Underrated Law Schools Forum

[jzabl001]

Do they exist? Are their any programs that might be lower ranked (i.e. easier to get into) but outperform higher ranked law schools?

[071816]

Cooley outperforms many of the top law schools in chairs per capita.

[Yeshia90]

If this is a serious question, I know Cornell does surprisingly well at biglaw placement, but only on TLS is that considered a lower-ranked law school. I know less than nothing, but apparently people like SMU?

[Pato_09]

If this is a serious question, I know Cornell does surprisingly well at biglaw placement, but only on TLS is that considered a lower-ranked law school. I know less than nothing, but apparently people like SMU?

Agree.

[TheFactor]

Any lower-ranked school that dominates its local market (e.g. Colorado, Alabama, North Dakota, etc.).

[fathergoose]

SMU might be underrated in that they aren't very stingy with scholarship money, they are in a big legal market essentially by themselves, has job placement more on part with a school 20-30 than one barely clinging to the top tier.

Also it has a pt program that makes it much easier to get in, in exchange for adding a year to your track. I think the pt medians are like 160/3.5 as opposed to 164/3.7 for full time.

[Rock Chalk]

.

[somewherewarm]

http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... 2483173162

Scroll down.

This is some info from the National Law Journal although it mostly pertains to NLJ 250 firms (if Biglaw is something you were looking for). Some schools put a higher percentage in those firms than one would expect, as Yeshia alluded to. These charts don't take clerkships into consideration so that's something to keep in mind. I'm sure there is info floating around about the clerkship percentages and if I wasn't watching football I'd try to find it.

[FeelTheHeat]

Any lower-ranked school that dominates its local market (e.g. Colorado, Alabama, North Dakota, etc.).

This. The relevance of any answer will depend heavily on geographic preference, and the schools will be more "overlooked" (justifiably, by people who don't want to live there) than underrated.

[sparty99]

Howard

[Helmholtz]

If this is a serious question, I know Cornell does surprisingly well at biglaw placement, but only on TLS is that considered a lower-ranked law school. I know less than nothing, but apparently people like SMU?

Wait till the newest employment numbers come out. My money is on Vandy > Cornell in NLJ250.

[jzabl001]

So rankings do mean everything in this case?

[Helmholtz]

In all seriousness, BU and BC are probably underrated. UChicago is probably also underrated. A peer school of HYS, but everybody acts like they're on the same level as NYU.

[Woobinator11]

Howard

Is that where you go sparty?

[PDaddy]

Any lower-ranked school that dominates its local market (e.g. Colorado, Alabama, North Dakota, etc.).

This!

A school that either dominates its own market, does surprisingly well in its own large markets alongside one or more of the big boys, or has a suprisingly long/wide placement reach would count as an underrated law school. Schools that simply lure top faculty, engage in interesting scholarship and have unique programs, or continue to turn out well-prepared graduates could argue themselves to be underrated, but few people outside of their markets or academia would be knowlegable about those exploits. Because the purpose of going to law school is largely to gain post-graduate legal employment, that is the appropriate measure. There are only three purely "national" law schools, and everyone knows which ones those are.

U-Houston
U-Miami
SMU
U-Washington
Seattle-U
Chicago-Kent
Vermont
Howard
U-Georgia
Georgia State
Tulane
UC-Hastings
Fordham
Cardozo
Brooklyn
U-Wisconsin
Case Western
Ohio State
Suffolk
Temple
U-San Diego
U-Chicago
Cornell
Vanderbilt
UCLA
Notre Dame
U-Arizona
U-Denver

[071816]

^Seems like a random listing of law schools.^

[IAFG]

Any lower-ranked school that dominates its local market (e.g. Colorado, Alabama, North Dakota, etc.).

This!

A school that either dominates its own market, does surprisingly well in its own large markets alongside one or more of the big boys, or has a suprisingly long/wide placement reach would count as an underrated law school. Schools that simply lure top faculty, engage in interesting scholarship and have unique programs, or continue to turn out well-prepared graduates could argue themselves to be underrated, but few people outside of their markets or academia would be knowlegable about those exploits. Because the purpose of going to law school is largely to gain post-graduate legal employment, that is the appropriate measure. There are only three purely "national" law schools, and everyone knows which ones those are.

Smaller markets generally have fewer jobs at a lower pay rate. Top-paying jobs in that market might have fewer grads gunning for them, but they're also going to be scarcer.

Also, don't assume that local firms will be loyal to local schools. They're still going to want top grads if they can get them, and plenty of "local kids" go to national schools (there are not just three), and then come home. I know plenty my lower T14 who got callbacks in the local markets with lower tier schools in their market (San Diego, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Philadelphia). A partner in one of the cities I just mentioned told me point-blank that they're only going to take top 10% of their local T2, and prefer "national" school students.

[mths]

If this is a serious question, I know Cornell does surprisingly well at biglaw placement, but only on TLS is that considered a lower-ranked law school. I know less than nothing, but apparently people like SMU?

Wait till the newest employment numbers come out. My money is on Vandy > Cornell in NLJ250.

zinger

seems like the school did well this oci season actually in most large markets other than Chicago

[shoeshine]

Yale.

I know it is number one but it really should be zero or absolute zero. (Get on this Robert Morse!)

[gin]

A school that either dominates its own market, does surprisingly well in its own large markets alongside one or more of the big boys, or has a suprisingly long/wide placement reach would count as an underrated law school. Schools that simply lure top faculty, engage in interesting scholarship and have unique programs, or continue to turn out well-prepared graduates could argue themselves to be underrated, but few people outside of their markets or academia would be knowlegable about those exploits. Because the purpose of going to law school is largely to gain post-graduate legal employment, that is the appropriate measure. There are only three purely "national" law schools, and everyone knows which ones those are.

U-Houston
U-Miami
SMU
U-Washington
Seattle-U
Chicago-Kent
Vermont
Howard
U-Georgia
Georgia State
Tulane
UC-Hastings
Fordham
Cardozo
Brooklyn
U-Wisconsin
Case Western
Ohio State
Suffolk
Temple
U-San Diego
U-Chicago
Cornell
Vanderbilt
UCLA
Notre Dame
U-Arizona
U-Denver

^Seems like a random listing of law schools.^

[FeelTheHeat]

derp derp derp

Substantiate any of this

[kimballsess]

Other great business schools:

Well everyone considers UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State & Duke as "the best". Chapel Hill is a great business school & State is great for engineering.

Wake Forest's Babcock School of Management
- Wake forest is an excellent program but a bit pricey as it is a private institution.

UNC-Charlotte's Belk College of Business
- Plenty of job offers in the queen city. Charlotte is a immense banking middle.
Regards,
[SPAM REMOVED BY MODS

[sparty99]

Howard

Is that where you go sparty?

No. I don't go to Howard.

[ahduth]

UChicago is probably also underrated. A peer school of HYS, but everybody acts like they're on the same level as NYU.

On balance, aren't they on the same level as NYU? Zero PI placement, equal placement power in New York, slightly better clerkship placement, and maybe better big firm placement outside New York? I don't think that makes them an HYS peer - you have to be able to place people anywhere to merit being on that top tier.

[CanadianWolf]

UC-Irvine ?