A Degree and a Job – UM Law School Succeeds

The University of Montana Alexander Blewett III School of Law is not the biggest law school in the country, but they're pretty good at getting their graduates into sought-after clerkships. In fact, the law school was recently ranked 5th nationally in The Princeton Review's Best Law Schools for State and Local Clerkships.

The clerk position gets graduates into various aspects of the law practice and gives them an idea of what type of law they'd like to pursue. Working with a judge early in their careers also provides unique experiences.

Reema Najjar, who clerks for Judge Ray Dayton in Montana's 3rd Judicial District, said, "Being able to communicate with a judge all day on legal questions, on strategy and on issues and theory of how something is playing out or how a case is developing is a big benefit. That gives me new perspectives that I don't have as a new grad, and Judge Dayton has a wealth of knowledge to share."

In a news release, Katy Stack, director of career development, said, "I'm often asked by students about why our school has such high clerkship rates, and I typically respond, 'because we have the best students.' While it also doesn't hurt that we are the only law school in Montana, I believe that the courts would not continue to hire our students if they didn't do a great job. Our students work hard, and they come out of law school with a solid combination of practical and theoretical knowledge."

There are 14 rankings in the Princeton Review, with 10 schools listed in each category. UM was included this year.