Top Law Schools

Rankings aside, for public interest or human rights programs specifically, which school is best?

EDIT: Poll added.

tangential886 wrote:Rankings aside, for public interest or human rights programs specifically, which school is best?

you should probably put up a poll. i'd vote for michigan. according to usnews a greater percentage of 2008 michigan graduates than uva or gulc grads took pi positions (6% to 3% and 4%). According to NLJ, for 2007, it was ~8% to ~3% and 4%.

UVA hands down.

najumobi wrote:

tangential886 wrote:Rankings aside, for public interest or human rights programs specifically, which school is best?

you should probably put up a poll. i'd vote for michigan. according to usnews a greater percentage of 2008 michigan graduates than uva or gulc grads took pi positions (6% to 3% and 4%). According to NLJ, for 2007, it was ~8% to ~3% and 4%.

Hard to draw inferences from that beyond 'such a minuscule number of people actually do PI from these schools that you'll probably be set no matter what'. Since you aren't going to be paying down those loans quickly on a PI salary, I'd recommend you A) got to a T14 for the long-term benefit but after that B) go to the cheapest school. That will all but certainly be UVA or Michigan.

Michigan. One of the best LRAPs in the nation and plenty of PI clinics.

Michigan has the best LRAP out of the 3. It's purely income based too so as long as you work any kind of legal job you can qualify for LRAP. Also, a higher percentage at Mich go into PI than at the other two schools.

Michigan

When comparing LRAPs, look into how they treat spousal income. IIRC Michigan's LRAP considers your income to be the higher of (1) yours (2) average of you & spouse. I think a lot of people forget about this factor because marriage seems so far off, but you won't start getting LRAP benefits for 3-4 years (if you're a 0L) and you may want to continue receiving them for a few years or more thereafter.

Aeroplane wrote:When comparing LRAPs, look into how they treat spousal income. IIRC Michigan's LRAP considers your income to be the higher of (1) yours (2) average of you & spouse. I think a lot of people forget about this factor because marriage seems so far off, but you won't start getting LRAP benefits for 3-4 years (if you're a 0L) and you may want to continue receiving them for a few years or more thereafter.

oh really? so if your spouse is unemployed...you can reap in the jackpot?

irishman86 wrote:

Aeroplane wrote:When comparing LRAPs, look into how they treat spousal income. IIRC Michigan's LRAP considers your income to be the higher of (1) yours (2) average of you & spouse. I think a lot of people forget about this factor because marriage seems so far off, but you won't start getting LRAP benefits for 3-4 years (if you're a 0L) and you may want to continue receiving them for a few years or more thereafter.

oh really? so if your spouse is unemployed...you can reap in the jackpot?

Yes. And pay through the teeth for his/her living expenses.

irishman86 wrote:

Aeroplane wrote:When comparing LRAPs, look into how they treat spousal income. IIRC Michigan's LRAP considers your income to be the higher of (1) yours (2) average of you & spouse. I think a lot of people forget about this factor because marriage seems so far off, but you won't start getting LRAP benefits for 3-4 years (if you're a 0L) and you may want to continue receiving them for a few years or more thereafter.

oh really? so if your spouse is unemployed...you can reap in the jackpot?

They take the higher of the two. So if you make $50K and spouse is unemployed, the two amounts would be $50K and $25K. For LRAP purposes your income would be $50K, the higher.

Disclaimer: this is what I remember from looking at it a long time ago and anyone interested should look it up for themselves because I could be mis-remembering. I'm not the expert on LRAP's, just want to remind OP & others to think about this variable. It can be a game-changer in terms of which LRAP is better.

sorry, read it as lower. Didn't hear about that...but then again I've learned everything about LRAPs via this thread:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 15&t=62094

Here's the LRAP thread.

I think some more information is necessary.

1. Where?
2. What kind? Advocacy/Litigation/etc.

That said, probably not GULC.

Kohinoor wrote:UVA hands down.

+1

GeePee wrote:I think some more information is necessary.

1. Where?
2. What kind? Advocacy/Litigation/etc.

That said, probably not GULC.

That's the thing--I'm not really sure exactly what type of public interest law I want to do yet and want to have all my options open. I am really interested in refugee rights and international law, but would also be happy as a public defender. My dream job would be with an organization like UNHCR or Amnesty International. Location doesn't so much matter though I'm from the Southeast and feel ties to the region.

tangential886 wrote:

GeePee wrote:I think some more information is necessary.

1. Where?
2. What kind? Advocacy/Litigation/etc.

That said, probably not GULC.

That's the thing--I'm not really sure exactly what type of public interest law I want to do yet and want to have all my options open. I am really interested in refugee rights and international law, but would also be happy as a public defender. My dream job would be with an organization like UNHCR or Amnesty International. Location doesn't so much matter though I'm from the Southeast and feel ties to the region.

The fact that:

1. Your PI jobs that you like seem to either have International or gov't interests.
2. You have ties to the south.
3. The most robust market for your target jobs will be D.C.

pretty much makes this a no brainer. UVA all the way.

Look, lot's of people are saying Michigan is great for PI and YES the high levels of crime and poverty in Detroit create wonderful opportunities for outreach BUT let's not underestimate the homeless problem in Charlottesville here.

Wherever you get the most money. Also wherever you think you'd be happiest. I'd personally go for UVA, but none of these are bad schools.

It also depends on what you want to do. Government work? I'd pick GULC or UVA since they're closer to DC.

As it stands UVA's LRAP is pretty bad. It's one of the worst of the T-14 at the moment. However, I think UVA is revamping it some time in the next couple of years. I have no idea what it's going to look like but you should research on your own what each LRAP will look like for you.

As for Georgetown, it's pretty much out of the picture completely. Worse placement, worse LRAP, worse everything compared to the other two schools. Being close to DC does not spare schools and Georgetown got really owned this past OCI (where fed agencies also recruit), worse than any other T-14. DC is still hard to place for every school except HYS as it's the hardest primary market to break into.

If you're considering the policy side of PI, one factor not mentioned yet is that Michigan has the strongest public policy school. Even if you're not interested in a joint degree, you could still take a course or two.
http://www.fordschool.umich.edu/

Virginia is in the process of changing their LRAP right now -- and by now, I do mean as we speak. That being said, I haven't found out when it will be available or how much better it will be.

Take Virginia or Michigan, whichever gives you more money.

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