Jacksonville University College of Law earned a Top 14 national ranking for first-time bar passage, according to a new ranking published by TaxProf Blog, using data from the American Bar Association. The ranking places JU among elite law schools across the country for preparing graduates to pass the bar on their first attempt.
This milestone builds on a year of exciting momentum for the College of Law. JU's inaugural class achieved a 91.7% pass rate in Florida and 92.3% for out-of-state results on the July 2025 General Bar Examination, the second-highest rate among all Florida law schools. Now, with the class of 2025 data elevating the school to 14th in the nation, Jacksonville University has established itself as one of the most effective bar preparation programs in the country.
"This national ranking is not surprising for those who know our law school. It reflects the excellence and hard work of our students and faculty, academic and career support team, and university leadership," said founding Dean Nick Allard. "By design, our hands-on, small-class, forward-looking curriculum and extensive community engagement with the First Coast's remarkable bench, bar, employers, and the people our graduates serve are powerful drivers of the successful launch of meaningful legal careers."
"While this ranking reflects only our first graduating class, it speaks to what our students and faculty have built together in a very short time," said Dr. Courtney Barclay, executive director of JU’s College of Law. "Strong bar results reflect the hard work, preparation, and support that define our approach to legal education. More importantly, our students are leaving the College of Law ready to serve clients, contribute to their communities, and build meaningful legal careers."
The results reflect an institutional philosophy that has been in place since the college opened its doors. That standard — demanding, specific, and student-centered — has shaped every dimension of the college's curriculum, faculty culture and academic support infrastructure.
"No ranking methodology that boils down a complex multifaceted institution like a law school into a time-stamped single numerical position on a hierarchical list offers a complete picture of a school’s relative strengths. It’s at best a piece of data to be combined with other relevant information,” said Allard. “For our new, ambitiously innovative program of legal education to be ranked highly among so many famously outstanding peers is encouraging news that we are on the right track.”
For prospective law students, this ranking offers a clear signal. Three years after opening its doors, Jacksonville University College of Law has earned a place among the nation’s best in preparing graduates to pass the bar. Learn more at ju.edu/law.
