Top Law Schools

Hi,
I am a new member of this site and I would like some opinions. Prior to six months ago I never thought about becoming an attorney, but I recently got a divorce and dealt with an attorney for the first time. I would like to protect the rights of father's in divorce cases primarily, as I feel very passionate about it. I have a fairly successful career, but not one I am happy in, and a son that I must support so going to a big time law school is out of the question. I have read some books on the LSAT and taken a few practice tests. My top score is a 172, but I usually hover around 166 to 170. My UG GPA was 3.86, but did retake some classes that I failed due to absences. My degree is in Computer Science, btw, and I would like to continue to work while attending law school, as I have a hefty child support payment that I must make each month. While researching I came across the Birmingham School of Law. I have never heard of it and would like to know if anyone here has. I also think I have a pretty good story that would help me get into law school. Thanks for any insight.

Your numbers (assuming you score near 170 on the real LSAT and that the retaken classes don't drop your GPA too much) could get you into a top school.

I'd never heard of Birmingham, probably because it isn't even ABA-accredited. Grads are only allowed to take the bar in Alabama. I would not be at all surprised to find out that employment prospects are utterly abysmal with a JD from there.

If you think it will bring you fulfillment, it's worth considering but I'm sure you're probably going to make more doing what you do now than working as a family law attorney (assuming that's what you want to practice). I'm sure there are other ways to be involved with helping protect father's rights other than working as an attorney.

Georgetown part time seems like a great fit.

The University of Alabama School of Law & Vanderbilt Law School are the only law schools close to your family worth attending. Both typically offer generous scholarships to those scoring in the high 160s or above on the LSAT.

P.S. I have never heard of the Birmingham School of Law.

CanadianWolf wrote:The University of Alabama School of Law & Vanderbilt Law School are the only law schools close to your family worth attending. Both typically offer generous scholarships to those scoring in the 160s or above on the LSAT.

P.S. I have never heard of the Birmingham law school.

I'm pretty sure neither school offers a part-time program

The University of Alabama School of Law had a part-time enrollment of 20 students in 2009. Vanderbilt University Law School does not, to the best of my knowledge, have a part-time option.

The University of Alabama School of Law had a part-time enrollment of 20 students in 2009. Vanderbilt University Law School does not, to the best of my knowledge, have a part-time option.

The University of Alabama School of Law had a part-time enrollment of 20 students in 2009. Vanderbilt University Law School does not, to the best of my knowledge, have a part-time option.

The University of Alabama School of Law had a part-time enrollment of 20 students in 2009 (26 were accepted as part-time law students for Fall, 2009). Vanderbilt University Law School does not, to the best of my knowledge, have a part-time option.

Thanks for all your replies. I think Alabama is where I will apply. If I have no desire to practice anywhere else, should I apply to other schools? What are the acceptance rates at Alabama for someone like me? I'm a white male, 29, first in my family to graduate college, a veteran, and I'm still a member of the reserves. Do they take any of that into consideration? Also would me having a child reflect negatively?

CanadianWolf wrote:The University of Alabama School of Law had a part-time enrollment of 20 students in 2009 (26 were accepted as part-time law students for Fall, 2009). Vanderbilt University Law School does not, to the best of my knowledge, have a part-time option.

I stand corrected

G.Edward wrote:Thanks for all your replies. I think Alabama is where I will apply. If I have no desire to practice anywhere else, should I apply to other schools? What are the acceptance rates at Alabama for someone like me? I'm a white male, 29, first in my family to graduate college, a veteran, and I'm still a member of the reserves. Do they take any of that into consideration? Also would me having a child reflect negatively?

If you apply to peer schools and higher ranked schools, you could those use acceptances as leverage for scholarship negotiations.

They will take your background into consideration when making a decision. Being a vet is a plus and having a child will not reflect negatively.

Thanks for your service. Being a veteran may give you a slight edge and having a child shouldn't hurt you.

I would second what another poster mentioned about looking for other ways to help protect fathers in divorces besides being an attorney. It seems like when people go into law school for such a specific purpose, it would be easy to get discouraged (maybe even bored) by the fact that for at least the first year, you won't be learning virtually anything related to family law. Just keep in mind that 4 years (if part time) is a very long and arduous commitment for a recently-developed passion. Check out other options just to be on the safe side.

