Top Law Schools

Which of these schools is the best choice for someone who would like to end up working in New York City?

UConn
UMaryland
Temple
Seton Hall (with $25k/year)

(I already withdrew from St. John's with $22k/year because of its spot at the bottom of a long list of NY law schools, but now I'm thinking that may have been a mistake...)

Thanks!

Just any job or a good job?

I would choose Seton Hall because it's local and will leave you with the least debt (unless UConn and UMD are cheaper than I'm guessing they are).

voice of reason wrote:I would choose Seton Hall because it's local and will leave you with the least debt (unless UConn and UMD are cheaper than I'm guessing they are).

I would wager Temple.

None of the above.
Temple = Philly
Maryland = Maryland
Seton Hall = NJ
UConn = CT

You did make a mistake by withdrawing from St. John's if you only want to work in NYC. If you are willing to work elsewhere, then pick the cheapest school.

keg411 wrote:None of the above.
Temple = Philly
Maryland = Maryland
Seton Hall = NJ
UConn = CT

You did make a mistake by withdrawing from St. John's if you only want to work in NYC. If you are willing to work elsewhere, then pick the cheapest school.

This is credited. Temple places well in Philly. Maryland does well in Maryland. UConn does decent in CT. Seton Hall is a joke and public perception of it is a WHOLE lot lower than its ranking.

None of them are the best for NYC. The NY legal job market is at an all time low and wasn't that great before the recession. None of those schools are heavy hitters in NYC, period.

UConn, Temple, UMD...those are decent schools for the states they are in but without in-state tuition or a significant no-strings scholarship, they aren't worth it.

LawyerlyLady wrote:
I already withdrew from St. John's with $22k/year because of its spot at the bottom of a long list of NY law schools, but now I'm thinking that may have been a mistake...

Bottom? I'd say after Columbia, NYU., Fordham, and Cardozo, yes, but that hardly qualifies for "bottom". And yes, it is a better bet than Brooklyn. Sounds like you drank the TLS kool-aid on that one. If you wanted to work in NYC, St. John's seems to have been far and away the best option you had available, especially with $22K a year.

shutterbug wrote:

LawyerlyLady wrote:
I already withdrew from St. John's with $22k/year because of its spot at the bottom of a long list of NY law schools, but now I'm thinking that may have been a mistake...

Bottom? I'd say after Columbia, NYU., Fordham, and Cardozo, yes, but that hardly qualifies for "bottom". And yes, it is a better bet than Brooklyn. Sounds like you drank the TLS kool-aid on that one. If you wanted to work in NYC, St. John's seems to have been far and away the best option you had available, especially with $22K a year.

In what world is St. Johns a better bet than Brooklyn?

I'd go with UConn or Temple since their target markets are close to NYC so if you end up with a job in one of them you will at least be close to where you want to be. Seton Hall is also close but it doesn't do as well in its own target market (NJ) as the other two do in theirs. Also, I believe you can get in-state tuition at UConn after 1L. And Temple out of state is still cheaper than most schools.

James Bond wrote:

shutterbug wrote:

LawyerlyLady wrote:
I already withdrew from St. John's with $22k/year because of its spot at the bottom of a long list of NY law schools, but now I'm thinking that may have been a mistake...

Bottom? I'd say after Columbia, NYU., Fordham, and Cardozo, yes, but that hardly qualifies for "bottom". And yes, it is a better bet than Brooklyn. Sounds like you drank the TLS kool-aid on that one. If you wanted to work in NYC, St. John's seems to have been far and away the best option you had available, especially with $22K a year.

In what world is St. Johns a better bet than Brooklyn?

http://www.law.com/pdf/nlj/20080414empl ... trends.pdf

This makes them appear comparable for big law but it's obviously an oversimplification and it looks like BLS has an adavantage in clerkships/government/unemployment. I'd take 22k at SJ over Brooklyn sticker though.

Edited to include a more thorough look

bceagles182 wrote:http://www.law.com/pdf/nlj/20080414empl ... trends.pdf

This makes them appear comparable but it's obviously an oversimplification. I'd take 22k at SJ over Brooklyn sticker though.

I'll give you the stats and the scholly over no scholly, but plenty of people in NYC put Brooklyn and Cardozo above St. Johns and especially Seton Hall just on reputation and lay prestige.

You made a mistake withdrawing from St. John's. Best option out of your five for NYC, and you got a scholarship. That was a crazy decision.

Seeing at this is TLS and all, I'm shocked that this thread has gone so far without anyone saying it, but I'll be the first:

Retake.

You should go to Maryland. It has the highest ranking and thus the best chances of employment.

romothesavior wrote:You made a mistake withdrawing from St. John's. Best option out of your five for NYC, and you got a scholarship. That was a crazy decision.

Seeing at this is TLS and all, I'm shocked that this thread has gone so far without anyone saying it, but I'll be the first:

Retake.

Well, I don't have my heart set on NYC. I was just wondering what kind of a shot I'd have at a job there with a JD from one of these schools. I'd be happy in another city as well, which is why I made the decision to eliminate a school (albeit a New York school) that didn't seem quite up to par with the others...

I'd go with UConn.
It's your best for a job in NYC.
St. John's would have been better though- you could have least gotten something in Long Island or Westchester.

romothesavior wrote:You made a mistake withdrawing from St. John's. Best option out of your five for NYC, and you got a scholarship. That was a crazy decision.

Seeing at this is TLS and all, I'm shocked that this thread has gone so far without anyone saying it, but I'll be the first:

Retake.

I disagree with the first portion of the above post, and agree with the second portion. I don't think you made a huge mistake by withdrawing from St. Johns, because I don't think that in this economy you stood a chance in NYC law regardless. Therefore, if NYC law (especially biglaw) is the goal, I say retake.

How do you feel about endless doc review gulags? If you're okay with that, Seton Hall.

If you want a good shot at meaningful legal employment, retake.

If you withdrew from St John's, why the heck look at Seton Hall???? You'll be stuck in NJ.

Retake, get into Brooklyn, then maybe you'll have a shot at the City. I don't see how Maryland figures, if you want to practice in NYC.