Top 20 European Law School Rankings 2025

This report forms part of the EduTimes Law Ranking Law School Program Rankings series, which evaluates law schools, legal education institutions, and legal academic programs across global law school performance, U.S. law school performance, U.K. law school performance, European law school performance, JD programs, LLB programs, LLM programs, and executive legal education.

European Law School Rankings evaluate law schools and legal faculties based on their overall strength within the non-U.K. European legal education ecosystem. Because UK Law School Rankings are treated as a separate category in this series, this ranking focuses on continental Europe, Ireland, and Switzerland, including institutions operating within civil-law, common-law, mixed, EU-law, international-law, and Bologna-style higher education systems.

European legal education is structurally different from U.S. and U.K. legal education. Many European systems combine university legal study with state examinations, bar traineeships, professional apprenticeships, judicial training, or nationally regulated admission routes. At the same time, the Bologna Process and European Higher Education Area have made bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral structures more comparable across Europe, with the goal of improving mobility, recognition, and international competitiveness.

The 2025 ranking environment shows strong continental European performance in law. In Times Higher Education’s 2025 Law subject ranking, KU Leuven appears as the highest-ranked non-U.K. European institution, followed closely by Leiden University, University of Amsterdam, LMU Munich, and Maastricht University among the leading continental European law institutions.

Market Overview

The European law school market is fragmented but highly sophisticated. Unlike the U.S., where the JD is a relatively standardized professional degree, Europe contains multiple models: German state-exam systems, French licence-master-doctorat structures, Dutch and Belgian bachelor-master systems, Nordic professional law degrees, Swiss cantonal and federal legal pathways, Irish common-law education, and EU-wide postgraduate specialization.

This makes European law school ranking difficult. A strong European law school may be excellent in national legal training, EU law, public international law, arbitration, human rights, comparative law, commercial law, technology regulation, constitutional law, or legal theory. Some schools are powerful domestic professional pipelines; others are internationally visible postgraduate or research institutions.

The strongest European law schools usually share several characteristics: deep legal research output, strong national legal influence, international master’s programs, EU-law and public-law expertise, multilingual academic environments, access to legal institutions, strong doctoral training, employer recognition, and connections to courts, regulators, law firms, international organizations, and policy institutions.

This category should be distinguished from Global Law School Rankings. Global Law School Rankings measure worldwide institutional power, including U.S., U.K., Asia-Pacific, and Canadian law schools. European Law School Rankings focus on the non-U.K. European legal education market and therefore give more weight to European institutional relevance, EU legal systems, continental research depth, national professional pathways, and regional legal ecosystems.

Industry Trend — 2025

The European law school market in 2025 is shaped by five major trends: European legal integration, global LLM demand, international arbitration and public international law, technology regulation, and stronger competition for English-language legal education.

First, EU law remains a central differentiator. European law schools with strong expertise in EU constitutional law, competition law, human rights, data protection, consumer law, environmental law, financial regulation, and internal-market regulation are especially well positioned.

Second, English-language master’s programs are increasingly important. European law schools now compete globally for students interested in international and European law, arbitration, technology law, intellectual property, human rights, and commercial law. KU Leuven, Amsterdam, Leiden, Maastricht, Zurich, Tilburg, Bologna, and other institutions have developed internationally oriented legal programs that attract mobile students.

Third, international arbitration and public international law continue to strengthen schools connected to Paris, The Hague, Geneva, Vienna, and other legal hubs. Leiden’s Grotius Centre, for example, emphasizes public international law and is connected to Leiden’s long tradition in the field.

Fourth, technology regulation has become a major European legal advantage. The EU’s regulatory approach to data protection, AI, competition, platform governance, digital markets, and cybersecurity gives European law schools a distinctive role in global technology-law education.

Fifth, European legal education remains nationally grounded. The European Commission’s regulated professions database reflects the continuing importance of national professional qualification frameworks across EU, EEA, U.K., and Swiss contexts. A European law school ranking must therefore balance international visibility with domestic legal authority.

