Top Law Schools

So as we all know, biglaw is a huge gamble in this economy, 60-40 or lower at most T14 schools. For those of us who have our sights set on biglaw but want to hedge our bets, which school offers the best 'safety net' options for those who strike out at OCI?

Lovely Ludwig Van wrote:So as we all know, biglaw is a huge gamble in this economy, 60-40 or lower at most T14 schools. For those of us who have our sights set on biglaw but want to hedge our bets, which school offers the best 'safety net' options for those who strike out at OCI?

You have a very interesting definition of "mid-level T14."

Scholarship money, and it isn't even close.

HeavenWood wrote:

Lovely Ludwig Van wrote:So as we all know, biglaw is a huge gamble in this economy, 60-40 or lower at most T14 schools. For those of us who have our sights set on biglaw but want to hedge our bets, which school offers the best 'safety net' options for those who strike out at OCI?

You have a very interesting definition of "mid-level T14."

Well yeah, I just wanted to throw D and C out there because I was accepted there as well. I could use as much information as possible.

Your question was rather odd, but I think the answer is that it doesn't matter. If you strike out at OCI it comes down to your individual skills. When you are mass mailing 200+ firms cross country, no one school will give you a significant edge. It's the polish of your resume, your grades, and the quality of your interview.

Blatant anti-NU trolling.

Lovely Ludwig Van wrote:

HeavenWood wrote:

Lovely Ludwig Van wrote:So as we all know, biglaw is a huge gamble in this economy, 60-40 or lower at most T14 schools. For those of us who have our sights set on biglaw but want to hedge our bets, which school offers the best 'safety net' options for those who strike out at OCI?

You have a very interesting definition of "mid-level T14."

Well yeah, I just wanted to throw D and C out there because I was accepted there as well. I could use as much information as possible.

All things being equal, UVA looks like your best choice (given your acceptances, scholly offers, and what appears to be strong debt aversion).

What are you proposing you "hedge your bets" with? As in, complete the following sentence: "If I don't get BigLaw, my backup plan is to _______________."

Biglaw *is* the safety net option. Everything else is harder to get.

ArchRoark wrote:Blatant anti-NU trolling.

Sorry, I didn't apply to NU. Fresh meat coming straight out of undergrad.

vanwinkle wrote:What are you proposing you "hedge your bets" with? As in, complete the following sentence: "If I don't get BigLaw, my backup plan is to _______________."

...work at a mid-law firm.

Lovely Ludwig Van wrote:

vanwinkle wrote:What are you proposing you "hedge your bets" with? As in, complete the following sentence: "If I don't get BigLaw, my backup plan is to _______________."

...work at a mid-law firm.

What's your definition of a "mid-law firm"?

Latest placement stats had everyone giddy with Cornell's numbers, but my choice would be either Chicago or NYU depending on whether you wanna live in Chicago or NYC. Also, getting accepted to all of these and asking questions about what happens if you strike out at OCI makes me feel like you may be my favorite 0L on this board.

vanwinkle wrote:

Lovely Ludwig Van wrote:

vanwinkle wrote:What are you proposing you "hedge your bets" with? As in, complete the following sentence: "If I don't get BigLaw, my backup plan is to _______________."

...work at a mid-law firm.

What's your definition of a "mid-law firm"?

I'm sorry, should have said "mid-size law firm." And by that I meant any firm that pays associates in the area between biglaw and public interest salary.

Lovely Ludwig Van wrote:I'm sorry, should have said "mid-size law firm." And by that I meant any firm that pays associates in the area between biglaw and public interest salary.

There are not many jobs for new grads that pay "in the area between big law and public interest".

Have you ever heard of "bimodal salary distribution"? It means that the number of jobs paying at each salary isn't a straight line or even a gentle slope. Instead you have two clusters, one paying a lot and one paying a little, with very little in between.



http://www.nalp.org/salarydistrib

ArchRoark wrote:Blatant anti-NU trolling.

Or extreme NU trolling.

Since the main problem you'll face if you strike out at OCI is the debt, the school that offers you the most scholarship money will be the "safest." If you get $25k/year at Cornell, you won't be totally miserable if you find yourself making $50k/year upon graduation compared to someone who is making the same and attended NYU with no scholarship.

vanwinkle wrote:
Have you ever heard of "bimodal salary distribution"? It means that the number of jobs paying at each salary isn't a straight line or even a gentle slope. Instead you have two clusters, one paying a lot and one paying a little, with very little in between.



http://www.nalp.org/salarydistrib

Yes, I've seen that graph on TLS before. Other than mid-sized law firms, I can't think of many other options besides clerkship (which require top 10-20% anyway), PI (which require WE and specific focus), academia (top 5%), and business (WE and connections). So I guess what I'm really trying to ask is assuming I place all my chips on biglaw and strike out, where would I have the best chance of finding something halfway decent afterwards?

Also, does anyone want to comment specifically on how Chicago or Penn (the only two schools receiving multiple votes at this point) might be better for OCI strikeout victims compared to other mid-T14's? Chances at biglaw aside, where do these two stand in regards to alumni network, strength of OCS, reputation among employers, etc.?

Lovely Ludwig Van wrote:So I guess what I'm really trying to ask is assuming I place all my chips on biglaw and strike out, where would I have the best chance of finding something halfway decent afterwards?

Solution: realize that if/when you strike out that you will scrambling to find any legal job and whether or not is halfway decent will be one of the last things on your mind.

Chicago is the school of the gods.