Top Law Schools

Hello TLSers,

With both Rutgers and SHU being in-state tuition, which do you think is a better option for someone interested in primarily NJ/possibly NYC market?

I'm interested in pursuing a state/local clerkship after graduation, and then working in a law firm afterwards. I have interned with a fed. judge and definitely want to clerk locally after graduation. I've also worked in a small firm, and can see myself practicing in employment, discrimination, or family law afterwards.

Will Rutgers and SHU produce the same outcomes? Any advice is appreciated!

Are you financing with loans? NJ law school grads often go a long time in low paying gigs/doc review.

LSAT/GPA? Total COA at each school? How are you financing your costs?

Half loans and my parents are paying for other half. I will also be commuting.

dedward wrote:Half loans and my parents are paying for other half. I will also be commuting.

Ok, so what's your actual COA? People are looking for a firm number of some kind, because too much debt from these schools could be crippling.

Around 37k of debt. I really want to practice in north NJ though, possibly NYC.

dedward wrote:Around 37k of debt. I really want to practice in north NJ though, possibly NYC.

Then it sounds like you'll be better off at Seton Hall. They have better employment stats in general. Just don't count on being able to work in NYC, and definitely don't count on a job at a larger firm or a federal clerkship.

One thing to consider with Rutgers is that you can bid on both OCIs and you may take classes on both campuses. It's not always feasible, but I know several students who have taken classes on both campuses. The outcomes are going to be pretty much the same for RU and SH. Since the price is the same, choose whichever one you like more.

Yeah I think I'm going with Seton Hall due to better employment numbers, higher rankings, and its smaller class size.

dedward wrote:Yeah I think I'm going with Seton Hall due to better employment numbers, higher rankings, and its smaller class size.

Curious how you have liked SHU so far?

Honestly I love it so far. The school works extremely hard to make sure 1L have secured 1L summer employment. I managed to get a SA position this summer so I’m pretty excited about that. Overall, it’s a small tight knit community, the students are friendly, professors are top notch, and the career service center has been great. Newark is the obvious and largest downside to the school.

Yeah, across the street from Penn Station on the NE Corridor, 20 mins from lower Manhattan, surrounded by NJ's biggest law firms, and all of the NJ and federal courts, is just horrible.

Seton and Rutgers Law both have underrated locations. FWIW Rutgers' location is near tons of recently- and under-construction developments, so it's actually getting somewhat nice, hard to believe. Seton's is by a big highway and a little less cozy, I get it, but it's still super convenient.

You should be a better spokesperson for this side of the Hudson. Glad your choice has worked out thus far.

dedward wrote:Honestly I love it so far. The school works extremely hard to make sure 1L have secured 1L summer employment. I managed to get a SA position this summer so I’m pretty excited about that. Overall, it’s a small tight knit community, the students are friendly, professors are top notch, and the career service center has been great. Newark is the obvious and largest downside to the school.

Is there a reason for the high rate of State Clerkships - like 90 graduates last year.....? Did anyone go up for Federal Clerkships?

KPUSN07 wrote:

dedward wrote:Honestly I love it so far. The school works extremely hard to make sure 1L have secured 1L summer employment. I managed to get a SA position this summer so I’m pretty excited about that. Overall, it’s a small tight knit community, the students are friendly, professors are top notch, and the career service center has been great. Newark is the obvious and largest downside to the school.

Is there a reason for the high rate of State Clerkships - like 90 graduates last year.....? Did anyone go up for Federal Clerkships?

In NJ, the common route to practice is to take a year long clerkship first. Every superior court (not municipal/traffic court) judge has at least one clerk for a year long term. I've never met a former clerk that could not secure halfway decent employment post-clerkship, FYI.

superbloom wrote:

KPUSN07 wrote:

dedward wrote:Honestly I love it so far. The school works extremely hard to make sure 1L have secured 1L summer employment. I managed to get a SA position this summer so I’m pretty excited about that. Overall, it’s a small tight knit community, the students are friendly, professors are top notch, and the career service center has been great. Newark is the obvious and largest downside to the school.

Is there a reason for the high rate of State Clerkships - like 90 graduates last year.....? Did anyone go up for Federal Clerkships?

In NJ, the common route to practice is to take a year long clerkship first. Every superior court (not municipal/traffic court) judge has at least one clerk for a year long term. I've never met a former clerk that could not secure halfway decent employment post-clerkship, FYI.

Interesting - I guess my only other question is why not the higher percentage / number of federal clerkships? Are SHU grads not as competitive? Where / what do post NJ state clerkships practice / go? Big Law a better possibility in NJ or NYC?

No.. didnt mean that the wrong way. Newark is definitely an awesome location with tons of career opportunities. By largest downside I meant that it has some sketchy areas, and obviously just don’t go exploring and you will be fine. As for state and local clerkships, the above posters are correct. It’s pretty much a norm in NJ to clerk, and from what I can tell, a large percentage of grads end up working in the large NJ firm’s after clerkships like Lowenstein, McElroy Deutsch and Mullvaney, Mccarter, Gibbons, Epstein, etc... It just
seems that the top of the class (~ top 15%) get to cruise into them right after graduation. So in reality SHU has ~30% of grads (or more) in large NJ firms 1-2 years after graduation.

I've been accepted to SHU - but the fact that many, many graduates go to state clerkships made me pause... Why no federal clerkships - is SHU not competitive? I appreciate the background information on most NJ law graduates clerk - I was not aware of that type of legal culture within the state. I am not opposed to that path either and it seems like a good way to start understanding the legal profession.

KPUSN07 wrote:I've been accepted to SHU - but the fact that many, many graduates go to state clerkships made me pause... Why no federal clerkships - is SHU not competitive? I appreciate the background information on most NJ law graduates clerk - I was not aware of that type of legal culture within the state. I am not opposed to that path either and it seems like a good way to start understanding the legal profession.

It's not "no federal clerkships." Certainly a few get them (there were several SHU students in the Newark federal courthouse). But it isn't many recently, I guess.