Methodology — Core Eligibility Criteria

To ensure structural consistency within the category, institutions considered for this ranking were evaluated based on the following eligibility conditions:

• Operates as a non-U.K. European law school, faculty of law, legal education institution, or university law department
• Demonstrates meaningful strength in national law, EU law, international law, comparative law, commercial law, public law, human rights, arbitration, legal theory, technology law, or professional legal education
• Maintains institutional capacity through faculty depth, research output, doctoral training, master’s programs, employer recognition, public-sector relevance, legal clinics, international partnerships, or professional legal pathways
• Shows relevance across civil-law systems, common-law systems, EU law, EEA/Swiss legal frameworks, European courts, international organizations, arbitration centers, national legal professions, and cross-border legal markets
• Represents a specific law school, faculty, or legal education institution, rather than a private bar school, law firm, legal recruiter, commercial training provider, or general university without law-specific visibility

Institutions were not ranked solely by one global table. The ranking uses a composite assessment that considers research, reputation, domestic professional relevance, international visibility, postgraduate strength, employer recognition, legal-market access, and long-term institutional resilience.

Methodology — Ranking Factors

Institutions included in the ranking were evaluated using a combination of quantitative, qualitative, and structural considerations. Key factors considered include:

• Academic reputation and research influence in European and global legal scholarship
• Performance in international law subject rankings
• Strength in EU law, comparative law, international law, commercial law, arbitration, human rights, legal theory, and technology regulation
• Domestic legal-profession relevance and national legal-system influence
• English-language LLM and international master’s program strength
• Access to legal hubs such as Brussels, The Hague, Paris, Amsterdam, Geneva, Vienna, Munich, Berlin, Dublin, Copenhagen, Oslo, Zurich, Bologna, and Madrid
• Alumni network strength in law firms, courts, academia, government, EU institutions, international organizations, and regulatory bodies
• Long-term institutional resilience under changing legal, technological, and geopolitical conditions

The Law Ranking Top 20 European Law School Rankings 2025 evaluates institutions based on European legal education strength, research influence, EU-law relevance, national professional standing, postgraduate depth, global visibility, employer recognition, alumni influence, and long-term institutional resilience.

The ranking universe consisted of approximately 120–160 non-U.K. European law schools, faculties of law, legal departments, and specialist legal education institutions, from which 20 institutions were selected for inclusion.

Tier classifications reflect relative institutional positioning within the European legal education ecosystem and do not represent admission recommendations, employment guarantees, bar qualification guarantees, visa guarantees, legal advice, procurement advice, investment recommendations, or endorsement of any specific institution.

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Tier I — Leading European Law Schools

KU Leuven Faculty of Law and Criminology

• Headquarters: Leuven, Belgium
• Founded: KU Leuven roots date to 1425; modern faculty within KU Leuven
• Core focus: European law, international law, criminology, legal research, comparative law, intellectual property, ICT law

KU Leuven Faculty of Law and Criminology is one of Europe’s strongest law faculties because of its research performance, international legal education, and position inside one of Europe’s oldest and most influential universities. Times Higher Education’s 2025 Law ranking places KU Leuven at No. 14 globally, making it the highest-ranked non-U.K. European institution in that table.

The faculty describes itself as a world-renowned law and criminology department with English-language law and criminology programs and award-winning research. Its international programs include advanced master’s offerings in International and European Law, Intellectual Property and ICT Law, European Social Security, and related fields.

KU Leuven is especially relevant for students seeking a European legal education with strong research authority, EU-law relevance, multilingual European positioning, and international master’s pathways. Its combination of historical depth, academic performance, and European legal-market relevance supports its Tier I placement.

Leiden Law School

• Headquarters: Leiden and The Hague, Netherlands
• Founded: Leiden University founded 1575; law school within the university
• Core focus: Public international law, European law, criminal law, human rights, international courts, comparative law, legal research

Leiden Law School is one of Europe’s leading law schools because of its research reputation, international-law strength, and connection to The Hague legal ecosystem. Times Higher Education’s 2025 Law ranking places Leiden University at No. 18 globally, making it one of the strongest non-U.K. European institutions in law.

Leiden’s strength is especially visible in public international law and international legal institutions. Its Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies continues Leiden’s long tradition in public international law and hosts more than 30 scholars working at the frontiers of the field.

