Top Law Schools

So everyone seems to think that UNC is the best state law school in the south (except uva). But their employment stats leave something to be desired (72% at graduation, 90% after 9 months).

These don't even place them in the top 50. What explains this? Is this a cause for concern?

If any current students want to weigh in on this that would be great too.

I'm interested in this, too.

Make it three.

shawty18ga wrote:I'm interested in this, too.

lawhawk wrote:So everyone seems to think that UNC is the best state law school in the south (except uva). But their employment stats leave something to be desired (72% at graduation, 90% after 9 months).

These don't even place them in the top 50. What explains this? Is this a cause for concern?

If any current students want to weigh in on this that would be great too.

Perhaps this is a better metric to consider:

http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1

So.....UNC loses either way. I can't figure out how it's top30 in the rankings.

I too would like to see some light shed on this. Wake forest is actually cheaper for me right now with scholarship but I think I'm gona go with unc for geographic preference as I want to end up on the middle or on the coast of nc.

Yeah I just don't get it. UNC seems to have a great rep but it is outperformed by many seemingly inferior schools. The only chart that shows decent employment stats is http://www.law.com/pdf/nlj/20080414empl ... trends.pdf.

UGA seems to outplace UNC but I just can't get myself to like UGA better.

Dude, I actually think a 72% placement rate at graduation is really good. Think about it: basically all but the bottom 25% of the class will have jobs UPON GRADUATION. Not bad, I'd say.

lawhawk wrote:So everyone seems to think that UNC is the best state law school in the south (except uva). But their employment stats leave something to be desired (72% at graduation, 90% after 9 months).

These don't even place them in the top 50. What explains this? Is this a cause for concern?

If any current students want to weigh in on this that would be great too.

I don't know if it is the "best" in the south aside from UVA (UGA, UF, UA, UT). I will say that it is one of the better ones.

A'nold wrote:Dude, I actually think a 72% placement rate at graduation is really good. Think about it: basically all but the bottom 25% of the class will have jobs UPON GRADUATION. Not bad, I'd say.

Basically.

Op, and anyone else for that matter, it's a really good school (but don't attend there with an intention not to work in NC).

Plus UNC places a strong percentage of their grads in government/PI...almost all of which won't hire you pre-bar passage (hence the lower number right at graduation and much higher later).

Aberzombie1892 wrote:

lawhawk wrote:So everyone seems to think that UNC is the best state law school in the south (except uva). But their employment stats leave something to be desired (72% at graduation, 90% after 9 months).

These don't even place them in the top 50. What explains this? Is this a cause for concern?

If any current students want to weigh in on this that would be great too.

I don't know if it is the "best" in the south aside from UVA (UGA, UF, UA, UT). I will say that it is one of the better ones.

A'nold wrote:Dude, I actually think a 72% placement rate at graduation is really good. Think about it: basically all but the bottom 25% of the class will have jobs UPON GRADUATION. Not bad, I'd say.

Basically.

Op, and anyone else for that matter, it's a really good school (but don't attend there with an intention not to work in NC).

well the bad thing is that its only 62% I wrote it down wrong.

Careers : Wake Forest University

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2007 administrations)
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar NC
School's bar passage rate for first-time test takers 81.0%
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 75.8%
Class of 2007 Graduates
Total graduates 163
Graduates employed at graduation 78.5%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 94.3%
Starting Salaries of 2007 Graduates Employed Full-time
25th percentile private sector starting salary $70,000
Median private sector starting salary $115,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $145,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 64%
Median public service starting salary $48,000
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2007)
Percent employed in academia 0.0%
Percent employed in business and industry 10.0%
Percent employed in government 13.0%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 9.0%
Percent employed in law firms 65.0%
Percent employed in public interest 3.0%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%
Percent employed in a judicial clerkship by an Article III federal judge 6.0%
2007 Graduates Employment Location
Graduates employed in-state 46%
Graduates employed in foreign countries N/A
Number of states where graduates are employed 23
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 2.1%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 8.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 2.8%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 0.7%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 78.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 2.1%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 2.1%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 2.1%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 2.1%
Employment location unknown N/A


Careers : University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2007 administrations)
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar NC
School's bar passage rate for first-time test takers 86.5%
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 75.8%
Class of 2007 Graduates
Total graduates 236
Graduates employed at graduation 71.2%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 98.0%
Starting Salaries of 2007 Graduates Employed Full-time
25th percentile private sector starting salary $65,000
Median private sector starting salary $115,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $135,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 73%
Median public service starting salary $43,500
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2007)
Percent employed in academia 3.0%
Percent employed in business and industry 9.0%
Percent employed in government 8.0%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 8.0%
Percent employed in law firms 63.0%
Percent employed in public interest 6.0%
Percent employed in an unknown field 3.0%
Percent employed in a judicial clerkship by an Article III federal judge 1.8%
2007 Graduates Employment Location
Graduates employed in-state 61%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 0%
Number of states where graduates are employed 24
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 3.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 5.5%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 3.0%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 1.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 81.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.5%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 1.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 2.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 0.5%
Employment location unknown 2.0%

Wake outplaced UNC in Article III clerkships? Interesting ...

