Top Law Schools

Like many others have done in previous posts, I've narrowed it down to Michigan and Cornell but can't decide between the two. Which is perceived as better in each of the following areas? I've taken an initial pass.

1) Ability to be published while in school (perhaps a derivative ranking of journals): ?
2) Access to federal clerkships: UMich (I think I saw a stat on this, and both schools are very low)
3) For politics (GOP) in any state besides Michigan: ?
4) For politics in Michigan: UMich
5) For NYC big law: Cornell
6) For DC big law: ?
7) For big law in all other areas: UMich?
Lay prestige: Cornell (without exception, all of my friends/coworkers have said Cornell is where I should go)

I also see both schools having disadvantageous locations for interviewing. I imagine it would be much easier to make interviews if you went to school downtown in a major legal market.

gdh wrote:Lay prestige: Cornell (without exception, all of my friends/coworkers have said Cornell is where I should go)

Your friends and coworkers clearly aren't attorneys.

At equal price, go to Michigan every time if "prestige" in the legal community is what you're after.

So did you narrow it down based on architecture? In that case, the Cornell campus as a whole is prettier, even if the Michigan law campus is prettier.

1) Ability to be published while in school (perhaps a derivative ranking of journals): It's based on your ability to connect with a professor that you want to work with. Look at which school has professors you're interested in and see if they teach 1L and 2L classes.

2) Access to federal clerkships: Michigan

3) For politics (GOP) in any state besides Michigan: Doesn't matter.

4) For politics in Michigan: Michigan

5) For NYC big law: Cornell

6) For DC big law: Michigan

7) For big law in all other areas: Michigan

Lay prestige: Michigan (in the lawyer community, and that's what matters)