Northwestern is perhaps the most innovative school in Chicago, and is certainly one of the most prestigious. It has strived to create a learning environment that is centered on the needs of both the marketplace and employers, said Donald Rebstock, associate dean of strategic initiatives.
During the past years, it has been implementing changes derived from focus groups with 60 managing partners among the top U.S. and U.K. law firms.
The result is an action-orientated, focused approach to the law and legal education that helps students with the skills they will need immediately upon graduation, Rebstock said. The school has whopping 413 seats in law clinics available. The proof is in student feedback via publications like preLaw magazine, which gave Northwestern an A in practical training. It has a high percent of students employed 10 months after graduation— with 94.3 percent — which ranks among the top in the region.
Northwestern also is well known its JD/MBA program, the result of an intimate relationship between The Kellogg School and Northwestern Law. Plus, the core classes are accessible to every law student, which gives them a competitive advantage as well.
On the downside, it is the most expensive school in Chicago with tuition at $64,402, but you get what you pay for.