABA Journal. Additionally, it ranked No. 8 in the nation for first-time bar passage differential, posting a 13.71% margin above statewide averages, underscoring the strength of its academic preparation. The first time bar passage differential measures how a law school’s graduates perform on the bar exam relative to the statewide averages for first-time test takers, indicating whether graduates outperform peers across the country.

ASU Law is No. 1 in the nation for legal master’s graduates from 2019 to 2024, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, surpassing Northwestern, Georgetown, USC and Texas A&M. The college has continued to lead in this space, including launching the first law school program fully aligned with Society for Human Resource Management curriculum guidelines and the only master’s degree program dedicated to sports law and business studies through the Allan “Bud” Selig Sports Law and Business program.

Top 20 specialty programs

ASU Law continues to earn national recognition across multiple specialty areas. In the latest rankings, several programs placed in the top 20:

Legal writing, No. 1

Dispute resolution, No. 11

Environmental law, No. 14

Health care law, No. 16

No. 1 in the nation for legal writing

ASU Law’s Legal Method and Writing program now ranks No. 1 in the nation, marking a major milestone for one of the college’s signature strengths. The program’s top ranking reflects both its academic rigor and its role in preparing students for clerkships, externships and legal careers across sectors.

The program is a central part of the JD curriculum, emphasizing practical skills that students use from their first semester through graduation. Students complete foundational writing courses in their first year and can choose from a range of advanced electives focused on real-world legal practice, including drafting, negotiation and advocacy.

Faculty in the program are nationally recognized for their scholarship and teaching, helping shape best practices in legal writing education. 

The program’s faculty bring more than 240 years of combined teaching experience and are widely recognized for their contributions to the field, with hundreds of published essays, books and law review articles, along with national honors including Burton and Scribes awards. These strengths create a highly supportive, practice-focused learning environment that equips students to excel in competitive writing opportunities and stand out in the legal profession.

Dispute resolution program

ASU Law’s Lodestar Dispute Resolution Center anchors a nationally recognized program in negotiation, mediation and arbitration, emphasizing practical, skills-based training alongside academic study. Students gain hands-on experience through opportunities such as the Lodestar Mediation Clinic, where they work on real-world disputes, while the center also serves as a hub for thought leadership in the field. Signature events include the Schiefelbein Global Dispute Resolution Conference, which convenes international experts, and the Bruce E. Meyerson Lecture, featuring leading practitioners and scholars in dispute resolution.

Environmental and sustainability law

ASU Law’s Law and Sustainability program offers an interdisciplinary approach to environmental law, equipping students with the legal and policy tools to address complex challenges such as climate change, water management and renewable energy. The program emphasizes hands-on learning alongside innovative research, with opportunities including externships, fellowships and immersive field experiences that connect classroom concepts to real-world operations. It also serves as a hub for scholarship and convening, highlighted by the annual SRP Sustainability Conference of American Legal Educators and the Morrison Prize, which recognizes the most impactful sustainability-related legal academic article published each year.

Health care law and policy

Amid ongoing health care and public health reforms, ASU Law’s health care law program prepares students to address legal, ethical and policy challenges at the intersection of law, medicine and community health. Anchored by the Center for Public Health Law and Policy, the program connects students with leading scholars and practitioners while engaging them in real-world research on issues ranging from emergency preparedness to bioethics and constitutional law. Students gain hands-on experience through externships and applied research. The program also serves as a hub for scholarship and convening through conferences, symposia and cross-sector collaborations.

These rankings reflect the depth of ASU Law’s academic offerings and its ability to prepare students for specialized areas of practice.