Thoughts on Belmont? Forum

[painttherosesred]

Belmont Law in Nashville has been doing some heavy recruiting here recently.

I'm from TN, and I would love to work in the Nashville area. I know Belmont is not ABA accredited yet, and the general advice is to avoid unaccredited schools like the plague, but is this really the case for Belmont?

Belmont as a university in general is pretty well respected in Nashville. It should be ABA accredited in the near future. What kind of job prospects do you think a Belmont graduate would encounter?

I've been accepted at some other pretty decent law schools like UT Knoxville. Would I be better off to just go to UT and then try to get a job in Nashville, or is Belmont okay to take a chance on?

[sach1282]

[Bronck]

If Belmont was in one direction while the Black Plague was in the other direction, I'd run towards the Black Plague.

[PARTY]

flame.

[painttherosesred]

I figured that would be the response I would get here.

As helpful as that facepalm was, actual reasons why would be more beneficial.

[062914123]

.

[Geist13]

I figured that would be the response I would get here.

As helpful as that facepalm was, actual reasons why would be more beneficial.

Here are the reasons:

1) Belmont LAW has no alumni. While the school may be respected, every lawyer that will be hiring will have attended a different law school (often VU or UT). Undergrad reputation doesn't just transfer to law school like that (see Penn State).

2) Second Nashville isn't a huge market. For a very long time VU and UT and some other good southern schools have provided the city with more attorneys than it needs. Thus, although the very top of the class at belmont will eventually have some shot at a job in a decade from now, while you attend there will be very little reason for firms to recruit there. They've all profited form the talent they've gotten from other schools.

3) In this legal market you have to have everything going for you in order to get a decent job that will pay off your loans. Other than not having a law degree, attending an unaccredited law school is probably the worst thing I can think of to have on your legal resume (don't talk about UC-Irvine, they are an exception and have not even proven themselves in terms of placement yet, except for clerkships). The reason firms like things like law review, latin honors, and the quality of your law school is that, in addition to indicating your talent, the firm gets to brag about it on their website. Bragging that their newest hire attended a law school that is not accredited by the ABA is not something they will be excited to advertise to current clients, future clients, or other prospective attorneys. It just adds an obstacle that you have t overcome; your goal should be eliminating those obstacles.

4) I assume you're in state if you are applying to UT AND Belmont. I don't know for sure, but UT, being a public university, sure has to be substantially cheaper.

5) If you're going to attend an unaccredited law school, fuck, you might as well attend the one that has some alumni in the market: Nashville School of Law.

[Tom Joad]

I recommend retaking and enjoying a full ride to Vandy.

[rad lulz]

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[painttherosesred]

Thank you for the legitimate response.

To just blindly say that a school is terrible because other people say so without actually understanding the reasons why is almost as stupid as attending said law school, so I just wanted to know the reasoning behind it. Believe it or not, lots of people are interested in Belmont Law. I have a friend who is a 1L there and a few friends who are applying there this cycle. I got a phone call from a "belmont law ambassador" this past weekend, and I asked her questions about 1) accreditation 2) job prospects 3) credibility/support in nashville 4) scholarships 5) new law facilities ... and she had some pretty good answers. I know that's her role to say the right things, so I do take her responses with a grain of salt. It is what it is.

The alumni thing makes sense. Law is a complete career change for me. Alumni had absolutely no bearing on me getting my current job, so this is kind of a new concept to me, but I get it. Valid point.

I certainly would not attend Belmont at sticker ... or anywhere near it. I would expect a substantial scholarship. Yes, I'm in state, so UT is relatively cheap. Belmont would have to be comparably priced to even be in the running.

The difference between Nashville School of Law and Belmont is that Nashville School of Law will never be ABA credited. Belmont plans to somewhere down the road be doing something bigger.

I'm just trying to sort through the emails inundating my inbox and consider all of my options. Maybe I will just be happy with my UT acceptance and start trying to use my delete button more ha.

[Tom Joad]

To just blindly say that a school is terrible because other people say so without actually understanding the reasons why is almost as stupid as attending said law school

I wouldn't agree. A person saying something dumb on the internet is not even close to as stupid as pissing $200,000 down their leg.

[rad lulz]

.

[timbs4339]

I know it's hard, but you really need to look at these emails like you would solicitations from a used car dealership or a big box chain store. Geist13 is spot on so I can't really add anything to his post that won't be piling on.

If you want to work in Tennessee and absolutely HAVE to go to law school next year, Tennessee all the way.

