UNLV Boyd School of Law ranked 68 out of 194 accredited law schools, according to the U.S. News & World Report 2014 edition of the best graduate schools and specialty programs released today. It was the highest Boyd School of Law ever placed on the list, climbing eight spots from last year.

"For a school that is two years away from being old enough to drive, this upward trend in the rankings is nice to see," said Nancy B. Rapoport, interim dean at the Boyd School of Law. "Although we're naturally quite happy to see our ranking improve, it's important to remember that the reputation ranking is based on very small sample sizes--and that the reputation ranking accounts for 40 percent of a school's total score. What a potential student should watch is the bar passage rate and the placement rate - two items that are of utmost importance to someone considering law school."

The Boyd School of Law has been among the top 100 law schools in the nation for seven consecutive years.

The law school also tied for third in the nation for its legal writing program, maintaining its position from last year. The Lawyering Process Program emphasizes professionalism and prepares students to enter the workforce proficient in the key language skills of legal practice.

The law school also ranked 11th in the dispute resolution rankings. Established in 2003, the Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution is dedicated to advancing education in the field of alternative dispute resolution and provides a venue for advanced study of the nature of conflict and the methods through which conflicts may be resolved. The Center received the prestigious Ninth Circuit ADR Education Award in 2008.

"What's particularly gratifying is that, unlike the 'regular' U.S. News rankings, the specialty rankings are based on the evaluations of our peers in those categories," said Rapoport.

Among part-time law programs, UNLV's law school ranked 24th out of 82 accredited law schools. Fewer than half of the country's law schools offer part-time programs, which generally take four years to complete.

The Boyd School of Law

The William S. Boyd School of Law has more than 450 students and offers three juris doctor degree programs: a full-time day program, a part-time day program, and a part-time evening program. The school also offers three dual-degree programs: a J.D./MBA, a J.D./M.S.W. and a J.D./Ph.D. It is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and a member of the American Association of Law Schools - accomplishments it achieved in record time.

A complete list of rankings is available at U.S. News & World Report.