preLaw Magazine gives Albany Law School ‘A’ in Business Law, ‘A-' in Criminal Law

Albany Law School is among the best law schools in the nation, “Producing practice-ready business lawyers,” according to preLaw Magazine.

Albany Law received an A rating in the magazine’s Fall 2021 issue for business law on the same level with Duke Law School, Georgetown University, and Yale Law School among others.

According to preLaw, “Business is brisk in America these days, and that means companies need more than just CEOs, COOs, accountants, consultants and marketing wizards. They need lawyers, be it for mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, international trade law or transactions. Business law is a broad field.”

“Over the past several years, our faculty have done an amazing job transforming our business and transactional law programming.  Today, in addition to our excellent set of core courses, we also offer a range of specialized courses and experiential opportunities,” said Christine Sgarlata Chung, the Gov. George E. Pataki Distinguished Professor of Law. Professor Chung is also the Director of Business Law Programming at Albany Law.

For example, Prof. Chung’s seminar on financial crimes and financial market regulation is covering a number of topics “ripped from the headlines," including the ongoing trial of former Theranos founder and chief executive Elizabeth Holmes and the use of SPACs (special purpose acquisition company) as a capital-raising alternative to a traditional initial public offering (IPO).

Students can also get business experience in the field at Albany Law by working in the Community Economic Development Clinic, the Field Placement, and/or the Semester-In-Practice Programs which are all part of The Justice Center at Albany Law School. 

Through online graduate degree options, including LL.M, Master's and Advance Certificate, Albany Law offers working professionals an opportunity to advance their careers through its fully-online Financial Compliance and Risk Management Program.  

“We are proud of the work that our faculty, students, and staff are doing to offer state-of-the-art business law programming,” Chung said.

In addition to the business rating, Albany Law received an A- for criminal law equal to marks earned by Columbia, Cornell and Stanford Law Schools among others.

“Criminal law is one of the more demanding specialties. The stakes can be high. Sometimes they are life and death. The top schools in this area seek to rectify injustice by training students to uphold the highest standards in whichever role they seek, be it prosecution or defense,” the magazine noted.

Beyond the classroom course work, the Justice Center – specifically the Family Violence Litigation Clinic and the Domestic Violence Prosecution Hybrid Clinic – offer students opportunities to learn in the field.

preLaw magazine grades law schools based on the breadth of curricular offerings in particular subject areas including:

• offering a concentration
• offering a clinic/center 
• providing externships 
• producing a journal
• having a dedicated student group
• awarding an academic certificate 
• added value for other offerings

Also in the magazine, Albany Law was also part of a feature story about law schools in state capitals in the United States where the publication noted that, “law schools in capital cities offer outstanding opportunities for students, including a wealth of high-profile externships.” 

Finally, Albany Law was part of a feature about independent law schools in the U.S. Albany Law is one of just 16 independent law schools in the country.