As the old saying goes, nothing in life is certain except death and taxes — and perhaps that’s why tax lawyers are able to enjoy such fulfilling careers. Tax law is typically considered one of the most sophisticated and prestigious practice areas, and law schools are always honored to make the list when rankings for this area of law are released. From cutting-edge curriculum to real-world clinics and enviable post-grad employment opportunities, these schools are staking their claim as the training grounds for the nation’s future tax lawyers.
The National Jurist’s preLaw magazine recently released its ranking of the best law schools for tax on its Tax Law Honor Roll, highlighting schools for the strength of their programs. Here’s the methodology that was used:
preLaw magazine grades law schools based on the breadth of their curricular offerings. The scores are figured as follows: 30% for a concentration, 24% for a clinic, 12% for a center, 12% for an externship, 9% for a journal, 8% for a student group, 5% for a certificate and added value for additional offerings.
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Before we get to the ranking, you may notice that the usual suspects that typically dominate these rankings — schools like NYU and Georgetown, for example — seem to be missing in action. Instead, National Jurist is spotlighting law schools that are quietly building serious credentials in the field through innovative course offerings and practical training, allowing them to punch above their weight.
Without further ado, according to preLaw Magazine, these are the law schools that earned A grades for their tax law programs (listed in alphabetical order):
- Chapman University Fowler School of Law
- George Washington University Law School
- LMU Loyola Law School
- St. Thomas University College of Law
- Temple University Beasley School of Law
- UC Irvine School of Law
- UC Law SF
- University of Baltimore School of Law
- University of Connecticut School of Law
- University of Idaho College of Law
- University of Memphis Humphreys School of Law
- Washburn University School of Law
Click here to see the rest of the Honor Roll.
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If you want to take a number of tax courses as a J.D. student, these are some of the schools that may be on your watch list. As always, we’d advise enrollment in the best law school you can get into, especially if you’re interested in pursuing an LL.M. in tax.
Congratulations to all of the law schools that made the cut for this ranking.
Top law schools for tax law [National Jurist]
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.