The National Jurist gave Elon Law an “A” in its “Justice & Opportunity” ratings, listing the school in its inaugural honor roll for student access, persistence and professional support. Elon Law is the only law school in North Carolina listed by the influential legal journal.
Elon University School of Law has been recognized among the nation’s top law schools that are growing access to legal education and opportunity by an influential legal journal.
Elon Law received an “A,” the highest rating in the National Jurist’s inaugural “Justice & Opportunity Honor Roll” of law schools expanding access and success. Elon Law is among 21 schools to earn an “A” nationally. It is the only law school in North Carolina named to the honor roll and among only three in the Southeast recognized in the list.
Schools were evaluated for the unranked list based on the scope and maturity of their programs, including evidence of scale and measurable impact. According to the National Jurist, institutions rated at an “A” demonstrate “multiple, well-established access strategies that work together to lower barriers to entry and persistence. The Honor Roll is a recognition of meaningful action at a moment when access pathways matter more than ever.”
Elon Law’s distinctive academic model was singled out, noting that its 2.5-year J.D. program and the part-time Flex Program in Charlotte “reduce cost and widen access” to legal education.
The recognition reflects Elon Law’s continued focus on removing barriers to the legal profession while preparing students for practice through hands-on learning.
“Elon Law is the access law school. It’s who we are, and it’s in everything we do,” said Dean of Elon Law Zak Kramer. “Our job is to open the door to the legal profession and prepare students to walk through it ready to serve with skill, integrity and purpose.”
The school’s accelerated 2.5-year J.D. program in Greensboro allows students to complete their degree more quickly and enter the profession sooner than traditional law programs. The Flex Program in Charlotte provides a part-time evening pathway designed for working professionals and place-bound students seeking greater flexibility.
Elon University and Elon Law have applied to the American Bar Association to launch a full-time, 2.5-year J.D. program in Charlotte beginning in Fall 2027.
The Honor Roll recognition complements Elon Law’s strong national reputation for experiential learning. Elon Law is the only law school in North Carolina to earn an A+ rating for Practical Training from PreLaw Magazine, the National Jurist’s sister publication. Elon Law has placed in the top 10 with an A+ rating annually since 2023 in the top 10 nationally every year since 2023.
Together, these distinctions highlight Elon Law’s commitment to expanding access to legal education while ensuring graduates enter the profession with the skills and experience needed to serve clients and communities.
About Elon Law
Elon Law is the preeminent school for engaged and experiential learning in law. With a focus on learning by doing, it integrates traditional classroom instruction with a required residency-in-practice field placement for all full-time students during the winter or spring of their second year. The law school’s distinctive full-time curriculum provides a logically sequenced program of professional preparation and is accomplished in 2.5 years, which offers exceptional value by lowering tuition and permitting graduates early entry into their careers.
Elon Law has graduated nearly 2,000 alumni since opening its doors in 2006. Its annual enrollment now tops 540 students. The law school is regularly featured in PreLaw Magazine’s “Best Schools for Practical Training” rankings, maintaining an A+ rating and Top 10 placement annually since 2023. Elon Law was also among schools highlighted by Bloomberg Law in 2023 for its innovative approach to student development.
In downtown Greensboro, the Elon Law campus spans several buildings within a two-block radius adjacent to the judicial hub of central North Carolina. Courts a short walk from the law school include the U.S. District Court and U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. Several branches of the North Carolina General Court of Justice, including the Superior, District, Drug Treatment, Mental Health and Small Claims Courts, are within walking distance. Dozens of large, medium and small law firms, as well as municipal offices, are likewise located nearby.
Elon Law is one of only a handful of law schools in the nation to house a working court with the North Carolina Business Court hearing cases in the Robert E. Long Courtroom on the Greensboro campus. The Long Courtroom annually hosts oral arguments of the North Carolina Court of Appeals and has twice welcomed the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
In Charlotte, the Elon Law Flex Program — a part-time, in-person J.D. program for working professionals and place-bound students, launched in fall 2024. Housed at Elon University’s national campus in Charlotte, the Flex Program is designed to be completed in just under four years. It enrolled its second cohort in fall 2025.