Belmont College of Law recognized for highest bar passage rate in the state

Vanderbilt University continues to set the bar for law schools in the south, but another university down the road is nearing that benchmark.

Belmont University’s College of Law was recently recognized for the highest bar passage rate for first time takers in the state of Tennessee for the second year in a row, as reported by the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners.

Additionally, Belmont Law was ranked No. 12 in the top 50 law schools for first time bar passage rates, according to an Above the Law report in partnership with Themis Bar review.

“I’m very proud of this effort, credit goes to the faculty and support from the university for helping establish a first-grade law school,” said Dean of the Law School Alberto Gonzales.

According to the Tennessee Board of Law examiners, 69 of the 71 graduates from Belmont Law passed the bar exam, leading in the state with a 97.18 percent pass rate.

Beyond a high bar passage rate, in 2018 Belmont Law also scored a record-breaking employment rate of 96 percent upon graduation.

For first-year law student Nazif Minaj, Belmont’s prestige served as a major factor in his decision to attend the university, he explained.

“I felt confident after graduation Belmont would be in my best interest for both bar passage and employment. Our numbers are impressive,” said Minaj.

As Belmont Law strives to continue ranking high in both bar passage rates and employment placement, the university is looking to attract strong students and dedicated faculty, said Gonzales.

“A combination of good students and strong faculty is how we keep with our vision of producing great lawyers,” he said.

This article written by Marissa Avnaim. Photo by Sam Simpkins.