Best 11 Law Schools in Florida in 2024

Florida A&M University College of Law is a public, fully accredited, educational institution, dedicated to developing legal professionals and community leaders committed to equal justice and the rule of law. Originally established in 1949, the College of Law embraces persons of all racial, ethnic and national groups as members of its community.

Florida International University in Miami offers one of the state’s newer public law schools, as it was established in 2000. Students can pursue a JD on either a full-time or a part-time schedule. FIU’s law school is focused on providing underserved families with quality legal representation. FIU has a “low bono” program to ensure that families who are at up to 200% of the federal poverty limit can still get discounted legal services.

Florida State University has one of the best law schools in Florida. It was established in 1966. In addition to the standard JD degree, it also offers an LLM (Master of Laws) degree. FSU’s law school allows JD students a great deal of leeway in creating their own curriculum during the second and third years of the three-year program. Concentration areas include environmental law, business law, criminal law, international law, and more.

The LLM degree can be completed online. They offer three LL.M. programs: The LL.M. in American Law for Foreign Lawyers program gives those with a law degree from another nation an understanding of the American legal system and the role of law in the United States. The LL.M. in Environmental Law and Policy gives J.D. holders the opportunity to concentrate in or enhance their knowledge of environmental law, energy law and land use law. The LL.M. in Business Law is designed to provide advanced business law and finance training to lawyers in areas of growing demand.

FSU also offers five concentrations for their 30-credit hour online master’s in law (Juris Master) program:

• Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Technology Risk Management
• Employment Law and HR Risk Management
• Financial Regulation and Compliance
• Health Care Regulation
• Legal Risk Management, Contracting, and Compliance

The University of Florida may have just been edged out by rival FSU, but it still has a top law school. UF offers both a JD degree and an LLM degree. The LLM program offers concentrations in International Taxation, Comparative Law, Land Use, Taxation, and Environmental Law. UF even offers an uncommon Doctor of Judicial Science (SJD) in Taxation.

Barry University is the first private law school on our list. It is one of two law schools in the Orlando area, with the other being Florida A&M’s program. As with Florida A&M, its main campus is located elsewhere (in Miami Shores). Barry University focuses its legal education on providing students with the greatest amount of practical experience possible. Students are able to attend on either a full-time or part-time basis.

Florida Coastal School of Law is the only for-profit law school on this list. Despite the questionable reputation of some for-profit law schools, Florida Coastal is a respectable institution. It is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) as are all the law schools on this list. All students are required to participate in pro bono legal work during their time in the program, which gives them both practical experience and a connection with the community. Florida Coastal’s law school is known for performing well in moot court competitions, which are essentially practice court cases.

The University of Miami is one of the most prestigious private universities in the state, so it comes as no surprise that its law school is highly ranked. It was founded in 1926, making it one of the oldest law schools in the state. Miami’s law school offers both JD and LLM degrees. Students can also complete a dual degree that combines the JD with a degree in Science, Maritime, Healthcare, International Law, Litigation, Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Business, Asset Management, Environment, Dispute Resolution, Public Affairs, Real Estate Development and in Social Justice and Public Interest.

Stetson University is another prestigious private institution with a long-standing law school. Its law school was opened in 1900, making it the oldest in the state. It is one of the most well-regarded law schools in Florida, but its pricy tuition does hurt its ranking on our list. Stetson focuses on getting its law students plenty of practical experience to prepare them for their careers Students can pursue their JD degrees on a part-time or full-time schedule.

St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens started up its law school in 1984. STU’s law school is known for its excellent facilities, with a mock court amphitheater, a law library, and a computer lab just for the law school. Students must pursue their JD degree full-time, as STU does not offer a part-time program.

Ave Maria University is a small Catholic university located in a small planned city called Ave Maria in Southwest Florida. Although the university does teach law from a Catholic perspective, students of all faiths are welcome. Students can pursue their JD degree on either a full-time or a part-time schedule.

Nova Southeastern University is well-known for its health sciences programs, but it also offers an accredited law school. Nova’s law school allows students to pursue a dual degree with the JD and a graduate degree in Business, Computer Science, or even Medicine. Students can pursue their law degree on either full-time or part-time schedules.