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Article

Abstract

This Article offers two narratives about how we might identify and pursue our law school missions. The first is a partly satirical and partly serious discussion about the obsessive need for law schools to chase rankings and fame. It suggests that the stated mission of many law schools is trumped by the real mission—to become famous (highly ranked)—and that this disconnect prevents such law schools from creating important and innovative mission-based education programs that serve students and the larger public interest. The second narrative addresses the question of whether there is room for a law school that chooses a different path. It explicitly raises the question: is it okay to be a lower-ranked law school? The Article recommends strategies for schools that might wish to escape the rankings game and concludes by asserting that many law schools will have a difficult time adapting to modern challenges if they are motivated primarily by what U.S. News & World Report deems important.

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