The school is especially relevant for students targeting international courts, public international law, human rights, criminal justice, European law, and global public-law careers. Its Leiden-The Hague positioning and international legal reputation support its Tier I placement.

University of Amsterdam — Amsterdam Law School

• Headquarters: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Founded: University of Amsterdam roots date to 1632; Amsterdam Law School as the Faculty of Law
• Core focus: European law, international law, private law, public law, information law, social justice, legal institutions

Amsterdam Law School is one of Europe’s strongest law schools because of its research performance, international orientation, and position in one of Europe’s major legal, commercial, and policy cities. Times Higher Education’s 2025 Law ranking places the University of Amsterdam at No. 19 globally, tied with Georgetown and just below Leiden among leading European law institutions.

The school describes itself as the Faculty of Law of the University of Amsterdam, working through education and research on stronger legal institutions, solutions to social problems, and a more just society. It offers Dutch law, tax law, an English-language PPLE program, and Dutch and internationally oriented master’s programs.

Amsterdam is especially relevant for students seeking a law school with strength in European law, information law, public law, private law, social justice, and internationalized legal education. Its academic profile and urban legal ecosystem support its Tier I placement.

LMU Munich Faculty of Law

• Headquarters: Munich, Germany
• Founded: LMU founded 1472; Faculty of Law within LMU
• Core focus: German law, European law, private law, public law, criminal law, international law, legal research

LMU Munich Faculty of Law is one of the strongest German-speaking law faculties in Europe. Times Higher Education’s 2025 Law ranking places LMU Munich at No. 21 globally, making it one of the highest-ranked continental European law institutions.

The faculty describes itself as part of a tradition-steeped university and emphasizes high teaching quality and outstanding research, supported by more than 5,000 students and almost 500 employees. That scale gives LMU one of the strongest law faculties in the German legal education market.

LMU is especially relevant for students seeking German legal training, European legal scholarship, public law, private law, criminal law, international law, and academic legal careers. Its German legal-system influence and global ranking strength support its Tier I placement.

Sciences Po Law School

• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Founded: Sciences Po founded 1872; modern Law School within Sciences Po
• Core focus: Economic law, transnational arbitration, international dispute settlement, global governance, public-private legal careers

Sciences Po Law School is one of Europe’s most distinctive elite law schools because it combines legal education with political science, economics, international affairs, arbitration, and public policy. Its Law School has built a strong reputation in international economic law and dispute settlement, and its LLM in Transnational Arbitration and Dispute Settlement emphasizes access to Paris’s global arbitration and law firm community.

Sciences Po’s strength lies in its professional and transnational model. Rather than operating as a conventional national law faculty alone, it positions legal education within global governance, economic regulation, arbitration, public affairs, and international professional practice.

The school is especially relevant for students seeking careers in international arbitration, European institutions, public policy, global law firms, international economic law, and cross-border dispute resolution. Its Paris location, policy ecosystem, and distinctive law-school model support its Tier I placement.

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Tier II — Established European Law Schools

(Alphabetical order)

European University Institute — Department of Law

• Headquarters: Florence, Italy
• Founded: EUI established in the 1970s as a European postgraduate research institution
• Core focus: European law, international law, comparative law, private law, public law, doctoral legal research

The European University Institute’s Department of Law is one of Europe’s most important postgraduate legal research institutions. It describes itself as European, international, comparative, and experimental, with research focused on European law, public international law, and private law across cultural, political, and economic topics.

EUI differs from most law schools in this ranking because it is not primarily an undergraduate professional law faculty. Its strength lies in doctoral training, advanced research, European legal scholarship, and international academic networks.

The Department of Law is especially relevant for students and researchers pursuing academic legal careers, European law, comparative law, public international law, and high-level legal research. Its specialized research identity supports Tier II placement.

Humboldt University of Berlin Faculty of Law

• Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
• Founded: Humboldt University founded 1810; Faculty of Law within HU Berlin
• Core focus: German law, European law, constitutional law, public law, private law, legal theory, European legal education

Humboldt University of Berlin Faculty of Law is one of Germany’s most respected law faculties, with strong relevance in German public law, constitutional law, private law, European law, and legal theory. The faculty’s public materials highlight its Faculty of Law and the launch of a new Humboldt Master of Laws program in the 2025/26 academic year.

