A new article, “The Top 100 Legal Scholars of 2024” co-authored by Rob Willey and Melanie Knapp highlights the strength of WashU Law’s faculty, ranking the school as one of the best in the nation for the number of faculty featured among the 100 most-cited legal scholars. The article recognizes scholars in two categories, most-cited authors and a separate ranking that considers the impact of co-authorship.
Professors Daniel Epps (#78 and #84), Benjamin Levin (#42 and #22), and Neil Richards (#88 and #92) were recognized for their influence in legal academia. Being named to the top 100 places these three scholars in an elite tier of academics bringing innovative perspectives and novel theories to the field.
Earning a place on this list is a significant honor. From the abstract: “Overall, the article contributes a ranking based on a unique methodology, while providing an analysis of the current landscape of legal scholarship rankings. It also offers valuable insights for scholars seeking to enhance their impact and for institutions aiming to support their faculty’s scholarly endeavors. It should be of interest to anyone looking to identify today’s top legal scholars.”
The sole-author ranking is based in part on citations to law review articles published in the HeinOnline Law Journal Library from 2018 through 2020. This approach prioritizes recent impact over career-long citations, ensuring that the ranking reflects those scholars who are currently producing the most influential work. A separate methodology includes a variation on the ranking to factor for co-authorship. View the complete lists here.
Beyond individual rankings, this year’s report also highlights law schools with the most scholars on the list, with WashU Law securing the #5 spot with four other schools.
Please join us in congratulating Professors Epps, Levin, and Richards and extending our gratitude for representing WashU Law with their remarkable scholarship.