UVA Law Students Taking Questions Forum

[DoctorGloom]

To the person who asked about UVA's placement strength in Boston:

I would say that most of the Boston firms come down for OGI. There are a few firms such as Nutter and Sullivan & Worcester that have stopped coming down in recent years. Because of their small class sizes, they tend to recruit from local law schools. However, don't let that fact discourage you from mailing applications to those firms. I was able to secure a screening and later a callback interview from Nutter via mass-mail (which is how I found out that they used to come down to UVA in the boom times).

With that said, unless your grades are out of this world, you are going to need to show some connection to Boston to get a foot in the door. How much of a connection? I don't know. One visit sometime in the past isn't going to cut it though. Believe me, they will ask about your connection, so have a convincing answer ready. I grew up in Massachusetts, so my connections were never an issue.

The other two factors affecting your ability to get hired in Boston are the economy and the relative strength of other UVAers applying there. The Boston legal market was hit pretty hard and most firms have cut back a lot on their summer classes. But unlike NYC, the size of the classes in Boston have been slower to recover. I fear this may be the trend for some time to come. The second factor, strength of your fellow UVAers applying to Boston, is also very important and very much out of your control. In the year I went through OGI (Fall 2010), the strength of the applicant pool was much higher than in previous years (this was confirmed by a family friend who is a partner at one of the major Boston firms). So instead I spent the summer in NYC. I was lucky in that when I went through 3L OGI this past fall, there happened to be a need for first year associates that could start in Fall 2012 in a firm's recently formed Boston office. So even if you strike out in that market the first time around you might get a chance for a second bite at the apple.

Bottom line: Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Good luck!

[Dinho]

To the person who asked about UVA's placement strength in Boston:

I would say that most of the Boston firms come down for OGI. There are a few firms such as Nutter and Sullivan & Worcester that have stopped coming down in recent years. Because of their small class sizes, they tend to recruit from local law schools. However, don't let that fact discourage you from mailing applications to those firms. I was able to secure a screening and later a callback interview from Nutter via mass-mail (which is how I found out that they used to come down to UVA in the boom times).

With that said, unless your grades are out of this world, you are going to need to show some connection to Boston to get a foot in the door. How much of a connection? I don't know. One visit sometime in the past isn't going to cut it though. Believe me, they will ask about your connection, so have a convincing answer ready. I grew up in Massachusetts, so my connections were never an issue.

The other two factors affecting your ability to get hired in Boston are the economy and the relative strength of other UVAers applying there. The Boston legal market was hit pretty hard and most firms have cut back a lot on their summer classes. But unlike NYC, the size of the classes in Boston have been slower to recover. I fear this may be the trend for some time to come. The second factor, strength of your fellow UVAers applying to Boston, is also very important and very much out of your control. In the year I went through OGI (Fall 2010), the strength of the applicant pool was much higher than in previous years (this was confirmed by a family friend who is a partner at one of the major Boston firms). So instead I spent the summer in NYC. I was lucky in that when I went through 3L OGI this past fall, there happened to be a need for first year associates that could start in Fall 2012 in a firm's recently formed Boston office. So even if you strike out in that market the first time around you might get a chance for a second bite at the apple.

Bottom line: Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Good luck!

I did grow up in Massachusetts, so I'm hopeful I have a similar experience with regard to ties. The few Boston big firm partners I have spoken to have all stated that they hold UVA in the highest regard as well, so combined with what I've read here it seems like UVA does pretty well for itself in Boston. Thanks for the info.

[Doritos]

KD is a godsend.

+1. He is worth the price of admission.

For the price of one J.D., you get KD and they throw in SeaLocust for free!! Pretty sure KD will be busier this summer with helping people's bid strategies once Sealocust leaves.

Imagining UVa law without Sealocust is like imagining a world without sunshine or laughter

[desertlaw]

KD is a godsend.

+1. He is worth the price of admission.

For the price of one J.D., you get KD and they throw in SeaLocust for free!! Pretty sure KD will be busier this summer with helping people's bid strategies once Sealocust leaves.

Imagining UVa law without Sealocust is like imagining a world without sunshine or laughter

It's like drunken nights without Wings Over.

[Waterman47]

A vague and misleading statement. I graduated last year and don't recall more than a handful of people that actually played a legit sport in college, i.e. not something random like squash.

There are tons of guys in law school that are "law school athletic" in that they lift weights and play pick-up sports decently well, but I wouldn't say there are a lot of athletes at UVa.

I didn't play any college sports and could not have if I wanted to, and I was among the most athletic kids in my class. Our intramural basketbal team, which went to the UVa school-wide finals, featured only 2 kids that had played college sports. One played Ivy football and the other D3 basketball. Neither was extraordinarily gifted as an athlete. The law school's soccer team, which played in the CVille city league, featured only 2 kids that played in college. One was legitimately awesome and the other was average.

