Best school for working in Texas Forum

[Jericwithers]

This whole thread makes me nervous. Now I'm going to try to convince the Texas-by-way-of-Duke hopefuls to go somewhere else.

[quetzalcoatl]

This whole thread makes me nervous. Now I'm going to try to convince the Texas-by-way-of-Duke hopefuls to go somewhere else.

And my decision just got a lot harder now that Duke has offered me 60k before any negotiations. Much more money then I expected.

[DoubleChecks]

ppl keep bringing up "significant texas ties"

what do you exactly mean by that? do you have to KNOW somebody? like have networked w/ ppl in a position to vouch for you?

what if you grew up in TX and went to UT ugrad, but not UTlaw (some T14)

what constitutes "texas ties"...just the fact that you grew up in TX and went to UT ugrad is enough? or do you need to "know" ppl?

[RVP11]

ppl keep bringing up "significant texas ties"

what do you exactly mean by that? do you have to KNOW somebody? like have networked w/ ppl in a position to vouch for you?

what if you grew up in TX and went to UT ugrad, but not UTlaw (some T14)

what constitutes "texas ties"...just the fact that you grew up in TX and went to UT ugrad is enough? or do you need to "know" ppl?

Of course growing up in TX and going to UT is enough.

Whatever it takes to convince a Texas firm that you're serious about living and working Texas is enough to be a "tie."

[FunkyJD]

ppl keep bringing up "significant texas ties"

what do you exactly mean by that? do you have to KNOW somebody? like have networked w/ ppl in a position to vouch for you?

what if you grew up in TX and went to UT ugrad, but not UTlaw (some T14)

what constitutes "texas ties"...just the fact that you grew up in TX and went to UT ugrad is enough? or do you need to "know" ppl?

To me, Texas ties = worked and/or attended school here, your immediate family lives here, and you have a good number of friends and professional contacts here.

I just got back from a birthday party I was invited to by a classmate who is a professional here. She and many of her friends, some of whom she or her husband have worked with, had known each other probably for the better part of 10-15 years, and no-one in the room was too far past 30, if that. If you want to try and break into this market, that's what you're going to be up against.

[Jericwithers]

This whole thread makes me nervous. Now I'm going to try to convince the Texas-by-way-of-Duke hopefuls to go somewhere else.

And my decision just got a lot harder now that Duke has offered me 60k before any negotiations. Much more money then I expected.

Noooooo! Just push UT for more money and go there.

[Stringer Bell]

I just got back from a birthday party I was invited to by a classmate who is a professional here. She and many of her friends, some of whom she or her husband have worked with, had known each other probably for the better part of 10-15 years, and no-one in the room was too far past 30, if that. If you want to try and break into this market, that's what you're going to be up against.

I don't totally understand the significance of this story. How does a bunch of people at a birthday party that had known each other for many years have any relevance to legal hiring?

[FunkyJD]

I just got back from a birthday party I was invited to by a classmate who is a professional here. She and many of her friends, some of whom she or her husband have worked with, had known each other probably for the better part of 10-15 years, and no-one in the room was too far past 30, if that. If you want to try and break into this market, that's what you're going to be up against.

I don't totally understand the significance of this story. How does a bunch of people at a birthday party that had known each other for many years have any relevance to legal hiring?

The legal market here is the mother of all good ol' boys (and gals) networks, similar to this situation, is what I'm saying. Make sense now?

[DoubleChecks]

Of course growing up in TX and going to UT is enough.

Whatever it takes to convince a Texas firm that you're serious about living and working Texas is enough to be a "tie."

To me, Texas ties = worked and/or attended school here, your immediate family lives here, and you have a good number of friends and professional contacts here.

I just got back from a birthday party I was invited to by a classmate who is a professional here. She and many of her friends, some of whom she or her husband have worked with, had known each other probably for the better part of 10-15 years, and no-one in the room was too far past 30, if that. If you want to try and break into this market, that's what you're going to be up against.

mm these two comments actually seem contradicting

what if i dont have a good number of friends/professional contacts here in TX? i mean, i have a lot of friends in TX, but few to none are going into law

does that make me lacking in ties? i was always wondering if ties was referring more to a reason to convince firms that you're serious/in love w/ staying in TX or if it meant networking ties

[FunkyJD]

Of course growing up in TX and going to UT is enough.

Whatever it takes to convince a Texas firm that you're serious about living and working Texas is enough to be a "tie."

To me, Texas ties = worked and/or attended school here, your immediate family lives here, and you have a good number of [strike]friends and[/strike] professional contacts here.

I just got back from a birthday party I was invited to by a classmate who is a professional here. She and many of her friends, some of whom she or her husband have worked with, had known each other probably for the better part of 10-15 years, and no-one in the room was too far past 30, if that. If you want to try and break into this market, that's what you're going to be up against.

mm these two comments actually seem contradicting

what if i dont have a good number of friends/professional contacts here in TX? i mean, i have a lot of friends in TX, but few to none are going into law

does that make me lacking in ties? i was always wondering if ties was referring more to a reason to convince firms that you're serious/in love w/ staying in TX or if it meant networking ties

I think of a tie as a significant relationship or life experience that demonstrates that you would be a good fit, culturally and/or professionally, for a particular organization. (See above where I clarified my earlier statement.)

Some ties are stronger than others. I suppose it's debatable as to which ones matter the most. It might even differ from firm to firm. Some firms like F&J seem to like Texas JDs. Other firms seem to like SMU grads. Having a UT or SMU bachelor's or master's, or having grown up in say, Dallas or San Antonio, might help your case with some firms if you have an OOS JD.

It also doesn't hurt to know legal professionals in Texas. If you meet a partner with, say, a Houston law firm, and you build a relationship over time, and that partner grows to appreciate your intellect, character, and abilities, I'd consider that contact a tie as well.

[Jericwithers]

Some ties are stronger than others. I suppose it's debatable as to which ones matter the most. It might even differ from firm to firm. Some firms like F&J seem to like Texas JDs. Other firms seem to like SMU grads. Having a UT or SMU bachelor's or master's, or having grown up in say, Dallas or San Antonio, might help your case with some firms if you have an OOS JD.

It also doesn't hurt to know legal professionals in Texas. If you meet a partner with, say, a Houston law firm, and you build a relationship over time, and that partner grows to appreciate your intellect, character, and abilities, I'd consider that contact a tie as well.

Blatant anti-Houston trolling

Also, would ties with Joe Jamail be enough to be viewed as a true Texan throughout the state? I'm similar to GWB in this way: I don't want to be out-Texan'd by anyone.

Also I see from Duke's placement that only 12 people in 2008 made it back to Texas. Consider that, and then go to UT!