The William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is ranked 13 out of the nation’s 74 best law schools for practical training, which gives law students hands-on experience and a head start with real clients as part of an extensive clinical program.

The law school moved up to an “A” ranking from the “A-” it was awarded a year ago by preLaw magazine.

The spring 2018 ratings were based on the variety of factors, including the number of openings available for students in externships, clinics, simulation courses and pro bono work.

Dean Avi Soifer said the law school has developed many clinical programs that not only train legal minds, but also aid those in the community who are most vulnerable.

“Our top-flight clinical faculty, assisted by an impressive array of local lawyers, offers students unusually attractive opportunities to learn from experience and reflect upon what they are learning as they serve others,” he said.

As part of its ongoing commitment to its service to the community and to its clinical program, the law school has spent more than a decade working to add a third building for clinical programs and training in advocacy and trial skills. The new $7.2 million building is set to open in time to welcome the incoming class of fall 2018.

For more information, read the full story on the School of Law website.

—By Beverly Creamer