U. Maryland vs. U. Baltimore

[reza9333]

U. Baltimore w a full scholarship, or U. Maryland w in-state tuition. I'll be staying and hopefully practicing in MD, and my understanding is Baltimore has a strong reputation in the MD area. Anyone have any experience w either of these schools? or know how they place comparatively throughout the MD, DC, NOVA area? I'm not asking for random opinions, I would like to hear from people who have dealt w either of these schools, thank you

[ZXCVBNM]

I had a full scholly at balt and in state at MD. GO TO MARYLAND. It will be much harder to get a job out of baltimore. It will be hard enough even if you do well at maryland.

[MrOrange]

I had a full scholly at balt and in state at MD. GO TO MARYLAND. It will be much harder to get a job out of baltimore. It will be hard enough even if you do well at maryland.

TITCR.

UBalt. is a local government feeder...nothing more.

[debbiestevens]

I don't know about U. Baltimore, as I did not apply, but U. Maryland has horrible odds for landing jobs in DC. Career services said top 5% (and extracurriculars like law review/moot court) to get a firm job in DC. I imagine Baltimore is even worse odds.

[AbsolutLax]

Def Baltimore...its a much better school

[lawlover829]

U Maryland.
Start a poll.

[hoffb86]

MARYLAND.... no question. Maryland DOMINATES the state of Maryland and is a well known university outside the state (note, that doesn't mean it will place that well elsewhere, but after established in a career, it will get you farther). Maryland, does place some graduates in DC firms (I think this year it was very low, like 5%, but averages top 10-15%).

So yeah, I would go to Maryland, MUCH better prospects that U. Balt. Good luck.

Note: I am going to maryland, just to be open about my bias.

[typodragon]

UBalt. is a local government feeder...nothing more.

TITCR

UBalt is something of a joke even in baltimore. it's the community college of law schools.

[patrickd139]

U Maryland.
Start a poll.

+1

[nifer327]

Edit

[danielfgator]

Maryland

[thuggishruggishbone]

What do you want to do when you get out? BIGLAW? DA?

I had the same choice one year ago. I chose to go with UB. I ended up top of my class and am now transferring up. I got into GULC(ea) and am applying a few additional places.

UB has a bad reputation outside the state of MD. Within MD, especially if you are going into government work (think SA), its students do well. Not much BigLaw, but it's possible within Baltimore with a very high GPA. In B-more, Venable, Whiteford, Hogan and Hartson all take UB students.

The caliber of the professors was also very impressive. With the exception of maybe two, I was very happy and satisfied. If I had aspirations of being a prosecutor or public defender, no doubt would I be staying. I'd like to go into BIGLAW however, which is the only reason I'm looking to transfer out.

If you have any other questions, PM me. I'd be happy to help out anyway I can.

Biglaw aspirations? I would not go to either school, then. Retake

[rasal45]

Maryland

Umm...It's a much better deal to go Biglaw in Bmore. The "Big 3" pay the same scale as their DC offices, and the cost of living is 20-30% less. Look at Hogan and Hartson's Baltimore associates, almost the whole office is from Maryland. Same goes for Venable and Piper (those two also hire from UBalt).

They may as well give you 20-30% more money for doing the same indentured servitude, plus you get to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond. Hmm...more money and more notoriety, plus less traffic.

Yeah, that sounds like it really sucks.

[hithere]

Maryland

Umm...It's a much better deal to go Biglaw in Bmore. The "Big 3" pay the same scale as their DC offices, and the cost of living is 20-30% less. Look at Hogan and Hartson's Baltimore associates, almost the whole office is from Maryland. Same goes for Venable and Piper (those two also hire from UBalt).

They may as well give you 20-30% more money for doing the same indentured servitude, plus you get to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond. Hmm...more money and more notoriety, plus less traffic.

Yeah, that sounds like it really sucks.

You're assuming that if you go to Maryland, you will be getting biglaw. However, 95% of the class at Maryland will not be getting the plush biglaw gig upon graduation. The alternative is the shitlaw gig paying $40,000 a year--which is simply not worth 3 years toiling away in law school.

[hoffb86]

Maryland

Umm...It's a much better deal to go Biglaw in Bmore. The "Big 3" pay the same scale as their DC offices, and the cost of living is 20-30% less. Look at Hogan and Hartson's Baltimore associates, almost the whole office is from Maryland. Same goes for Venable and Piper (those two also hire from UBalt).

They may as well give you 20-30% more money for doing the same indentured servitude, plus you get to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond. Hmm...more money and more notoriety, plus less traffic.

Yeah, that sounds like it really sucks.

You're assuming that if you go to Maryland, you will be getting biglaw. However, 95% of the class at Maryland will not be getting the plush biglaw gig upon graduation. The alternative is the shitlaw gig paying $40,000 a year--which is simply not worth 3 years toiling away in law school.

that is not the alternative.... shitlaw is not the alternative... get a life already, these posters that say "biglaw or shitlaw," with nothing else, really have worn me out on TLS. There is midlaw, which happens to be hugely profitable right now, not to mention boutiques, corporations, and at maryland health and environmental agencies, and the 5% in biglaw this year out of maryland was very low compared to their usually 10-15% (yes i realize that is still not great).

[jcwilsn1]

Maryland

Umm...It's a much better deal to go Biglaw in Bmore. The "Big 3" pay the same scale as their DC offices, and the cost of living is 20-30% less. Look at Hogan and Hartson's Baltimore associates, almost the whole office is from Maryland. Same goes for Venable and Piper (those two also hire from UBalt).

