What is the best school for practicing law in Pennsylvania? Forum

[Gemini]

I'm curious. Obviously UPenn and the rest of the T14 are top choices.

But apart from that, what are some well liked law schools that get you good jobs in Pennsylvania?

I know Temple, Penn State, and UPitt are three. I don't know if there are more....

Thanks!

[Bankhead]

If you want to practice in Pittsburgh, Pitt. If you want to practice in Philly, the cheaper option between Nova and Temple (in most cases, this should be Temple).

[ze2151]

after penn you can't do better than dickinson if you want to practice in the midstate.

[Gemini]

If you want to practice in Pittsburgh, Pitt. If you want to practice in Philly, the cheaper option between Nova and Temple (in most cases, this should be Temple).

Nova? Isn't that below Tier 2? And that get's a graduate a good job? I have a 164, so my LSAT isn't so terrible that I need to go below tier 1 or 2.

EDIT: Nevermind, I see that it's tier 2.

I was thinking Temple. And yes, I am considering Philadelphia as a place to work and live after I graduate law school.

[showNprove]

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[r6_philly]

Cornell and Georgetown are both well represented in Philly. New DA is from Georgetown.

Temple otherwise, if you are in-state it should be very cheap. If you receive scholarship even better. Living cost can be very low compared to other options too.

[Veyron]

If you want to practice in Pittsburgh, Pitt. If you want to practice in Philly, the cheaper option between Nova and Temple (in most cases, this should be Temple).

Nova? Isn't that below Tier 2? And that get's a graduate a good job? I have a 164, so my LSAT isn't so terrible that I need to go below tier 1 or 2.

EDIT: Nevermind, I see that it's tier 2.

I was thinking Temple. And yes, I am considering Philadelphia as a place to work and live after I graduate law school.

Will Temple get you a good job, probably not. But it is more likely to get you a job in PA (or at least Philly, can't speak for the rest of the state) than any non-T-14. If you want to go this route, make sure you get a large scholarship and have a PI heavy resume.

[beach_terror]

Be careful about Penn. They have a stigma with some employers for taking SA jobs and then going to NY/DC instead of staying with the firm. If you really want to stay in PA/Philly, you'd be wise to highlight your ties to the state if you take Penn.

Also, its Penn, not UPenn.

[r6_philly]

Be careful about Penn. They have a stigma with some employers for taking SA jobs and then going to NY/DC instead of staying with the firm. If you really want to stay in PA/Philly, you'd be wise to highlight your ties to the state if you take Penn.

Also, its Penn, not UPenn.

It's only Penn to Penn people (ok maybe drexel and temple). The valet at my garage in old city think I wear a Penn State shirt, even though it says Quaker on it. When I clarified, he said "University of Penn?" so UPenn helps everyone who doesn't know to be apart from Penn State.

[northwood]

how about penn state?

[r6_philly]

how about penn state?

Only if you want to work in mid PA. I don't know if you have ever been to the middle of PA, but it's fully of crummy little cities like Harrisburg. They don't like Philly and are not like Philly.

[schnoodle]

penn state is dickinson. dickinson is penn state. if the midstate is your goal, it's a good degree to have because that's where their alumni practice. it won't best penn, but it will probably help you network more effectively than would any other degree. if, however, philly is the goal, you have a better shot with a widener degree (being slightly facetious).

[r6_philly]

penn state is dickinson. dickinson is penn state. if the midstate is your goal, it's a good degree to have because that's where their alumni practice. it won't best penn, but it will probably help you network more effectively than would any other degree. if, however, philly is the goal, you have a better shot with a widener degree (being slightly facetious).

I come across more Widener grads than Penn State grads in Philly and surrounding areas. Widener is not necessarily held as a T4, and too far off from the other schools, interesting enough.

[pjo]

1. ED to Penn

2. Apply to Cornell a.s.a.p.

3. Apply to GW, Fordham, Temple and Villanova.

If you want to work in Eastern PA, go to either 1) a T14, or if not 1, then 2) the best school in PA/NY/NJ/DE/MD/DC. Balance proximity to Philadelphia against the quality of the school. Obviously, the more connections you have to Eastern PA, the less you need to go to school immediately in Philly.

Hmm... this is what I've been struggling with. I have a lot of connections to W.PA but not sure if I want to go to Pitt and stay in Pittsburgh forever. At the same time, I'm worried if I leave (probably to go to UNC/Wake -- like the area, want to try my luck in NC) then I'll also lose any chance of coming back to Pittsburgh if I don't end up liking NC. But you seem to be saying that my connections would hold in Pittsburgh even if I don't go to Pitt? any thoughts?

[schnoodle]

you have to know how well your contacts would hold up. how would we?

and r6, i agree, the widener name is much more visible in philly than is dickinson. and it isn't treated like a bad school. but i wonder with firms at the top scaling back as they have, every school's exit opportunities shrink a little (like musical chairs), and who is left without a chair? i'm only speculating, but i think in philly that may be widener. at least with dickinson you know you have as a base a large swath of the state with a large and enthusiastic alumni network.

and i have to take issue with your assessment of cenpenn as a bunch of crummy towns. they might be crummy, but they're ours. and not all of the midstate is awful. i mean i wouldn't want to live in nowheresburg in snyder county, but dauphin/cumberland/berks/york/lancaster/chester/lebanon region is not bad at all.

[r6_philly]

and i have to take issue with your assessment of cenpenn as a bunch of crummy towns. they might be crummy, but they're ours. and not all of the midstate is awful. i mean i wouldn't want to live in nowheresburg in snyder county, but dauphin/cumberland/berks/york/lancaster/chester/lebanon region is not bad at all.