Not sure it was worth weighing in on this, but the notion that there are lots of "real" athletes, or hipsters, or hot girls, or whatever else at UVa is highly misleading. Fact of the matter is, the vast majority of those who are athletic enough, or hot enough, or hip enough, to earn those labels out in the world, are not going to top 10 law schools. UVa is certainly no exception.

(I hope no one is basing their law-school choice on which school is thought to have the hottest and most athletic kids)

This is all about right.

But what other posters might be getting at is this:

The law school has more athleticism than a random sample of 1000 people aged 22 to 27. Maybe considerably more.

The law school probably has more overall athleticism than other law schools.

The law school probably has more athleticism, per capita, than the undergrad if you remove the varsity athletes. See: success/dominance in intramural sports.

And yes, I'm using "athleticism" very loosely to include not just people who played college sports, but people who lift, run, or are just good at pickup or intramural sports.

Again, not a hugely important issue, but I'm just not sure where any of these assertions are coming from or what sort of evidence one looks to when making these assertions. I have no idea how athletic kids at other top law schools, or any other law school, are, and I'm not sure how others would know.

[Morgan12Oak]

It's relatively easy to justify those arguments. First of all, the softball culture here is obviously very strong and prevalent. Is this a strong factor and do people make the decision to come here because of softball? Probably not but it definitely is a factor nonetheless. Probably also has fringe effects. Secondly, Law schools in areas with good weather attract more outdoorsy folks who on a whole are more athletic than your random sample of 1000 people. There's probably other factors which I can think of that would impact this as well like the 40% in state requirement, but I'm too lazy to stretch those out.

[Waterman47]

I'm surprised by the lazy "arguments" you guys are using in here to support the previously mentioned assertions.

I could come up with equally lazy "arguments" for why kids at Georgetown or NYU/Columbia would be better athletes. Bigger cities have better athletes at all levels, and kids from bigger cities tend to stay in bigger cities for law school. So Georgetown has more athletic kids than UVa. That was easy.

The point really isn't to doubt whether UVa is super-athletic or not, the point is that it seems shady to throw out random statements that can't really be backed up in an effort to boost your school's image. I've been playing pickup basketball my whole life, and the pickup I played at UVa Law was some of the worst. Doesn't mean UVa is unathletic, but it just makes me chuckle to read people saying the law school features more athletes than the general population or other law schools. Put down the Kool Aid please.

Edit: and his post seems to have been deleted somehow, but the guy that implied that I had doubts about these assertions because I haven't been exposed to poor people... right. Unless you're talking exclusively about lacrosse and tennis, poor people are much better athletes generally than rich people. Cool argument though.

[RVP11]

Unless you're talking exclusively about lacrosse and tennis, poor people are much better athletes generally than rich people. Cool argument though.

You're wrong.

[5ky]

the last few pages of this thread have been fucking shitty

[Waterman47]

Unless you're talking exclusively about lacrosse and tennis, poor people are much better athletes generally than rich people. Cool argument though.

You're wrong.

Even if I am wrong, your unsupported poor/rich point is a wholly shitty argument for why UVa Law has better athletes than the general population. So many assumptions in there I wouldn't know where to begin.

UVa Law is an awesome place and I loved my time there and I think the vast majority of people considering UVa would be very happy if they ended up choosing the school. It has an endless number of positives that make for a wonderful experience. I just don't understand the need to throw out statements that are not provable and based on my own experience, not true.

But whatever, not a big deal.

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

tl;dr last two pages is that I'll get ripped and develop my long range jumper if I matriculate?

[RVP11]

Unless you're talking exclusively about lacrosse and tennis, poor people are much better athletes generally than rich people. Cool argument though.

You're wrong.

Even if I am wrong, your unsupported poor/rich point is a wholly shitty argument for why UVa Law has better athletes than the general population. So many assumptions in there I wouldn't know where to begin.

UVa Law is an awesome place and I loved my time there and I think the vast majority of people considering UVa would be very happy if they ended up choosing the school. It has an endless number of positives that make for a wonderful experience. I just don't understand the need to throw out statements that are not provable and based on my own experience, not true.

But whatever, not a big deal.

If you don't think UVA law students - by and large wealthy overachievers - are more athletic than the general population then you are absurdly out of touch with the general population.

I agree that this discussion has gotten dumb. I just can't let you continue to be wrong on the Internet.

[paulinaporizkova]

what's going on in here? jeez people.

[Morgan12Oak]

anyways... don't know why people get all mad but come to UVA if you're good looking and athletic and you'll fit in!

edit: not to say that if you aren't good looking and aren't athletic you won't fit in

[Waterman47]

Unless you're talking exclusively about lacrosse and tennis, poor people are much better athletes generally than rich people. Cool argument though.

You're wrong.