They may as well give you 20-30% more money for doing the same indentured servitude, plus you get to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond. Hmm...more money and more notoriety, plus less traffic.

Yeah, that sounds like it really sucks.

You're assuming that if you go to Maryland, you will be getting biglaw. However, 95% of the class at Maryland will not be getting the plush biglaw gig upon graduation. The alternative is the shitlaw gig paying $40,000 a year--which is simply not worth 3 years toiling away in law school.

that is not the alternative.... shitlaw is not the alternative... get a life already, these posters that say "biglaw or shitlaw," with nothing else, really have worn me out on TLS. There is midlaw, which happens to be hugely profitable right now, not to mention boutiques, corporations, and at maryland health and environmental agencies, and the 5% in biglaw this year out of maryland was very low compared to their usually 10-15% (yes i realize that is still not great).

come on hoff, its biglaw ---> shitlaw -----> mcdonalds

[hoffb86]

come on hoff, its biglaw ---> shitlaw -----> mcdonalds

(i know you are kidding with this)

but....

it's frustrating hearing this when it is simply not the case. and people are just so unwilling to explore the various avenues of legal practice.

If these individuals thoughts hold true, then apparently my father is not a lawyer? (which he is, and a damn good one at that) Or that the countless successful midlaw firms I interact with on a daily basis don't exist? Or that the articles about midlaw are just making stuff up about their success? The environmental and healthcare policy-makers, administrators, etc. with law degrees are working shitlaw? (this is especially relevant out of maryland, with their top ranked programs)

If we were talking about a bottom tier law school, such as (i'm sorry to offend the original poster) U. Baltimore, or another 3rd or 4th tier tough market school, then maybe the predictions of destiny to a life of small law (its not always shitlaw), or a struggle to find meaningful employment may be true. But, this is not the case with graduates from many of our country's schools, especially if one does well and puts the effort in, not just in law school, but in the beginning of their career.

I know that the people who post crap about biglaw or nothing else are just those not motivated enough to find the success that there is to be had within the legal profession with hard work, dedication to the practice of law, and a little bit of luck mixed in. To those people - good luck ambulance chasing. I for one, plan on making it to the top, whether through biglaw or not.

[Bankhead]

Jenner & Block recruits at UMaryland...

[hoffb86]

Jenner & Block recruits at UMaryland...

as do a lot of great firms.

[cfishy305]

Berger and King recruit UBalt.

[Fiyero]

While I realize UB is a Tier 4 regional school, I think people on this board focus way to much on elitism. Sure, you may not get Watchell or Cravath from UB, but every lawyer I know (I'm a Maryland resident) went to UB, and easily makes 6 figures. One makes something like $400,000 and I guarantee you he doesn't work the 120 hours biglaw associates need to put in.

[jcwilsn1]

While I realize UB is a Tier 4 regional school, I think people on this board focus way to much on elitism. Sure, you may not get Watchell or Cravath from UB, but every lawyer I know (I'm a Maryland resident) went to UB, and easily makes 6 figures. One makes something like $400,000 and I guarantee you he doesn't work the 120 hours biglaw associates need to put in.

wow! how old is this attorney that makes 400k?

[Fiyero]

While I realize UB is a Tier 4 regional school, I think people on this board focus way to much on elitism. Sure, you may not get Watchell or Cravath from UB, but every lawyer I know (I'm a Maryland resident) went to UB, and easily makes 6 figures. One makes something like $400,000 and I guarantee you he doesn't work the 120 hours biglaw associates need to put in.

wow! how old is this attorney that makes 400k?

Early 40s, but don't think he went to law school straight out of UG and he had to transfer into UB, because of his UG record.

[jcwilsn1]

While I realize UB is a Tier 4 regional school, I think people on this board focus way to much on elitism. Sure, you may not get Watchell or Cravath from UB, but every lawyer I know (I'm a Maryland resident) went to UB, and easily makes 6 figures. One makes something like $400,000 and I guarantee you he doesn't work the 120 hours biglaw associates need to put in.

wow! how old is this attorney that makes 400k?

Early 40s, but don't think he went to law school straight out of UG and he had to transfer into UB, because of his UG record.

do you know what he was making right out of school?

[Fiyero]

While I realize UB is a Tier 4 regional school, I think people on this board focus way to much on elitism. Sure, you may not get Watchell or Cravath from UB, but every lawyer I know (I'm a Maryland resident) went to UB, and easily makes 6 figures. One makes something like $400,000 and I guarantee you he doesn't work the 120 hours biglaw associates need to put in.

wow! how old is this attorney that makes 400k?

Early 40s, but don't think he went to law school straight out of UG and he had to transfer into UB, because of his UG record.

do you know what he was making right out of school?

No I don't. He's a good friend of my best friend, so I only know how he got into UB and roughly how successful he is, but not much else. Regardless, I think it shows that with a strong work ethic and solid work experience, your law school means nothing for all but the most elite of legal jobs.

And honestly, you could be making $160,000 a year biglaw, but work 100 hours a week, and you'd make the same hourly as someone making $70,000 a year, working 40 hours a week. Other than to pay off law school debt initially, I don't get the "drooling" on this board over the prospects of Biglaw. Granted, i'm new here but it doesn't sound all it's cracked up to be for all but the few who make partner. An 80-100k/yr federal govt job with all the benies sounds better than biglaw from my pov.