Top Law Schools

(Also applied to UConn, American, UMD, Pitt)

Top choice is probably Temple (even at in-state sticker), but I'm weighing my options here.
Focusing on International Law, with a delusional option for BigLaw if I get the class rank for it.
Retake and apply next year isn't really an option (I'm unemployed since Dec.)
I have some awesome softs and interesting work experience.
Possibility of living at home for Temple/Nova/Widener

(I mean this in the nicest way possible) I don't know which is more delusional: your dreams of Biglaw or your focus on "International law."

Well my undergrad work was all in International Relations so I figured it was a starting point, but who knows what I'll end up liking in school.

patpa wrote:Well my undergrad work was all in International Relations so I figured it was a starting point, but who knows what I'll end up liking in school.

It's not a matter of interest, it's a matter of the jobs actually existing.

Of all the schools you listed, I would only consider Widener to be mid-Atlantic.

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Also, Temple = Villanova for Philly area job placement, so just go to whatever is cheaper of those two.

InGoodFaith wrote:Also, Temple = Villanova for Philly area job placement, so just go to whatever is cheaper of those two.

This

Hey...

I was in a pretty similar seat to yours last year. I was able to negotiate a full ride out of all of those schools, and close to a full ride to Temple.

PM if you want to discuss.

One thing I'm curious about is whether it's advantageous to do a JD/LLM program like those at Nova or Uconn (2 years at the school and 1 year at a Euro University). Penn State also has a JD/MA in international affairs that could be nice as well. While it seems nice to get 2 degrees for the price of one, I don't imagine it's easy to look for jobs in a third year abroad. Given that I'll probably be missing out on opportunities like OCIs back home, I'm not sure how I feel about it. If I really wanted to do the public international route I would've just gone for a PhD, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to remain interested.

In the long run, I'm somewhat realistic. I'll work in whatever legal capacity allows me to pay off my loans. I figured it wouldn't hurt to remain at least slightly interested in a certain field, but maybe I'm wrong.

patpa wrote:One thing I'm curious about is whether it's advantageous to do a JD/LLM program like those at Nova or Uconn (2 years at the school and 1 year at a Euro University). Penn State also has a JD/MA in international affairs that could be nice as well. While it seems nice to get 2 degrees for the price of one, I don't imagine it's easy to look for jobs in a third year abroad. Given that I'll probably be missing out on opportunities like OCIs back home, I'm not sure how I feel about it. If I really wanted to do the public international route I would've just gone for a PhD, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to remain interested.

In the long run, I'm somewhat realistic. I'll work in whatever legal capacity allows me to pay off my loans. I figured it wouldn't hurt to remain at least slightly interested in a certain field, but maybe I'm wrong.

No, neither of those things will help you. They are a waste of money.

The vast majority of "international law" jobs are in biglaw- U.S. legal work for international clients. For example, I know an attorney who's his group's "Israeli guy" as he handles all the capital markets for Israeli clients. Of course, this requires biglaw grades- which will be very hard to get at Temple and IMO is just not worth it.

The international law jobs you are thinking of (State dep't, international NGOs, human rights, war crimes) don't exist for entry-levels unless you are top of your class at HYS. The reason people are so dismissive is because law schools like to tout these programs and course offerings in their recruiting materials (as you demonstrated by listing JD/LLM, JD/MA) but the jobs simply don't exist. It's basically a scam. There are probably more tenured law professors teaching international law than there are entry-level jobs in that field (at least what most 0Ls envision entry-level jobs as).

There is also immigration law (which can be for big firm corporate clients or for individuals if you have an in with a specific ethnic group) but I assume you don't want this kind of law or you would have said immigration instead of international.

If you are currently unemployed, it is simply not a good decision to add tens of thousands of dollars more in debt just to get a job paying 40-50K (what your likely salary out of Temple will be). Can't you find any kind of paying employment?

patpa wrote:(Also applied to UConn, American, UMD, Pitt)

Top choice is probably Temple (even at in-state sticker), but I'm weighing my options here.
Focusing on International Law, with a delusional option for BigLaw if I get the class rank for it.
Retake and apply next year isn't really an option (I'm unemployed since Dec.)
I have some awesome softs and interesting work experience.
Possibility of living at home for Temple/Nova/Widener

Do not go to Widener. Do not. The other schools are worlds better. If you're into Philly and want to live at home, I'd vote Villanova or Temple. They're pretty close in rankings and local reputation, and if they turn out similar in cost, pick which one you like better.