Albany Law School has been ranked the top school in the nation for government by National Jurist’s preLaw magazine. 

In the magazine’s 2025 back-to-school issue, a feature story on the broader theme of public service law details the many environments public service lawyers serve including legal aid groups, nonprofits, and government agencies—all of which are connected by “a commitment to advancing justice for individuals and communities who are often underserved or marginalized.”

“As the only law school located in New York State’s capital, Albany Law School benefits from unmatched proximity to state government institutions, including the governor’s office, legislature, courts and key agencies. We rank the law school No. 1 for Best School in Government,” magazine editors wrote. 

Patrick Wildes ’16, director of the Government Law Center at Albany Law School, shared insights with preLaw magazine about public service work and Albany Law’s advantage to offering a unique level of access to New York State’s government agencies, lawmakers, and beyond. 

“Not all public service legal careers are the same; public service is the umbrella,” Wildes said. “Underneath that, you have public interest work such as legal aid, community legal assistance and public defenders, and then you have government work, which includes local, state and federal jobs, as well as prosecutorial roles.”

“We want to prepare the next generation of government lawyers and leaders,” Wildes said. He told the magazine that government jobs remain in demand. “We haven’t seen a slowdown. If anything, many agencies are in desperate need of attorneys.”

Albany Law School’s employment numbers back up Wildes’ claim and contributed to the School’s top ranking, according to the magazine. With a 93 percent employment rate for the Class of 2024, many of those employed have landed in public service roles— 53% of Albany Law’s Class of 2024 entered public service, with 29% in government roles, 18% in public interest positions and 6% clerking for judges.

In addition to highlighting Albany Law’s proximity to government, the magazine made specific mention of the pathways offered to government service, including the Government Law Center Fellowship. Fellows receive mentorship from experienced government professionals, attend biweekly career talks, complete public service internships, and take targeted courses designed to prepare them for government work.

“Ultimately, a lot of students are drawn to law school because they want to help people,” Wildes said. “Even if they don’t know the exact job title yet, they know that public service offers a way to do that.”

The magazine also categorizes criminal law, including public defenders and prosecutors, under the public service realm. Albany Law School was ranked fifth in the nation for criminal law.