[mrtoren]

Believe it or not, lots of people are interested in Belmont Law. I have a friend who is a 1L there and a few friends who are applying there this cycle. I got a phone call from a "belmont law ambassador" this past weekend, and I asked her questions about 1) accreditation 2) job prospects 3) credibility/support in nashville 4) scholarships 5) new law facilities ... and she had some pretty good answers.

Common sense should dictate that any law school that recruits you that hard is a scam. Despite perhaps an email or two, respectable law schools let the students come to them. Belmont is a joke at this point and assuming it will carve out a market for a its graduates is dangerous. There are several examples of law schools seeking accreditation and failing to obtain it for years. The ABA is under a lot of pressure to reel in their lackadaisical standards and freeze further expansion. There are few remaining markets that would be better served with an additional law school...and Nashville isn't one of them.

[Geetar Man]

Thank you for the legitimate response.

To just blindly say that a school is terrible because other people say so without actually understanding the reasons why is almost as stupid as attending said law school, so I just wanted to know the reasoning behind it. Believe it or not, lots of people are interested in Belmont Law. I have a friend who is a 1L there and a few friends who are applying there this cycle. I got a phone call from a "belmont law ambassador" this past weekend, and I asked her questions about 1) accreditation 2) job prospects 3) credibility/support in nashville 4) scholarships 5) new law facilities ... and she had some pretty good answers. I know that's her role to say the right things, so I do take her responses with a grain of salt. It is what it is.

The alumni thing makes sense. Law is a complete career change for me. Alumni had absolutely no bearing on me getting my current job, so this is kind of a new concept to me, but I get it. Valid point.

I certainly would not attend Belmont at sticker ... or anywhere near it. I would expect a substantial scholarship. Yes, I'm in state, so UT is relatively cheap. Belmont would have to be comparably priced to even be in the running.

The difference between Nashville School of Law and Belmont is that Nashville School of Law will never be ABA credited. Belmont plans to somewhere down the road be doing something bigger.

I'm just trying to sort through the emails inundating my inbox and consider all of my options. Maybe I will just be happy with my UT acceptance and start trying to use my delete button more ha.

You "take her advice with a grain of salt, but it is what it is"; this does not make any sense. Every poster ITT has told you (basically) that it's a terrible decision. I know you may know some people there, but unless you know someone who has guaranteed you with a job, you should not go to this school. That is to say, you should only go there with a job lined up, assuming that the school actually prepares its students for the bar.

But for whatever you choose, good luck in your endeavors.

[Geetar Man]

Thank you for the legitimate response.

To just blindly say that a school is terrible because other people say so without actually understanding the reasons why is almost as stupid as attending said law school, so I just wanted to know the reasoning behind it. Believe it or not, I should use my delete button more ha.

FTFY, TITCR.

[Geist13]

.The difference between Nashville School of Law and Belmont is that Nashville School of Law will never be ABA credited. Belmont plans to somewhere down the road be doing something bigger.

I just want to address this real quick. While it is true that Belmont will eventually be accredited, that does not make any difference as to your employability while you attend. Law degrees go stale really quickly; if you don't get a job in that first year after you graduate, there is a pretty good chance you will never work as an actual, practicing attorney. So, while Belmont may be accredited a number of years down the road, and in a decade or so may be able to place some of its higher ranked students in sizable local firms, that does not help you, who will need to get your job well before the school reaches that point. If you're starting law school this fall, you need to be employable in 2-3 year from today. That just won't happen at Belmont. Again, the question is different for Belmont's entering class a decade from now, but their entering class for next year will be fucked.

While I think these schools generally fuck all their students; this is especially true for their first few classes, who essentially won't get any jobs.

[milljp02]

I lived in Nashville for three years ('07-'10). Great town and Belmont is a great school if you want to do a music business undergrad program or even get a masters, but like the rest of the responders here have been saying, their law degree will be an unknown to employers for a number of years. If you already got into UT and want to practice in Tennessee, then I think you already have your answer. A number of my in-laws went to UT and all are gainfully and happily employed (mother in-law was in private practice and now works as a public defender in east TN, brother and sister in-law are in family law in Nashville and doing well). A lot of the attorneys I met while living there are UT grads, and if you want to stay in Nashville specifically, I know a few Nashville School of Law alums who are doing alright. As someone noted, NSL will never be ABA accredited so you're basically limited to practice in TN for at least 5 years after graduation. If I remember correctly it's a 4 year part time program only, so that may be a no-go for you. Regardless, it's still at least a known quantity to employers, unlike Belmont.

Good luck to you. Get used to the color orange and enjoy UT.

[painttherosesred]

Thank you to those of you who offered helpful responses!