UVA vs. W&M vs. Notre Dame Forum

[bakerbaker]

Breakdown is pretty much like this:

UVA - no $
Notre Dame - some $
W&M - better $ & fellowship

(Going to UVA would cost a little over 3 times as much as W&M)

Question 1: Is ranking between these schools that big of a diff? UVA is in the top 10, I think - (I read that that really counts for a lot, though in this economy, that might just be splitting hairs).

Question 2: Is it harder to work outside the local area with a degree from one of the schools? I live close to NY, but I also have little personal preference to my future location. It just seems the big cities would be best in terms of job opportunities, but I don't have a completely set plan anyway. (NOTE: I've applied to a whole list of other schools, but mostly got waitlisted at my top choices, the next school on my list is Benjamin Cardozo which gave me a full scholarship)

To note: I'm interested in "soft" IP, if it is possible to be competitive without taking the patent bar (I don't have a background in science). I'm mostly interested in copyrights and trademarks for design based companies and creative businesses, i.e. art law, new media, etc.

[Rowinguy2009]

UVA will hands down give you the best opportunities out of those three. Debt can be scary, but I would still go UVA.

[soullesswonder]

if you're flexible about your type of law practice and you'd be happy in the Mid-Atlantic, W&M might be okay. Getting a job wouldn't be easy, but you wouldn't have the overhanging debt. Virginia, though, would seem to be TCR in general. Under no circumstances should you go to ND with only a mediocre scholly - you'd still have a lot of debt and be at a school where IIRC, ND students on TLS were saying you needed top 10 or 20 percent to get callbacks at OCI.

[jnorsky]

You live once, this shouldnt even be a question

[avacado111]

wtf. uva all the way.

[showNprove]

You can do IP litigation, especially copyright and trademark issues, without passing the patent bar.

UVa all the way. W&M is a very good school and seems like it would be a great deal, but if you want to be in a major city doing high-level IP work, UVa will open many more doors.

[im_blue]

UVA. This isn't even a question unless you had a full ride from one of the other 2.