Even if I am wrong, your unsupported poor/rich point is a wholly shitty argument for why UVa Law has better athletes than the general population. So many assumptions in there I wouldn't know where to begin.

UVa Law is an awesome place and I loved my time there and I think the vast majority of people considering UVa would be very happy if they ended up choosing the school. It has an endless number of positives that make for a wonderful experience. I just don't understand the need to throw out statements that are not provable and based on my own experience, not true.

But whatever, not a big deal.

If you don't think UVA law students - by and large wealthy overachievers - are more athletic than the general population then you are absurdly out of touch with the general population.

I agree that this discussion has gotten dumb. I just can't let you continue to be wrong on the Internet.

My last comment people, I promise.

I grew up firmly middle class with a single parent that worked 3 jobs for much of my childhood/teenaged years. I went to a public undergrad that had an average LSAT score of 143. Then I went to UVa.

So for you to support your otherwise wholly unsupported rich/poor argument by baselessly attacking my alleged lack of understanding of the general population, instead of, say, actually putting forth some evidence of what you are claiming, is just laughable and unfortunate.

Edit: and let me just add, most of the "general population" sees top 10 law school kids as bookworms that spent their entire lives studying so they could get into good schools, not as Adonises that excel in every field, regardless of how unrelated it is to the fields they study/work in. Some would say this is a more reasonable assumption than your somewhat megalomanic take that "rich" people or UVa law students are cut from some brilliant cloth that allows them to overachieve in every field. Cool assumptions though.

Carry on though.

[thatkid]

Is it even remotely possible to find employment near Charlottesville (as in, close enough to not have to move again) after graduation (esp. for public defense/PI)?

[jediknight2424]

I'll be in Charlottesville this Saturday and Sunday to sign a lease with my dad and kid brother. It's their first time visiting. Any suggestions on stuff to do-- law school related or otherwise?

I know with spring break starting and the forecast for rain my options are limited. Any suggestions would be welcome.

[desertlaw]

I'll be in Charlottesville this Saturday and Sunday to sign a lease with my dad and kid brother. It's their first time visiting. Any suggestions on stuff to do-- law school related or otherwise?

I know with spring break starting and the forecast for rain my options are limited. Any suggestions would be welcome.

This could start a whole new thread. But just some quick ideas...

1 - walk around law school and especially main grounds of the university. visitors are always impressed at the main grounds. Do it even if raining. Grab an umbrella. It's worth experiencing.

2 - dinner at downtown mall or somewhere in Belmont (neighborhood near downtown mall).

That's about all there is to do in Cville on the first weekend after Feb Club. We'll all be recovering or pre-gaming spring break.

If you're looking for a scenic drive and like alcohol/food, then Blue Mountain Brewery is a good spot. And plenty of wineries near there too.

[005618502]

I'll be in Charlottesville this Saturday and Sunday to sign a lease with my dad and kid brother. It's their first time visiting. Any suggestions on stuff to do-- law school related or otherwise?

I know with spring break starting and the forecast for rain my options are limited. Any suggestions would be welcome.

This could start a whole new thread. But just some quick ideas...

1 - walk around law school and especially main grounds of the university. visitors are always impressed at the main grounds. Do it even if raining. Grab an umbrella. It's worth experiencing.

2 - dinner at downtown mall or somewhere in Belmont (neighborhood near downtown mall).

That's about all there is to do in Cville on the first weekend after Feb Club. We'll all be recovering or pre-gaming spring break.

If you're looking for a scenic drive and like alcohol/food, then Blue Mountain Brewery is a good spot. And plenty of wineries near there too.

Lookins on Google maps "Arden Place" apartments seem to be near this downtown mall area, am I correct? Would this be a good or bad idea for a incoming 1L to live there. I might be wrong about the area I am associating it with

[5ky]

No, that's not the downtown mall to which desert is referring. That's next to a regular mall. The downtown mall isn't a mall per se, just a really nice strip that's self-contained with restaurants, etc. This is on east Main street.

[desertlaw]

Downtown mall is a pedestrian mall. Walking space in the middle, restaurants/shops on both sides. Outdoors. The regular mall is terrible. I've been there maybe thrice. All for Feb Club costumes.

[A Swift]

Does anyone have an outline for International Business Transactions with Walt?

Thanks!

[jawsthegreat]

Does anyone have an outline for International Business Transactions with Walt?

Thanks!

Gimme that as well

[desertlaw]

Does anyone have an outline for International Business Transactions with Walt?

Thanks!

Gimme that as well

Give me everythiiiiiing tonight. -Pitbull said this in a song.

[jawsthegreat]

Does anyone have an outline for International Business Transactions with Walt?

Thanks!

Gimme that as well

Give me everythiiiiiing tonight. -Pitbull said this in a song.

Then he(you) showed up drunk at our house.