Top Law Schools

I'm from Texas and really like it there. I want to go to the best school possible though and have the best chance at a big-law job

Go to SMU. Ties to the area plus desire to practice in that region plus law school in that region = best shot at biglaw. Just realize biglaw from SMU is far from a guaranteed thing.

patrickd139 wrote:Go to SMU. Ties to the area plus desire to practice in that region plus law school in that region = best shot at biglaw. Just realize biglaw from SMU is far from a guaranteed thing.

This. FWIW, though, I get the impression that biglaw is far from a guaranteed thing at either of these schools.

Marionberry wrote:

patrickd139 wrote:Go to SMU. Ties to the area plus desire to practice in that region plus law school in that region = best shot at biglaw. Just realize biglaw from SMU is far from a guaranteed thing.

This. FWIW, though, I get the impression that biglaw is far from a guaranteed thing at either of these schools.

Excellent point: I didn't mean to imply by my (ambiguous) post that your biglaw chances would be increased significantly by choosing either school, nor that either school gives you a particularly good shot.

How can anyone vote for Emory? SMU all the way here.

While I did grow up in Texas and have many "ties" to the region, I have no connections in the legal field. I like Emory because of its reputation and the fact that it is the best law school in its region. If I did well enough and made a few contacts while in school, I'm fairly confident I could return to Texas if I wanted to. While SMU does well in Dallas, I feel like my job prospects will always be slightly inhibited by the presence UT (which I would go to in an instant If I got off their waitlist).

tough decisions await...

From what I've seen SMU gets a lot of respect in Dallas. If you get good grades there, I don't think it would limit you in Dallas at all. On the other hand, as someone who is very familiar with Atlanta--Emory is competing with loads of UVA, Duke, UGA, and GA State Mercer grads. Yet Emory doesn't get preferential treatment over any of them unless your grades are really high.

adamtx11 wrote:While I did grow up in Texas and have many "ties" to the region, I have no connections in the legal field.

Precisely why SMU is the better choice.

kalvano wrote:

adamtx11 wrote:While I did grow up in Texas and have many "ties" to the region, I have no connections in the legal field.

Precisely why SMU is the better choice.

+1. If you really want Texas--> SMU hands down.

I understand what you all are saying. I just don't like the feeling of turning down a better school that is offering the same amount of money

adamtx11 wrote:I understand what you all are saying. I just don't like the feeling of turning down a better school that is offering the same amount of money

In what respect do you consider Emory a better school? I'm not saying it's not, but it's worth considering that some schools are better for some people than others. SMU only placed about 4% less in the NLJ250, and it happens to be where you want to be. Other than that, I'm not sure what significant differences there are. Neither school is gonna carry you real far outside of it's region.