If you still want to do it, I would start networking NOW. Look for family law practices and try to talk to other lawyers who practice family law. See how they got to where they are. I would NOT plan on graduating from law school and immediately opening up your own practice. Down the line, maybe. But you should plan on beginning with an established practice, however small. Start job-hunting now.

Good luck!

CW - Does Alabama have a PT program? If so, how many people were registered in 2009? What about Vandy?

Another Men's Rights Activist? Just what this world needs more of.

@KMaine: All I know is that 26 were accepted as part-timers in the Fall of 2009 & that 20 enrolled as part-timers that term at Alabama. Vanderbilt does not offer a part-time option to the best of my knowledge, but, many law schools permit students to complete the degree requirements in 5 or 7 years which suggests that part-time may be an option after one's first year at those law schools. (Vanderbilt requires law students to complete all JD degree requirements in 3 years, however.)

P.S. Even though Alabama accepted & enrolled part-timers for the Fall, 2009 entering class, at least one 2008 publication stated that Alabama did not offer a part-time program even though noting that "full-time" law students must complete the JD degree in 3 years. Check with the admissions dept. for current info.

vulpixie wrote:Another Men's Rights Activist? Just what this world needs more of.

Another butt-hurt feminist

I am not a gender feminist. I am a gender-realist, all the way. That said, I think there's something pretty contemptible about these self-proclaimed misogynistic/MRA websites that have taken over the alt;right and the male commenters who spend hours pouring over them, insisting that feminism and women's lib are to blame for their inability to get laid.

vulpixie wrote:I am not a gender feminist. I am a gender-realist, all the way. That said, I think there's something pretty contemptible about these self-proclaimed misogynistic/MRA websites that have taken over the alt;right and the male commenters who spend hours pouring over them, insisting that feminism and women's lib are to blame for their inability to get laid.

Step off your soap box, he hasn't said anything that warranted this type of response.

vulpixie wrote:Another Men's Rights Activist? Just what this world needs more of.

vulpixie wrote:Another Men's Rights Activist? Just what this world needs more of.

Why shouldn't both parents get equal time, especially when women are demanding equal rights? It's well known that courts favor mothers in custody and divorce hearings, and there's nothing sexist about wanting to make the process more fair for the father. It doesn't seem very fair that the father has to pay for a child support, and sometimes alimony, barely gets to see the kid (maybe 2 out of 7 days, which doesn't seem very equal). I am all about gender equality, and I support women's equality, but a lot of men get screwed over in divorce settlements. There's nothing sexist about representing a group that typically gets the short end of the stick. I have a feeling you wouldn't have made a "Another women's activist?" comment if the genders were reversed.

89vision wrote:Why shouldn't both parents get equal time, especially when women are demanding equal rights? It's well known that courts favor mothers in custody and divorce hearings, and there's nothing sexist about wanting to make the process more fair for the father. It doesn't seem very fair that the father has to pay for a child support, and sometimes alimony, barely gets to see the kid (maybe 2 out of 7 days, which doesn't seem very equal). I am all about gender equality, and I support women's equality, but a lot of men get screwed over in divorce settlements. There's nothing sexist about representing a group that typically gets the short end of the stick. I have a feeling you wouldn't have made a "Another women's activist?" comment if the genders were reversed.

I sure would have. The notion that either men or women in America are actively oppressed by teh patriarchy/matriarchy is fantastically absurd.

I concede that my initial comment was overly snarky. Of course men and women should have equal custody rights. If that's the only sense in which the OP is an MRA, then more power to him.

law4vus wrote:Georgetown part time seems like a great fit.

+1

Vulpixie seems about as cool as getting a bag of hair for Christmas.

just fyi, your GPA will be lower when re-calculated for LSAC application purposes (sorry if someone already mentioned this). imo, law school's already risky...add in kids and I don't know if the uncertain payoffs are worth it. The major plus is that you have a hard science background, which should open doors come job-search time.