Humboldt also participates in European legal education networks, including the Humboldt European Law School, described as a multiple-degree program of the Faculty of Law. This supports its relevance beyond German national legal education.

The school is especially relevant for students seeking German legal training, European law, comparative legal education, and Berlin-based public-law and policy exposure. Its academic reputation and European-law positioning support Tier II placement.

Maastricht University Faculty of Law

• Headquarters: Maastricht, Netherlands
• Founded: Maastricht University founded 1976; Faculty of Law within the university
• Core focus: European legal education, comparative law, globalization and law, skills-based teaching, law and technology

Maastricht University Faculty of Law is one of Europe’s strongest modern law faculties. Times Higher Education’s 2025 Law ranking places Maastricht University at No. 24 globally, tied with the University of Michigan, which gives it unusually strong international visibility for a relatively young European institution.

The faculty describes itself as a top-quality provider of challenging Dutch and European legal education at bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD level, and as a pioneer in small-scale teaching and skills-oriented education for future legal professionals.

Maastricht is especially relevant for students seeking European law, comparative law, globalization, international legal education, and practice-oriented teaching. Its modern pedagogical model and global ranking performance support Tier II placement.

Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne — École de Droit de la Sorbonne

• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Founded: Modern Paris 1 created in 1970; heir to the historic Paris law faculty tradition
• Core focus: French law, public law, private law, international law, European law, legal research, doctoral education

The École de Droit de la Sorbonne at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne is one of France’s most important law schools. It describes itself as bringing together legal education and research within Paris 1 and continuing the tradition of the former Faculty of Law of Paris.

Paris 1 is especially strong in French public law, private law, international law, European law, legal history, and doctoral legal research. Its location in Paris gives students access to courts, ministries, international organizations, law firms, arbitration institutions, and public policy bodies.

The school is placed in Tier II because of its historic legal authority, French legal-system relevance, and strong research position within continental Europe.

Tilburg Law School

• Headquarters: Tilburg, Netherlands
• Founded: Tilburg University roots date to the 20th century; Law School within Tilburg University
• Core focus: Law and society, technology regulation, public administration, private law, EU law, empirical and interdisciplinary legal research

Tilburg Law School is one of Europe’s most influential law schools in interdisciplinary legal research, law and technology, and law-society analysis. The school’s research emphasizes complex challenges in law and public administration and aims to contribute to a more just society.

Tilburg is especially strong in technology regulation. The Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology, and Society is described as a leading research group at the intersection of law, technology, and society, addressing emerging technologies such as ICT, biotechnology, nanotechnology, neurotechnology, and robotics.

The school is especially relevant for students interested in legal technology, regulation, public administration, EU law, law and society, and interdisciplinary legal research. Its distinctive research profile supports Tier II placement.

Trinity College Dublin School of Law

• Headquarters: Dublin, Ireland
• Founded: 1740
• Core focus: Irish law, common law, European law, constitutional law, human rights, commercial law, legal research

Trinity College Dublin School of Law is one of Ireland’s strongest law schools and one of Europe’s important common-law legal education institutions. The school states that it was founded in 1740 and is one of Europe’s leading law schools, consistently ranked among the world’s top 100 law schools.

Trinity’s strength lies in its combination of Irish common-law education, European legal relevance, international student appeal, and long academic tradition. It is especially relevant for students seeking careers in Ireland, the U.K.-adjacent common-law market, EU legal institutions, commercial law, public law, and human rights.

The school is placed in Tier II because it provides a distinctive common-law European pathway outside the U.K., with strong historical standing and international recognition.

University of Bologna Department of Legal Studies

• Headquarters: Bologna, Italy
• Founded: University of Bologna founded 1088; Department of Legal Studies within the university
• Core focus: Italian law, European law, legal history, comparative law, international legal studies, legal research

The University of Bologna Department of Legal Studies is one of Europe’s most historically important legal education institutions, located within the world’s oldest university tradition. Its modern English-language Legal Studies master’s program is designed to prepare graduates for legal advisory careers operating in international contexts or requiring a supranational perspective.

