Best schools for Milwaukee biglaw? Forum

[JollyGreenGiant]

Lets say I wanted to work in Milwaukee biglaw.. and lets say I finish slightly above median.. what schools would place me the best in milwaukee biglaw?

[im_blue]

I'd look at T14's, Wisconsin, and strong Midwest schools like WUSTL and ND.

[JollyGreenGiant]

I'd look at T14's, Wisconsin, and strong Midwest schools like WUSTL and ND.

Let's say theoretically you had to choose between Chicago, NU, Wisco, Marquette, WUSTL, ND, etc.. and all of those options were available to you for Milwaukee biglaw. Where would you go?

[Mr. Matlock]

Yes, Pete, it is. In fact , it's pronounced "mill-e-wah-que" which is Algonquin for "the good land."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtqesudKxSA

And of course:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRmKzxhM ... re=related

[im_blue]

I'd look at T14's, Wisconsin, and strong Midwest schools like WUSTL and ND.

Let's say theoretically you had to choose between Chicago, NU, Wisco, Marquette, WUSTL, ND, etc.. and all of those options were available to you for Milwaukee biglaw. Where would you go?

Chicago in a heartbeat.

[JollyGreenGiant]

I'd look at T14's, Wisconsin, and strong Midwest schools like WUSTL and ND.

Let's say theoretically you had to choose between Chicago, NU, Wisco, Marquette, WUSTL, ND, etc.. and all of those options were available to you for Milwaukee biglaw. Where would you go?

Chicago in a heartbeat.

Even if a place like Wisco/WUSTL/ND gave you a full ride?

[im_blue]

I'd look at T14's, Wisconsin, and strong Midwest schools like WUSTL and ND.

Let's say theoretically you had to choose between Chicago, NU, Wisco, Marquette, WUSTL, ND, etc.. and all of those options were available to you for Milwaukee biglaw. Where would you go?

Chicago in a heartbeat.

Even if a place like Wisco/WUSTL/ND gave you a full ride?

Yes, if the goal is biglaw. Slightly above median from Wisco/WUSTL/ND has no shot at biglaw.

[UF Gators]

Does Milwaukee really have biglaw? The top of the class at Wisc probably has access to Milwaukee big law but you will have more wiggle room from Chicago. How much does biglaw in Milwaukee pay? It may take you longer to pay down your loans with a smaller paycheck.

[romothesavior]

To me, the whole state of Wisconsin is in its own little world. Whether that translates into the legal market, I have no idea. But if it does, then I'd imagine schools like Wisconsin and Marquette are afforded a pretty big bump.

That said, however... U of Chicago would be your best bet by a landslide. I would say go to Marquette on a full ride, but they seem like they are VERY stingy with scholarship offers, so it would be pretty dumb to pick Marquette over any of the schools you listed.

[Panther7]

madison or chicago are your best bets.

[tww909]

i'm really interested in people's thoughts on this too. i don't have quite the range of options the OP has, but i'm mulling either going to madison this year or retaking/reapplying next year.

fwiw, i had a pretty sizable scholarship to marquette (the largest i've seen on LSN), but with marquette's exorbitant tuition and the higher cost of living in milwaukee, that still only made it about $10000 cheaper than madison. that, coupled with the fact that all the attorneys i spoke to (including my mother, a marquette alum) said madison has better career prospects both in and out of the state made it a pretty easy call.

anyway, given that wisconsin is where i know i want to end up, i'm not sure the TLS mantra of 'retake, profit' will necessarily yield better results. i would be particularly worried about passing up the relatively cheap in-state tuition at madison to pay sticker at a t14, only to find out that i can't get a job in wisconsin that i can pay off that debt with.

[traehekat]

Chicago, IMO.

I can just imagine the hiring partners response, "So, you went to Chicago... aaand you want to work here... in Milwaukee... iiiiin Milwaukee... Wisconsin....? ... You're sure? ... Well god damn, you're hired!"

[romothesavior]

i'm really interested in people's thoughts on this too. i don't have quite the range of options the OP has, but i'm mulling either going to madison this year or retaking/reapplying next year.

fwiw, i had a pretty sizable scholarship to marquette (the largest i've seen on LSN), but with marquette's exorbitant tuition and the higher cost of living in milwaukee, that still only made it about $10000 cheaper than madison. that, coupled with the fact that all the attorneys i spoke to (including my mother, a marquette alum) said madison has better career prospects both in and out of the state made it a pretty easy call.

anyway, given that wisconsin is where i know i want to end up, i'm not sure the TLS mantra of 'retake, profit' will necessarily yield better results. i would be particularly worried about passing up the relatively cheap in-state tuition at madison to pay sticker at a t14, only to find out that i can't get a job in wisconsin that i can pay off that debt with.

Unless you really think you can improve your LSAT drastically, I'd say Wisconsin is a great choice for you for the following reasons:

Your in-state tution + Desire to stay in WI + Possibility of not having to take the bar (unless they change that)

[JollyGreenGiant]

Or cause me to make a thread like this. I have until Monday to decide.

