Law school reputation is a subjective quality, usually based on other subjective qualities and usually measured in national rankings and local prestige.
Why are law school rankings so important?
Every year, magazines publish issues devoted to law school rankings in the United States. These are the rankings that people talk about for law schools.
They look at subjective factors like ratings by academics, lawyers and judges, as well as statistical data like LSAT (Law School Aptitude Test) scores, bar passage rates, and acceptance and rejection rates.
It conducts opinion polls and gathers statistics on average LSAT scores and undergraduate grade point averages (GPAs). Employers often use a university’s law school ranking to determine if it merits an on-campus interviewing visit.
And, in a chicken and egg way, the fact that the law firms are paying more attention to those law schools leads to better applicants at those schools, since that’s where law students see good career prospects.
How are schools ranked?
A top school offers advantages in the form of portability of degree. Students who attend national schools typically have an easier time finding jobs in different geographical regions than do those coming from schools with a lower law school ranking. A national school may also have highly regarded faculty.
Name isn’t everything
Of course, many successful corporate lawyers haven’t gone to Harvard or Yale. A local school can be an excellent strategic and financially sound decision, especially for someone who knows the geographic area in which he wants to practice. And all firms hire from the top of their local school class. 
If you’re lucky enough to get into several schools with good programs in areas of law which interest you, then you can not depend on law school rankings and just think about personal comfort. This is where money and location come into play.