Bologna’s strength lies in legal history, Italian law, European legal tradition, comparative law, and international legal education. Its symbolic importance in European higher education is also reinforced by the Bologna Process, which reshaped degree structures and mobility across the European Higher Education Area.

The school is especially relevant for students seeking European legal tradition, Italian legal education, comparative law, EU law, and internationally oriented master’s study. Its historical authority and modern international program support Tier II placement.

University of Copenhagen Faculty of Law

• Headquarters: Copenhagen, Denmark
• Founded: University of Copenhagen founded 1479; Faculty of Law within the university
• Core focus: Danish law, EU law, human rights, international law, courts, Nordic legal systems, legal research

The University of Copenhagen Faculty of Law is one of the strongest Nordic law faculties. The faculty explains that while legal research traditionally focused on Danish law, its research has increasingly adapted to internationalization, including the interaction between Danish law and other legal orders such as EU law, human rights, and international law.

The faculty also has strong international-courts infrastructure through iCourts, whose excellence program is taught by researchers affiliated with the Centre of Excellence for International Courts.

Copenhagen is especially relevant for students seeking Nordic legal education, EU law, human rights, international courts, public law, and comparative legal scholarship. Its research depth and Nordic legal-market relevance support Tier II placement.

University of Oslo Faculty of Law

• Headquarters: Oslo, Norway
• Founded: University of Oslo founded 1811; Faculty of Law within the university
• Core focus: Norwegian law, public law, human rights, international law, maritime and energy law, Nordic legal systems

The University of Oslo Faculty of Law is one of the leading Nordic law faculties. In 2025, the faculty reported that it climbed to No. 34 in the Times Higher Education world ranking for law, reinforcing its standing as a strong European legal education institution.

Oslo’s strength lies in Norwegian law, Nordic public law, human rights, international law, maritime law, energy law, welfare-state legal systems, and environmental regulation. Its national legal authority and international research visibility make it particularly important within the Nordic region.

The school is placed in Tier II because it combines strong domestic legal influence with meaningful international ranking performance and Nordic legal-system relevance.

University of Zurich Faculty of Law

• Headquarters: Zurich, Switzerland
• Founded: University of Zurich founded 1833; Faculty of Law within UZH
• Core focus: Swiss law, European law, business law, international law, comparative law, legal research, cross-border legal education

The University of Zurich Faculty of Law is one of Europe’s strongest German-speaking law faculties and a leading Swiss legal education institution. The faculty states that it is one of Europe’s leading faculties of law and one of the most diverse in Europe, with origins in a university founded in 1833.

Zurich’s strength is reinforced by its internationalization strategy. The faculty emphasizes international research and teaching, exchange programs with leading law schools, and double-degree master’s programs with partner faculties in Europe, overseas, and Asia.

The school is especially relevant for students seeking Swiss law, financial regulation, business law, international law, arbitration, comparative law, and cross-border legal education. Its Zurich market access and internationalization support Tier II placement.

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Tier III — Strong European Law Schools and Regional Leaders

(Alphabetical order)

Lund University Faculty of Law

• Headquarters: Lund, Sweden
• Founded: Lund University founded 1666; Faculty of Law within the university
• Core focus: Swedish law, Nordic legal systems, EU law, human rights, public law, legal research

Lund University Faculty of Law is one of the strongest Swedish law faculties and a significant Nordic legal education institution. Lund reported that it was ranked No. 36 in the world for law in Times Higher Education’s 2025 ranking, indicating strong recent international visibility.

Lund’s strength lies in Swedish legal education, Nordic public law, EU law, human rights, commercial law, and international research engagement. It is especially relevant for students seeking a Nordic legal education with international academic recognition.

The school is placed in Tier III because it is a strong regional and international law faculty, though its global legal-market visibility is somewhat narrower than the Tier I and Tier II institutions.

Pompeu Fabra University Faculty of Law

• Headquarters: Barcelona, Spain
• Founded: Pompeu Fabra University founded 1990; Faculty of Law within UPF
• Core focus: Spanish law, European law, public law, private law, legal research, Barcelona legal market

Pompeu Fabra University Faculty of Law is one of Spain’s most important modern law faculties. The faculty received institutional accreditation from AQU Catalunya, with official university degrees taught at the Faculty of Law automatically accredited for a six-year period.