They probably just lie a little bit less than their peer schools.

This info is really making the decision between UNC and Wake for me difficult. I am leaning towards UNC for geographic preference but if Wake is placing signifantly better jobs than it may be better to go with Wake.

UNC is one of the best public schools in the country in nearly every single program, not just law. Wake has the shittiest selection of clinics of any school I looked at. I don't see how there is even a comparison. Anyone who has thought about a master's or PhD knows that people who go to UNC for post-UG education are bright.

the lantern wrote:UNC is one of the best public schools in the country in nearly every single program, not just law. Wake has the shittiest selection of clinics of any school I looked at. I don't see how there is even a comparison. Anyone who has thought about a master's or PhD knows that people who go to UNC for post-UG education are bright.

How many law firms, federal judges, or government agencies hire students on the basis of their clinical experience? My impression is, not too many.

the lantern wrote:They probably just lie a little bit less than their peer schools.

Just like they never let in football or basketball players that other schools refuse to...

Among Southern schools, they are also clearly inferior to Vanderbilt.

Law, I would say: UVA > Duke > Vandy > Emory > UNC > UGA > W.F. > Bama

Overall: UVA > Duke > UNC > Vandy > Emory and so on

How abou that for a completely useless, subjective post that contributes nothing?

Oh and if I'm being subjective I might as well say that, despite what I said, UNC > Dook

whitman wrote:Oh and if I'm being subjective I might as well say that, despite what I said, UNC > Dook

+1

I have two friends that graduated from UNC Law three years ago, both had federal clerkships and are now working for top law firms in atlanta earning six figure salaries. I have a friend that graduated from Wake Forest Law two years ago, has worked for two different "highway billboard advertising" law firms since and is now working in a DAs office (no he isn't happy about any of it).

I mention my friends because attending the school with the best stats makes sense, but at the end of the day it also really matters what you do while you're there.

whitman wrote:Law, I would say: UVA > Duke > Vandy > Emory > UNC > UGA > W.F. > Bama

Overall: UVA > Duke > UNC > Vandy > Emory and so on

How abou that for a completely useless, subjective post that contributes nothing?

Really? Rice, which doesn't have a law school (but should), is better than Emory and GA. Tech and Tulane are arguably as good.

And sorry, I would put Baylor, Tulane and SMU with or above 'Bama and Wake, in law and overall. And Vandy > UNC.

PDaddy wrote:

whitman wrote:Law, I would say: UVA > Duke > Vandy > Emory > UNC > UGA > W.F. > Bama

Overall: UVA > Duke > UNC > Vandy > Emory and so on

How abou that for a completely useless, subjective post that contributes nothing?

Really? Rice, which doesn't have a law school (but should), is better than Emory and GA. Tech and Tulane are arguably as good.

And sorry, I would put Baylor, Tulane and SMU with or above 'Bama and Wake, in law and overall. And Vandy > UNC.

-1.

WFU is too low as it is; its academic reputation is >>>>>>>> than the SMU's, UGas, Baylors, AUs, and Tulane's of the world.

women'ssoccer wrote:

PDaddy wrote:

whitman wrote:Law, I would say: UVA > Duke > Vandy > Emory > UNC > UGA > W.F. > Bama

Overall: UVA > Duke > UNC > Vandy > Emory and so on

How abou that for a completely useless, subjective post that contributes nothing?

Really? Rice, which doesn't have a law school (but should), is better than Emory and GA. Tech and Tulane are arguably as good.

And sorry, I would put Baylor, Tulane and SMU with or above 'Bama and Wake, in law and overall. And Vandy > UNC.

-1.

WFU is too low as it is; its academic reputation is >>>>>>>> than the SMU's, UGas, Baylors, AUs, and Tulane's of the world.

According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2009:

Georgia >> Wake ~= Tulane > SMU >> Baylor, AU (last 2 not ranked)

These are for overall institutions, if I'm not mistaken -- but correct me if I'm wrong.

And, if you look at the Baylor College of Medicine (i.e., the "overall" part of "in law and overall"), and not Baylor U., the list becomes:

Baylor College of Med ~= Georgia >> Wake ~= Tulane > SMU >> AU (not ranked)

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