It's ok, it's only my opinion. But being 1) a big city person and 2) a minority really makes me not like the center of PA. The cultural differences are great. Heck, I can get half way to York and start to feel the change in environment and social climate. NE PA is mired in racial controversies from the anti-Hispanic situation ... It's just an personal opinion/assessment, but I don't feel comfortable getting off the turnpike and find myself in the middle of a local KKK gathering (which I have both in PA and in the south, scared me all the same).

[showNprove]

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[Veyron]

and i have to take issue with your assessment of cenpenn as a bunch of crummy towns. they might be crummy, but they're ours. and not all of the midstate is awful. i mean i wouldn't want to live in nowheresburg in snyder county, but dauphin/cumberland/berks/york/lancaster/chester/lebanon region is not bad at all.

It's ok, it's only my opinion. But being 1) a big city person and 2) a minority really makes me not like the center of PA. The cultural differences are great. Heck, I can get half way to York and start to feel the change in environment and social climate. NE PA is mired in racial controversies from the anti-Hispanic situation ... It's just an personal opinion/assessment, but I don't feel comfortable getting off the turnpike and find myself in the middle of a local KKK gathering (which I have both in PA and in the south, scared me all the same).

Seriously? Completely off topic, but I would fucking love to hear this story.

[HeavenWood]

I won't even begin to venture the local T14 hierarchy beyond HY (S?) > Penn > ...

Regional Schools:

Pittsburgh:
Pitt, Duquesne

Harrisburg/Lancaster/York:
Dickinson

Philadelphia:
Temple, Villanova, Rutgers Camden, Widener, Drexel

I'm not knowledgeable about how T30s from neighboring regions place in PA. I would imagine BU, BC, GW, and W&M do well to varying degrees, but I'm not 100% positive.

[Gemini]

Thanks guys!

I'm definitely not going to be applying to schools outside of T2. And I'm not applying to Penn State.
I'm from NYC. I'm tired of it, but I still would like to live in a mid-sized city. That leaves me with Philly or Pittsburgh.

I'm not sure I want to do public sector jobs. Would Temple/UPitt be able to get me a job at a Philly/Pittsburgh firm?

[HeavenWood]

Thanks guys!

I'm definitely not going to be applying to schools outside of T2. And I'm not applying to Penn State.
I'm from NYC. I'm tired of it, but I still would like to live in a mid-sized city. That leaves me with Philly or Pittsburgh.

I'm not sure I want to do public sector jobs. Would Temple/UPitt be able to get me a job at a Philly/Pittsburgh firm?

Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are two VERY different cities. Have you spent much time in either? I ask you this because a Temple/Pitt degree could keep you tied down to its region for a significant period of time.

[r6_philly]

and i have to take issue with your assessment of cenpenn as a bunch of crummy towns. they might be crummy, but they're ours. and not all of the midstate is awful. i mean i wouldn't want to live in nowheresburg in snyder county, but dauphin/cumberland/berks/york/lancaster/chester/lebanon region is not bad at all.

It's ok, it's only my opinion. But being 1) a big city person and 2) a minority really makes me not like the center of PA. The cultural differences are great. Heck, I can get half way to York and start to feel the change in environment and social climate. NE PA is mired in racial controversies from the anti-Hispanic situation ... It's just an personal opinion/assessment, but I don't feel comfortable getting off the turnpike and find myself in the middle of a local KKK gathering (which I have both in PA and in the south, scared me all the same).

Seriously? Completely off topic, but I would fucking love to hear this story.

I think the Turnpike was shut down because of an accident, and I exited at Carlisle and continued west (was heading toward Pittsburg). I stopped by a gas station next to a diner and they were having a gathering in the parking lot of the diner. I got the hell out of there. Also ran into one in Asheville, NC, and one in TN. I used to drive all over the east coast almost every week from Alabama to New Hampshire. I have seen some wildly different environments. The actually used to hold KKK recruiting rallies in Bucks County by the way. Did you read about the hate crimes against Hispanics in rural PA? Hazelton tried to pass a law to make it criminal to rent to illegal immigrants (Hispanics) a few years back. I am not really comfortable outside of the metro areas. Sorry to feel this way, can't help it.

[Veyron]

Wow, I've never seen anything like this out west (although suposedly my state now has some out of state neo-nazi running around the desert with his M-16 hunting for illegals). I thought the east coast was suposed to be a bastion of liberalism and racial harmony? Are you latino R8?

[HeavenWood]

Wow, I've never seen anything like this out west (although suposedly my state now has some out of state neo-nazi running around the desert with his M-16 hunting for illegals). I thought the east coast was suposed to be a bastion of liberalism and racial harmony? Are you latino R8?

Liberalism doesn't always coincide with racial harmony. Boston, for example, had some of the country's worst race riots.

Pennsylvania is really three different states: blue-collar, union Democrat Pittsburgh with its Midwestern values; wealthy, cosmopolitan Philadelphia with equal numbers limousine liberals and old money conservatives; and everything in between, colloquially known as "Pennsyltucky." You can take that nickname for what it's worth.

[r6_philly]

Wow, I've never seen anything like this out west (although suposedly my state now has some out of state neo-nazi running around the desert with his M-16 looking hunting for illegals). I thought the east coast was suposed to be a bastion of liberalism and racial harmony? Are you latino R8?

Haha don't let the propaganda fool you. I think people in the NE is just more PC about their prejudices. The divide is deep, and deeply hidden. You should go to Philly.com and read the comments to local stories involving minorities. Mind you they delete a lot of them.

My skin says I am Asian but every one of my immediate and extended family is black, I just say I am an American. So I suppose racism bothers me more and manifest more around me because people are not so quick to hide their anti-black prejudices around me but it hurts me just the same. I have some weird/awkward experiences on that front.