Ideal Law school for environmental law? Forum

[A. Nony Mouse]

Yes I do see what you are saying, but my impression from numbers OP presented that they wouldn't be even close to 200k at a 1T. Maybe not Vanderbilt or UCLA but maybe I'm naive. I'm considering a 3T b/c I got a 90k and will have only 30k debt after scholarship...so maybe I'm a dreamer but I also am ok with a starting salary of 70k first year at small firm. I want a small/boutique feel. I don't think I'd enjoy a big firm even over 50 lawyers. I don't want to have to bill 2100 hours. No thanks!

The problem is that there aren't a lot of jobs like that - lots and lots of law grads would take those jobs if they were out there. Google bi-modal legal salaries.

[personofinterest]

Also, if you really want to work in environmental law, you could get this masters from Vermont:
http://www.vermontlaw.edu/academics/deg ... icy-(melp)

It is presumably much cheaper than a JD and takes less time (12 months). I don't know the overall stats, but I have a friend who did this to good results. More research is required to find out how good of an idea this is for you.

[Nebby]

I really want to keep focusing my career in environmental policy / law. What are my best options assuming a 3.51 GPA and an LSAT between 170-175?

Is there a possibility of going to any of the T14 schools and finding a decent paying Env law job? I know the starting pay should be around 100-120k.

Knowing this information would help tremendously in figuring out the risk/debt association with certain schools.

Thanks everyone!

The best option is to go to UCLA/USC with a hefty scholarship. If you're less debt averse, Berkeley

[Rigo]

I really want to keep focusing my career in environmental policy / law. What are my best options assuming a 3.51 GPA and an LSAT between 170-175?

Is there a possibility of going to any of the T14 schools and finding a decent paying Env law job? I know the starting pay should be around 100-120k.

Knowing this information would help tremendously in figuring out the risk/debt association with certain schools.

Thanks everyone!

The best option is to go to UCLA/USC with a hefty scholarship. If you're less debt averse, Berkeley

Hey Nebs. Can you explain your thinking here?

[Nebby]

I really want to keep focusing my career in environmental policy / law. What are my best options assuming a 3.51 GPA and an LSAT between 170-175?

Is there a possibility of going to any of the T14 schools and finding a decent paying Env law job? I know the starting pay should be around 100-120k.

Knowing this information would help tremendously in figuring out the risk/debt association with certain schools.

Thanks everyone!

The best option is to go to UCLA/USC with a hefty scholarship. If you're less debt averse, Berkeley

Hey Nebs. Can you explain your thinking here?

OP seems to want to work in California, and getting a job in environmental law is about a combination of things: school rank, grades, relevant experience, and networking. None of these things weigh more heavily over the other. I think a committed individual who has their shit together and hustles will have the best chance of doing everything necessary to make an entry-level job in environmental law a possibility. I know nothing about California, but elsewhere, there are just not a lot of entry-level environmental jobs available. Going to a school like USC/UCLA and hustling can land an environmental lawyer gig, but since I personally know how difficult that actually is, I wouldn't want the OP to be saddled with a bunch of debt only to come up short. Generally, the best advice is to go to the best school you can with the most money you can.

I chose those schools since they have the best shot at the California market

[Nebby]

Generally, getting an entry-level environmental job is not easy. There are just not that many. I think there is also a 5th factor, and that is luck, and I think it plays a non-insignificant role in landing an entry-level enviro gig. There is a lot more I could go into, but it really gets into the nuance and weeds and I don't want to write up that much until the facts become relevant and not hypothetical. Right now OP hasn't even taken the LSAT

[HmmmOkay]

Generally, getting an entry-level environmental job is not easy. There are just not that many. I think there is also a 5th factor, and that is luck, and I think it plays a non-insignificant role in landing an entry-level enviro gig. There is a lot more I could go into, but it really gets into the nuance and weeds and I don't want to write up that much until the facts become relevant and not hypothetical. Right now OP hasn't even taken the LSAT

I'll probably PM you later, but wanted to note that as a 3L hoping to get into environmental law this post was oddly comforting. Like I'm not the only person who has struggled at this and that to some degree maybe it's not entirely my fault or completely within my control. It does seem like a tough area of law to break into.

If it's cool with you, (and so as not to derail this too much) I'll probably send you a PM with some more of my info to see if you might have any suggestions (or maybe get a bit more into those weeds you mentioned). Thanks

[Nebby]

Generally, getting an entry-level environmental job is not easy. There are just not that many. I think there is also a 5th factor, and that is luck, and I think it plays a non-insignificant role in landing an entry-level enviro gig. There is a lot more I could go into, but it really gets into the nuance and weeds and I don't want to write up that much until the facts become relevant and not hypothetical. Right now OP hasn't even taken the LSAT

I'll probably PM you later, but wanted to note that as a 3L hoping to get into environmental law this post was oddly comforting. Like I'm not the only person who has struggled at this and that to some degree maybe it's not entirely my fault or completely within my control. It does seem like a tough area of law to break into.

If it's cool with you, (and so as not to derail this too much) I'll probably send you a PM with some more of my info to see if you might have any suggestions (or maybe get a bit more into those weeds you mentioned). Thanks

Sure. Feel free to pm