Top Law Schools

Why are or how can schools such as Stetson so poorly ranked "overall" nationally but have such a high "specialty/concentration" ranking? I only ask because I want to be a trial lawyer and one of my safety schools, safety in this case is due to the LSAT and GPA 75th and 25th percentile metrics, is Stetson (where I've been admitted), but I'm concerned that even if I do extremely well a Stetson degree will not translate across the nation as say a Vanderbilt or Georgetown degree due to its national (USNWR) ranking, yet it supposedly out ranks all schools for trial advocacy. In short, is the goal to obtain entrance into the highest "overall" ranked school as possible (which I feel is the obvious goal) or study at a place that is known for the legal field to which a law student intends to practice?

Specialty rankings don't matter. They're based exclusively on professors' publications in a given field and will have no impact on students' ability to get a job.

Outside the T13, all schools are regional. Stetson does not have nationwide pull, and no one outside of Stetson thinks of it as a "top school" for trial advocacy (or any other subject, for that matter). The "goal" is to get admitted to a school that will give you a reasonable shot at the career you want, where you want to work, for a price that you can reasonably pay back on your expected salary. So your goal school should be based on your career goals and where you want to work, not on the USNWR rankings.

Seconded, specialty rankings don't matter for students. Vandy and Georgetown are MUCH better schools than Stetson. Absent a full scholarship, and a desire to practice in Florida, Stetson is probably not worth attending.

It’s a gimmick to make people think TTTs such as this are worth attending