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I am in need of advice. 3.61/161 I have family in South Florida. I am married and have a one year old son so family close by is a plus. I am currently a CPT in the Army going on 4 years of active service. I am looking to go national guard and try to establish some roots (tired of moving and my wife HATES the cold). I desire to practice in the Miami area after graduation. Most schools outside of T-14 seem to be regional. Miami Law is my first choice for family reasons. Is it worth considering higher ranked schools outside of the region? I know the legal market is pretty grim at the moment (don't expect Miami is any different). How are job prospects for UM grads?

bradleydee16 wrote:I am in need of advice. 3.61/161 I have family in South Florida. I am married and have a one year old son so family close by is a plus. I am currently a CPT in the Army going on 4 years of active service. I am looking to go national guard and try to establish some roots (tired of moving and my wife HATES the cold). I desire to practice in the Miami area after graduation. Most schools outside of T-14 seem to be regional. Miami Law is my first choice for family reasons. Is it worth considering higher ranked schools outside of the region? I know the legal market is pretty grim at the moment (don't expect Miami is any different). How are job prospects for UM grads?

I grew up in Miami and know a few people at UM Law. The SoFla legal market is really struggling, and out of the 6 or so people I know at UM, all are 3Ls and 5 of them are unemployed. One kid got a job a month or so ago at a small private practice (maybe 5 attorneys), but I don't know how much he's making. There are a few biglaw firms down there that pay well, but you'll be competing with T14 kids from Miami who want to return. It's tough coming out of UM, and I would imagine top 10% - top 15% probably have decent prospects and other than that its a wasteland. One girl at my current school transferred from Miami, and she said something like 8 or 9 employers showed up to OCI.

I know you seem to have settled in Florida, but the entire state is in a mess. I'm not saying you wouldn't find some kind of job if you tried hard enough, but you should attempt to maximize your ability to pay off your post-graduation debt (if any). Have you looked at other warm areas? Texas has a fairly strong legal market right now. Georgia is better than Florida. North/South Carolina? Otherwise, I would shoot for UF or FSU. They probably place better than U Miami even in Miami.

Is your tuition covered? I'd probably recommend avoiding UM unless you can get out completely-debt free. The time and effort would probably be better spent elsewhere, especially given your qualifications

FeelTheHeat wrote:Is your tuition covered? I'd probably recommend avoiding UM unless you can get out completely-debt free. The time and effort would probably be better spent elsewhere, especially given your qualifications

This. FL hiring is a shitshow right now.

Miami? Wow, that tan is going to cost you a hell of a alot.

bradleydee16 wrote:I am in need of advice. 3.61/161 I have family in South Florida. I am married and have a one year old son so family close by is a plus. I am currently a CPT in the Army going on 4 years of active service. I am looking to go national guard and try to establish some roots (tired of moving and my wife HATES the cold). I desire to practice in the Miami area after graduation. Most schools outside of T-14 seem to be regional. Miami Law is my first choice for family reasons. Is it worth considering higher ranked schools outside of the region? I know the legal market is pretty grim at the moment (don't expect Miami is any different). How are job prospects for UM grads?

The 3Ls I know had to search for over a month but they all landed good positions. Granted, a couple had to go to Boca, one to Fort Myers and another landed in Key West. If you really like South Florida (who doesn’t), just get good grades. It will all work out!

Kendi wrote:

bradleydee16 wrote:I am in need of advice. 3.61/161 I have family in South Florida. I am married and have a one year old son so family close by is a plus. I am currently a CPT in the Army going on 4 years of active service. I am looking to go national guard and try to establish some roots (tired of moving and my wife HATES the cold). I desire to practice in the Miami area after graduation. Most schools outside of T-14 seem to be regional. Miami Law is my first choice for family reasons. Is it worth considering higher ranked schools outside of the region? I know the legal market is pretty grim at the moment (don't expect Miami is any different). How are job prospects for UM grads?

The 3Ls I know had to search for over a month but they all landed good positions. Granted, a couple had to go to Boca, one to Fort Myers and another landed in Key West. If you really like South Florida (who doesn’t), just get good grades. It will all work out!

lol

Grimm, I mean Grizz. You have mastered the art of grumpy: )

Anyone know much about UM? I received a fee waiver and am thinking about putting in an application. Is it have any particularly strong programs? Just curious.

89vision wrote:Anyone know much about UM? I received a fee waiver and am thinking about putting in an application. Is it have any particularly strong programs? Just curious.

No, not really

89vision wrote:Anyone know much about UM? I received a fee waiver and am thinking about putting in an application. Is it have any particularly strong programs? Just curious.

Did you not read the entire thread above your post?

SilverE2 wrote:

89vision wrote:Anyone know much about UM? I received a fee waiver and am thinking about putting in an application. Is it have any particularly strong programs? Just curious.

