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Hi everyone,

Thought I'd get the hive's opinion. I want to end up in Texas for a career (Though probably not Houston. Anywhere but there.). No firm path decided yet, though probably not PI. I'd like to get involved in health law, though I have no idea what will interest me in school. Have yet to hear back from UT and other schools, so for now I'm discounting them.

Option 1 is $25K a yr scholly at SMU, which would put be back in Dallas - great legal market there. Waiting on word about the Sarah T. Hughes scholarship (full tuition), but someone here on TLS already got it and unless that person declines and I happen to be next in line (which I really cannot count on) this is my package. Can't really complain!

Options 2 and 3 are Columbia and Berkeley at sticker. From what I've heard from alumni at CLS ending up back in Texas for a job shouldn't be too difficult. I've loved what I've gotten to know about CLS so far. However, answers from Berkeley students and alumni have been wishy-washy. Can anyone here speak to the school's reach extending to Texas markets/OCI even? At sticker, it's a damned expensive school. The only upside to Berkeley at this point is that I'm currently in the Bay Area and it'd be easy to remain here, but CLS is looking far more attractive.

Thanks, guys.

Are you from TX?

NALP lets you search for which firms do OCI at any given school. I bet there is a significant chunk at CLS. I think i'd take CLS if you want biglaw or PI.

bk187 wrote:Are you from TX?

NALP lets you search for which firms do OCI at any given school. I bet there is a significant chunk at CLS. I think i'd take CLS if you want biglaw or PI.

Yes, I'm originally form TX. Cheap land and home make it my top choice to end up, though CA and NY are nice second choices.

I think you could get a good job in Texas with a Columbia degree. UT may be the better option if you get a substantial amount of scholarship money. Do not go to SMU over Columbia or Boalt.

2L at Boalt weighing in here. I have two friends from TX who went there for undergrad and are looking to go back post-graduation. One accepted a 2L summer associate position at a firm in Texas (the other isn't planning on being a practicing attorney after graduation). Another friend of mine worked in PI during her 2L summer in Texas, and she has absolutely no ties to the state whatsoever (she's from the midwest). TX firms and PI orgs do seem to recruit from Boalt - they have a good showing at OCIP and on b-Line (our online job site). I've seen quite a few smaller and midsize firms on b-Line, as well as the big ones that come to campus for OCIP (Bracewell, Venable, V&E, etc.).