Top Law Schools

I am from Los Angeles and it is important to me that I have a strong opportunity to return to LA. I've never lived anywhere else so it's hard to say I'm fully committed to coming back, but the chance to is really important to me.

Best big law opportunities are also a factor.

The best argument I have heard for staying in LA is the immediate networking to get that first job and the community that you cultivate as 80% of Bruins will work in LA, and so you have that life long network from which to draw from and participate in.

On the other hand, students there seem less sure of having a first job upon graduation than some of these other schools.

People I've spoken to at NYU seemed to be mixed on how easy it is to return to LA. One said it was relatively easy because the amount of firms that come to OCI outnumber the amount of interested students. Another said it was a struggle.

Not as familiar with the other schools as of yet. Any help is appreciated.

Are you in at all these schools? If so, congrats.

This is a close call for me, but I voted Chicago only because for anything except working at a firm in LA, it will give you the best options. I don't think you'd have any problems coming back to LA, either. I go to a school that is "tied" to one market, but I had no difficulties finding options elsewhere.

GULC or Chi depending on how much debt you're comfortable with.

UCLA since you want to live & work in Los Angeles. Additionally, it is significantly less than your other options.

UChicago or UCLA. Go big or go home.

What differentiates Chicago so much to NYU?

Your desire to have the option for returning to LA as well as desire to leave and experience more of the world favor UChicago. That said, your options are probably all good picks.

Pick some LA firms that you would want to work at, check out the bio's of partners, and that should help you figure out what school will get you back to LA.

It depends whether you value LA or biglaw more.

LA biglaw > NYC/Chi biglaw > LA other legal job = probably UChi or GULC
LA biglaw > LA other legal job > NYC/Chi biglaw = probably UCLA

Just got 120k guaranteed to USC. For the people who thought I should leave despite the money I got to UCLA, does this affect your decision?

Thanks for all the help

likemike wrote:Just got 120k guaranteed to USC. For the people who thought I should leave despite the money I got to UCLA, does this affect your decision?

Thanks for all the help

if you DEFINITELY want to stay in LA hard to turn down that coin

likemike wrote:Just got 120k guaranteed to USC. For the people who thought I should leave despite the money I got to UCLA, does this affect your decision?

Thanks for all the help

I would not turn down the USC offer if you want to end up in L.A. That's just too much money to pass up.

likemike wrote:Just got 120k guaranteed to USC. For the people who thought I should leave despite the money I got to UCLA, does this affect your decision?

Thanks for all the help

USC and UCLA are peer schools but 60k really wasn't enough to justify UCLA. However 120k is a whole other ballgame. USC will leave you with 110k debt at graduation. UChi on the other hand will leave you with 250k debt at graduation.

Honestly I think it still depends. If you want the best chance at biglaw you could ever want then UChi is still lightyears ahead of USC. However UChi poses significant risks considering the non-marginal chance that you don't get biglaw and the chance that you don't stay in biglaw long enough (at least 4-5 years) to put a serious dent in your debt when 80% of biglaw associates are gone by year 5.

If you're afraid of risk, don't like debt, and are okay with being pidgeonholed into CA then take USC. However if you want the chance to work in NYC/Chi/DC in addition to CA, want a much better shot at biglaw, and are okay with a lot of risk then take UChi.

1) USC with $120,000 guaranteed
2) See #1 above
3) See #s1 & 2 above.

4) UCLA with $60,000 since you want to live & work in LA after law school.
5) Reread #s 1, 2, 3 & 4 above.

6) Chicago