New Mexican Law Forum

[scrowell]

Hey guys,

I've been the creator of a few threads already, but I figured I'd start another one up since this issue has been lingering in my mind for some time now:

As some of you may know, I will be attending law school in New York this coming academic season. However, since I made the decision to attend, the idea of living/working in New Mexico has begun to appeal to me. Granted, I've never even been there, but from what I've seen in pictures, it seems like a cool place. Not to mention that hot, dry climate-that'll extend my life expectancy for sure! Inspired, I did some research on craigslist, and whadayaknow, housing is DIRT CHEAP! I'm talking sweet 3 bedroom houses for like $150k in Albuquerque, a major city.

Example: --LinkRemoved--

So here's my dilemma: After mulling things over, I think I'd like to spend a portion of my life down in good ole NM! HOWEVER, as many of you will tell me, law schools, especially lower ranking ones, are largely "REGIONAL", meaning it would be tough for me to find a job in New Mexico after going to school in NY. I know I'll be happy in NY for a while-I'm looking forward to starting at my school and I even envision myself working here for a while, but I know NM will be calling my name in due time. So without further adieu, here are my questions: does New Mexico have room for a lawyer like me? Or will I be living in New York for the rest of my life? Will I be able to just shoot down there after graduation and land a job? (Don't worry, I'm not looking for anything fancy, I'd be very happy in public interest, or even in what the classy people on this board call "pooplaw" (I don't curse, sorry guys)). Or will it be wiser to go for a New Mexican job if I get some solid WE here in NYC first?

Thanks everyone!

Oh, feedback from anyone working/living in NM would be GREATLY appreciated, especially regarding the bar exam. Is it hard down there? Thanks again!

[shoeshine]

Are you going to a T1 school in NY? (For example: Columbia, NYU, Cornell, Fordham) Rank really makes a difference when you are evaluating the portability of a law degree.

But if you are willing to accept any job I am sure you would be fine either way.

[scrowell]

Are you going to a T1 school in NY? (For example: Columbia, NYU, Cornell, Fordham) Rank really makes a difference when you are evaluating the portability of a law degree.

But if you are willing to accept any job I am sure you would be fine either way.

Hey thanks very much for the feedback. I'm actually going to CUNY, but that's encouraging! Thank you!

[seatown12]

Trying way too hard.

[sundance95]

Trying way too hard.

+1. Exclamation points are a dead giveaway.

[fanmingrui]

OP, you make me smile. If I was a hiring partner in NM and you were a real person, I'd hire you.

[descartesb4thehorse]

I was only there for 48 hours, but after watching Crazy Heart again (sigh...) I applied to UNM and got a sweet scholly but my family threw a fit the size of Texas. My brother who went to a TTTT tells me I need to go to the best scholarship school I get and my mom tells me to sink 200k into a diploma because "it can never leave you." (Neither can the debt.)

Anyways, I'm off-track. I'm sure firemed will help you out cause he's a soon-to-be UNM 1L.

[theavrock]

If not a flame...

If you want to work in NM go to a T-14 or go to UNM.

New Mexicans are very New Mexican oriented. I've lived in ABQ for the last two years and one thing I can tell you about this city is that they take care of their own and breaking in from the outside is tough. I would assume even more so in the legal profession

I love ABQ and will miss a lot of things about it when I move back home. You're right, housing is absolutely dirt cheap. There is some amazing food here. The weather is fantastic and if you like the outdoors its hard to beat. PM me with any specific questions.

There is another poster on here from ABQ that attends CU who might be able to chime in more, as I believe he was born and raised in NM.

[scrowell]

Hey guys, thanks for the responses!

seatown and sundance: don't mistake enthusiasm for "try hard-ing"!
fanmingrui: You just made me smile ! I'd hire you too!
descartesb4thehorse: What did you decide? And BTW, Arrested rules! Why should you go to jail for a crime someone else noticed?
theavrock: Thanks for the info...hmmm, wish I had considered UNM. But hey, I guess if I know I want to go there sooner, I can always try to transfer! And it's awesome to here from someone that's lived there that it's a cool place! Thanks!

[ndirish2010]

Sorry OP, pretty bad flame. I've seen worse, though.

[andythefir]

If real: lived my whole life in NM and leaving the state for law school. UNM has an absolute stranglehold on the legal market in the state, with some exceptions for AZ, AZ state and Texas Tech. Something to keep in mind is that the legal market is severely limited, with no huge companies and folks from the area getting jobs via referral (you need a will and someone you went to high school with or your nephew happens to work in a firm). The exception could be Native American law, but wouldn’t you know it UNM has one of the highest ranked native law programs. Some people love it here, some people hate it. Food is awesome, but we got >14” of snow in a few days in February and literally no precipitation since. It also gets pretty cold in the winters if anyone is expecting year-round summer. Also, don’t be surprised by dirt cheap real estate anywhere these days. As for long-term committing to NM (which is what a UNM degree is) the schools are awful, crime is substantial and politics can be toxic (our last governor was relieved from Obama’s cabinet for corruption). Like I said, some people love it. NY to NM is a huge change so definitely check out the state before committing to anything.

[scrowell]

If real: lived my whole life in NM and leaving the state for law school. UNM has an absolute stranglehold on the legal market in the state, with some exceptions for AZ, AZ state and Texas Tech. Something to keep in mind is that the legal market is severely limited, with no huge companies and folks from the area getting jobs via referral (you need a will and someone you went to high school with or your nephew happens to work in a firm). The exception could be Native American law, but wouldn’t you know it UNM has one of the highest ranked native law programs. Some people love it here, some people hate it. Food is awesome, but we got >14” of snow in a few days in February and literally no precipitation since. It also gets pretty cold in the winters if anyone is expecting year-round summer. Also, don’t be surprised by dirt cheap real estate anywhere these days. As for long-term committing to NM (which is what a UNM degree is) the schools are awful, crime is substantial and politics can be toxic (our last governor was relieved from Obama’s cabinet for corruption). Like I said, some people love it. NY to NM is a huge change so definitely check out the state before committing to anything.