Damn, with Diploma Privilege and a near-full ride at Wisconsin, this whole thread could have been avoided.

[09042014]

Damn, with Diploma Privilege and a near-full ride at Wisconsin, this whole thread could have been avoided.

If he wants a career in big law he should still pay sticker at Chicago. Slightly below median at Chicago can get big law, top 25% at Wisco cannot. This is a career decision he is making. His first job will dictate every job he has from now until he retires.

If he just wants a legal career in Milwaukee, then Wisconsin is the way to go.

Chicago unless he has more than small amount at NU.

[rayiner]

Damn, with Diploma Privilege and a near-full ride at Wisconsin, this whole thread could have been avoided.

If he wants a career in big law he should still pay sticker at Chicago. Slightly below median at Chicago can get big law, top 25% at Wisco cannot. This is a career decision he is making. His first job will dictate every job he has from now until he retires.

If he just wants a legal career in Milwaukee, then Wisconsin is the way to go.

Chicago unless he has more than small amount at NU.

+1.

[09042014]

a. DF is pretty close to credited (your specific numbers are a bit...well, that isn't the point)

b. JGG, don't mess with me like this. We all know where you're going.

I think I was being fairly optimistic for Wisconsin. Class of 2009 was 23% in nlj250, and Class of 2010 and '11 will be considerably worse.

[Panther7]

a. DF is pretty close to credited (your specific numbers are a bit...well, that isn't the point)

b. JGG, don't mess with me like this. We all know where you're going.

I think I was being fairly optimistic for Wisconsin. Class of 2009 was 23% in nlj250, and Class of 2010 and '11 will be considerably worse.

probably, but so will everyone else.

I don't' think you can say Wisconsin is the "wrong" choice. There is a logical argument for it, and you wouldn't be stupid imo for going there. But if you find the two schools equal in your heart (which I know they're not!), Chicago is probably the safer choice simply because you have more options if you don't get milwaukee. I have a feeling more Milwaukee firms would be at Madison OCI though.... anyone got data on this?

[09042014]

a. DF is pretty close to credited (your specific numbers are a bit...well, that isn't the point)

b. JGG, don't mess with me like this. We all know where you're going.

I think I was being fairly optimistic for Wisconsin. Class of 2009 was 23% in nlj250, and Class of 2010 and '11 will be considerably worse.

probably, but so will everyone else.

Agreed, and Wisconsin will probably do better than schools like Illinois and ND, that feed into major markets.

But OCI this past fall was yielded UChi students biglaw at below median. It was risky, but it was happening. At least from what I hear.

How was it at Wisconsin. I hadn't heard anything.

[rayiner]

a. DF is pretty close to credited (your specific numbers are a bit...well, that isn't the point)

b. JGG, don't mess with me like this. We all know where you're going.

I think I was being fairly optimistic for Wisconsin. Class of 2009 was 23% in nlj250, and Class of 2010 and '11 will be considerably worse.

probably, but so will everyone else.

Agreed, and Wisconsin will probably do better than schools like Illinois and ND, that feed into major markets.

But OCI this past fall was yielded UChi students biglaw at below median. It was risky, but it was happening. At least from what I hear.

How was it at Wisconsin. I hadn't heard anything.

A poster here transferred to Chicago from Wisconsin (ToTransferOrNot). You should ask him. IIRC, he's said it was pretty grim at Wisconsin.

[sanpiero]

Damn, with Diploma Privilege and a near-full ride at Wisconsin, this whole thread could have been avoided.

If he wants a career in big law he should still pay sticker at Chicago. Slightly below median at Chicago can get big law, top 25% at Wisco cannot. This is a career decision he is making. His first job will dictate every job he has from now until he retires.

If he just wants a legal career in Milwaukee, then Wisconsin is the way to go.

Chicago unless he has more than small amount at NU.

Can median at NU get biglaw?

[RVP11]

Damn, with Diploma Privilege and a near-full ride at Wisconsin, this whole thread could have been avoided.

If he wants a career in big law he should still pay sticker at Chicago. Slightly below median at Chicago can get big law, top 25% at Wisco cannot. This is a career decision he is making. His first job will dictate every job he has from now until he retires.

If he just wants a legal career in Milwaukee, then Wisconsin is the way to go.

Chicago unless he has more than small amount at NU.

Can median at NU get biglaw?

Yes.

[jasonac21]

I'm from WI so kind of know the market. Madison is obviously a better bet than Marquette, despite Marquette being in Milwaukee. I know of a few Madison grads who had a pretty tough time finding jobs, but they eventually did. Many that wanted bigger firms got their offers rescinded or delayed, but they all eventually found work within 6-9 months. So if you got into Chicago, go there without question. You have the option of staying in Chicago while also, if you still want to, move to Milwaukee.

You don't have to answer, but just curious as to why you want to work in Milwaukee? (I've lived there and really like it, but the economy there was hit pretty hard, worse than many other places).