Did you not read the entire thread above your post?

Nothing about the student life, course offerings, notable programs, curve, ability to retain scholarship, stats for scholarships, etc;

If you want to practice in Florida, it really helps to go to law school there, moreso than regionality counts for other states:)

I'm pretty down on UM unless they come through w serious $$. They don't seem to have strong programs That interest me. I'm waiting on Ohio St. I get instate there and partial GI bill. My wife is dead set on Miami. Im trying to beat into her head (not literally) what a risk it is. I'm retaking. My initial score was low compared to pracs. I'm pretty sure I can pick up 3 or 4 points and get some better options.

bradleydee16 wrote:I'm pretty down on UM unless they come through w serious $$. They don't seem to have strong programs That interest me. I'm waiting on Ohio St. I get instate there and partial GI bill. My wife is dead set on Miami. Im trying to beat into her head (not literally) what a risk it is. I'm retaking. My initial score was low compared to pracs. I'm pretty sure I can pick up 3 or 4 points and get some better options.

Why is she dead set on Miami? Is she from there, or is it from what she's seen on tv? Because to be honest, Miami is one of those places that you either love or hate, and while I love it, and ton of people really hate the city. So if she's going by what she's seen on TV, you guys really might end up hating the city.

Her family is there. She's Cuban and has immigrated there when she was 15. We met when I was stationed at Eglin AFB (FL) in 2007. I love Miami I go at least twice a year but the price of UM is RIDICULOUS for what it is you know. If it had instate tuition I would get residency and go. Her mom owns her own business and has a lot of connections in the Cuban community. She knows all kinds of lawyers, bankers you name it. She does very well and f I went there I would have a house to live in for free. I would have virtually zero COL expenses + I have some decent savings. My major concern is the job prospects (The market could better hopefully not worse in 2015). I want out of the military. It's easy, I get a steady pay check but I don't feel like living in BFE and moving every 2-3 years. Also with my job I get deployed like clockwork every other year. I wouldn't touch UM if it was up to just me. I don't need to get a BigLaw gig. I'd settle for something smaller. I make decent money now. The BigLaw jobs everyone talks about are roughly twice what I make I don't need that much. I just don't want to be the guy on Biscayne Blvd. holding the "Will do Doc Review for Food" sign. Again, sorry about the rant there is no hostility directed at anyone. There's just a lot of crap running through my head and this kind of me thinking out loud.

bradleydee16 wrote:Her family is there. She's Cuban and has immigrated there when she was 15. We met when I was stationed at Eglin AFB (FL) in 2007. I love Miami I go at least twice a year but the price of UM is RIDICULOUS for what it is you know. If it had instate tuition I would get residency and go. Her mom owns her own business and has a lot of connections in the Cuban community. She knows all kinds of lawyers, bankers you name it. She does very well and f I went there I would have a house to live in for free. I would have virtually zero COL expenses + I have some decent savings. My major concern is the job prospects (The market could better hopefully not worse in 2015). I want out of the military. It's easy, I get a steady pay check but I don't feel like living in BFE and moving every 2-3 years. Also with my job I get deployed like clockwork every other year. I wouldn't touch UM if it was up to just me. I don't need to get a BigLaw gig. I'd settle for something smaller. I make decent money now. The BigLaw jobs everyone talks about are roughly twice what I make I don't need that much. I just don't want to be the guy on Biscayne Blvd. holding the "Will do Doc Review for Food" sign. Again, sorry about the rant there is no hostility directed at anyone. There's just a lot of crap running through my head and this kind of me thinking out loud.

Yeah UM is definitely expensive. No grades for a scholly? They're pretty generous with 162+. However, if her mom's connections really are that legit (and they have to be absolutely solid for it to be worth it), that a big thing to think of. As I'm sure you know, the cuban community down there really hooks each other up.

I'm waiting to see as far as scholly money (161)??? I am going to retake in Feb. So I might end up sitting this cycle out depending on how I do.

Kendi wrote:

bradleydee16 wrote:I am in need of advice. 3.61/161 I have family in South Florida. I am married and have a one year old son so family close by is a plus. I am currently a CPT in the Army going on 4 years of active service. I am looking to go national guard and try to establish some roots (tired of moving and my wife HATES the cold). I desire to practice in the Miami area after graduation. Most schools outside of T-14 seem to be regional. Miami Law is my first choice for family reasons. Is it worth considering higher ranked schools outside of the region? I know the legal market is pretty grim at the moment (don't expect Miami is any different). How are job prospects for UM grads?

The 3Ls I know had to search for over a month but they all landed good positions. Granted, a couple had to go to Boca, one to Fort Myers and another landed in Key West. If you really like South Florida (who doesn’t), just get good grades. It will all work out!

No. Just no.