UPF’s strength lies in its modern research profile, Barcelona location, European orientation, and strong public and private law programs. It is especially relevant for students seeking Spanish legal education, European law, legal research, and Catalonia’s legal and business ecosystem.

The school is placed in Tier III because it is a strong modern European law faculty with meaningful Spanish and Catalan legal-market relevance.

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid — Law

• Headquarters: Madrid, Spain
• Founded: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid founded 1989; law programs within the university
• Core focus: Spanish law, European law, commercial law, international law, innovation in teaching, professional legal education

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid is one of Spain’s strongest modern legal education institutions. Its Graduate School of Law describes itself as having a vocation to be a reference point for the national and international law community, with training for recent graduates and legal professionals shaped by innovation in teaching, academic quality, and international recognition.

UC3M’s strength lies in modern professional legal education, Madrid market access, internationalization, commercial law, public law, and European legal pathways. Its location in Spain’s capital gives students access to firms, courts, regulators, government institutions, and corporate employers.

The school is placed in Tier III because it is a strong Spanish and European legal education platform with growing international relevance.

University College Dublin Sutherland School of Law

• Headquarters: Dublin, Ireland
• Founded: UCD institutional roots in the 19th century; Sutherland School of Law within UCD
• Core focus: Irish law, common law, European law, commercial law, human rights, legal research

UCD Sutherland School of Law is one of Ireland’s leading law schools and a significant European common-law institution outside the United Kingdom. The school states that it is ranked in the global top 100 for law and has a global reputation for legal education and research.

UCD’s strength lies in Irish legal education, common-law training, EU legal relevance, international student mobility, and research in fields such as refugee law, human rights, commercial law, and public law. Dublin’s position as a European business and regulatory hub also strengthens its professional relevance.

The school is placed in Tier III because it offers a strong Irish and European legal education pathway with meaningful international recognition.

University of Vienna Faculty of Law

• Headquarters: Vienna, Austria
• Founded: University of Vienna founded 1365; Faculty of Law within the university
• Core focus: Austrian law, European law, international law, comparative law, legal history, international organizations

University of Vienna Faculty of Law is one of the oldest and largest law faculties in the German-speaking world. Its research portal lists a large faculty structure with extensive activity across European, international, comparative, constitutional, civil, commercial, criminal, and legal-historical fields.

Vienna’s legal education strength is especially relevant for international law and European law. The university’s international legal studies pathway emphasizes cross-border law, and its international law LLM notes that Vienna’s position as the seat of several international organizations offers an ideal environment for international law study.

The school is placed in Tier III because it combines deep historical authority, Austrian legal-system importance, European legal scholarship, and Vienna’s international organization environment.

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Remarks

European Law School Rankings serve a broad benchmarking function within the non-U.K. European legal education ecosystem. They help applicants, students, universities, employers, law firms, regulators, courts, and institutional stakeholders understand which European law schools provide the strongest combination of academic reputation, research influence, professional relevance, international visibility, and legal-system authority.

The institutions recognized in this ranking represent law schools and legal faculties with strong combinations of national legal education, EU-law relevance, international law, comparative law, commercial law, research quality, postgraduate education, and regional legal-market influence. Tier classification reflects relative institutional positioning within Europe rather than direct guarantees of admission, employment, professional qualification, or international mobility.

For the Law Ranking taxonomy, European Law School Rankings should remain distinct from UK Law School Rankings, Global Law School Rankings, LLB Program Rankings, and LLM Program Rankings. European Law School Rankings should focus on non-U.K. European legal education institutions, including civil-law, common-law, EU-law, Nordic, Swiss, Irish, and mixed professional pathways. UK Law School Rankings should continue to cover England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland separately.

Tier classification reflects relative European legal education strength, research influence, EU-law relevance, national professional standing, postgraduate depth, global visibility, employer recognition, alumni influence, and long-term institutional resilience. The ranking does not constitute an admission recommendation, employment guarantee, professional qualification guarantee, legal advice, procurement recommendation, investment recommendation, or endorsement of any specific law school.

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