Oh wow, thanks a lot for the info my friend. Looks like I'll have to check it out in person at some point. Hopefully I can get some sort of summer internship or job there during LS, that would give me a good idea of whether or not I'd actually want to live there. And I was expecting year round summers, dang it. I know it's a pretty big state though, does it get cold in every part? I can't imagine the weather being too bad in the southwestern part of the state. Again, I appreciate the info.

AND THIS IS NOT A FLAME!!!!!!!!!!! (sorry for the informal tone, this isn't a job interview, it's an internet forum)

[AreJay711]

Sooo... you've never been to NM but want to spend your life there? lol ok

6/10 troll

[JamMasterJ]

Sorry OP, pretty bad flame. I've seen worse, though.

http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 1&t=123652

[PitchO20]

Hilarious. Bravo.

[Gemini]

As some of you may know

I don't think anyone here knows.

[blueprint87]

OP, UNM does have a pretty good lock on the state. However, it won't necessarily be hard to break in with an outside degree. It helps if you have ties though. You'll want to have a good reason to tell employers why you want to be here. I was born and raised in Albuquerque but am attending Wisconsin-Madison right now and have had luck working this summer in NM and plan to come back. Let me know if you have any questions.

[JamMasterJ]

OP, UNM does have a pretty good lock on the state. However, it won't necessarily be hard to break in with an outside degree. It helps if you have ties though. You'll want to have a good reason to tell employers why you want to be here. I was born and raised in Albuquerque but am attending Wisconsin-Madison right now and have had luck working this summer in NM and plan to come back. Let me know if you have any questions.

OP has never been to NM, and the school he's attending has ZERO portability

[andythefir]

Still, there is something to be said for having information on NM law on a searchable forum. To address specific questions: in places like Las Cruces it gets a little cold, but is sunny roughly 350 days a year. The catch: there really aren’t a lot of people in that region and the people who are there are from families who have been there for hundreds of years. Seriously, huge numbers of people in NM are from families who were grandfathered into the United States when NM became a state and given the virtually nonexistent legal market in the small towns preference will be given to someone from the region. Secondly, with the exception of a JAG internship or maybe a federal agency that hires other transplants I would be shocked if someone without roots in NM got any legal internships in the state. Folks don’t call it the “land of entrapment” for nothing. If someone is serious about transplanting they’ve got to cultivate some roots.

[scrowell]

Blueprint: Thanks for the info, that's certainly encouraging! Just curious-how are you finding out about these positions? Through your school? Craigslist? I'd be interested to know. I'll have to ask my career services office if they have any connections to NM.

JamMaster: Don't speak too soon. Check out these stats: --LinkRemoved--

Gemini: JamMasterJ know! Tell him/her JamMasterJ! I'm actually a Gemini too, so I won't hold it against you (I joined TLS on my 21st B-Day!)

To Everyone Else: If you can think of a good way to explain to employers (in a sincere way) why I would want to work in NM, I'd appreciate it!

ALL FLAME COMMENTS WILL BE IGNORED!

Thank you.

[JamMasterJ]

You're giving me info that states that 10% of graduates leave the area, AND you're citing pre-ITE info?
How is this supposed to prove me wrong?

[scrowell]

Still, there is something to be said for having information on NM law on a searchable forum. To address specific questions: in places like Las Cruces it gets a little cold, but is sunny roughly 350 days a year. The catch: there really aren’t a lot of people in that region and the people who are there are from families who have been there for hundreds of years. Seriously, huge numbers of people in NM are from families who were grandfathered into the United States when NM became a state and given the virtually nonexistent legal market in the small towns preference will be given to someone from the region. Secondly, with the exception of a JAG internship or maybe a federal agency that hires other transplants I would be shocked if someone without roots in NM got any legal internships in the state. Folks don’t call it the “land of entrapment” for nothing. If someone is serious about transplanting they’ve got to cultivate some roots.

Well I'd be psyched to get a federal job, so I would totally be up for that. What's a JAG internship? And Las Cruces sounds great! Check this out, looks awesome: http://www.visualtour.com/applets/flash ... gslist.org

[scrowell]

You're giving me info that states that 10% of graduates leave the area, AND you're citing pre-ITE info?
How is this supposed to prove me wrong?

Wasn't the economy worse in 09? And I don't think 10% is too bad, especially considering the school and its demographics. Most students are older, and possibly even have families, so it's unlikely that they'll leave the immediate area.

[JamMasterJ]

You're giving me info that states that 10% of graduates leave the area, AND you're citing pre-ITE info?
How is this supposed to prove me wrong?

Wasn't the economy worse in 09? And I don't think 10% is too bad, especially considering the school and its demographics. Most students are older, and possibly even have families, so it's unlikely that they'll leave the immediate area.

07 is 10-12%.

[scrowell]

You're giving me info that states that 10% of graduates leave the area, AND you're citing pre-ITE info?
How is this supposed to prove me wrong?

Wasn't the economy worse in 09? And I don't think 10% is too bad, especially considering the school and its demographics. Most students are older, and possibly even have families, so it's unlikely that they'll leave the immediate area.

07 is 10-12%.

The numbers are similar for 09. And I may be way off, but I think most people who go to school in NYC would stay there by choice, so I think the fact that very few leave doesn't necessarily say a lot.