In the wake of the latest Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there are mounting speculations around the potential impact this conflict may have on the U.S. News Law School Rankings. The question arises due to certain reactions within the legal academia. Some law students and law professors publicly aligned themselves with either side of the conflict, prompting debates about the perceived quality of education at these institutions.
The stakes are high as demonstrable support for either side of this conflict has had repercussions. For instance, some law firms have rescinded job offers to students perceived as antisemitic for expressing support for Palestine. In response, over 40 major law firms penned a joint letter underscoring intolerance for Islamophobia, antisemitism and racism, implying that such behavior could be a disqualifier for aspiring candidates.
The upcoming U.S. News and World Report’s annual law school rankings, shaping a school’s score to heavily rely on peer assessment, naturally, raises the question of potential ‘review bombing.’ This term refers to the negative skewing of a product or establishment’s reviews, orchestrated by a large group in response to specific incidents. Given the polarizing nature of the Israeli-Palestinian issue, accusations of review bombing in this scenario would not be unusual.
It’s important to understand that the U.S. News Law School Rankings methodology has already undergone changes. They now assign more weight to post-graduate employment outcomes while diminishing the influence of a school’s reputation. Ironically, this decision was made just before the current conflict broke out. According to U.S. News, peer assessment now accounts for only 12.5% of a school’s score, down from 25%.
While a reduced score, in terms of peer assessment, could potentially cause a law school’s rank to rise or drop significantly, it’s worth remembering that respondents to the U.S. News survey, comprising legal professionals and scholars, are generally discerning. Therefore, their evaluation of a law school’s quality would likely factor in an understanding of an institution’s limited control over student actions and positions, particularly regarding highly contentious issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Even in a scenario where U.S. News perceives review bombing to taint the rankings, there are multiple avenues to address this issue. They could release the rankings as usual, include a disclaimer highlighting potential anomalies, or modify the ranking rules to reduce the impact of reputational scores further.
In conclusion, while the recent Israeli-Palestinian conflict has stirred debate and drawn attention to specific behaviors within the legal academia, these events may not significantly affect the U.S. News Law School Rankings. With the resolve to retain stability in their rankings, U.S. News will likely scrutinize the context carefully when assessing any shifts in scores.
The original article is written by Steven Chung, a tax attorney based in Los Angeles. Interested readers could connect with him via email, on Twitter, or on LinkedIn. Read the full article here.