Top Law Schools

Making my final decision sometime in the next two weeks. I swear this is my last post on this, but ive narrowed it down and know ALL the totals now so dont want to necro my older threads. I ONLY WANT CA, preferably biglaw. A little worried about not being able to get back from a non-CA school because I've heard you need anywhere from top 10% to top 1/3 to median with ties, and a lot of smaller CA firms only go to B/SC/LA. I have ties but have been out of state for a while now (6-8 years). Ive been gone for so long and have lived literally all over the country that i kind of just want to get back and settle down and start my life/start networking on the ground already. Particularly interested in entertainment/soft IP law (but would do anything that pays market, really), and yes I have connections to the entertainment and tech industries- not super strong, but could get me an in the door for interviews.

Choices with COA in () in order of low to high:
-Cornell ($94,020)
-UCLA ($96,129)
-USC ($100kish, it's a 120k scholarship) -side note is that they have paid 1L summer fellowships which I feel I'd be competitive for but you don't find out until after a few weeks into 1L...
-Northwestern ($134,621)
-Michigan ($170,997)
-Berkeley $277,024


I solemnly swear to give back to TLS in the future. This site really helped me a lot especially in the LSAT forums. If you can retake, DO IT. Went up 18 points from my diag to my 2nd LSAT. Worth every minute.

Twinkles I don't know the right answer (really? totally sticker from Boalt? Bummer.) but I just wanted to say good luck with your choice.

GOD CAN BERKELEY JUST MATCH YOUR OFFERS. Boalt would have been absolutely perfect for your goals. These other choices are great but not for CA biglaw.

I'm inclined to choose USC/UCLA but I can't even be sure if the advantage of being in a Cali school outweighs the advantage of being at a T-14 (on the other side of the country). From my limited understanding of legal hiring,I'd think the chances would be about even. Maybe you'd get a slight bump at UCLA/USC because you can actually network and take part in local job fairs, etc. etc.

On the bright side, you have fantastic options! Congratulations! Are you sure NY biglaw is a no-go because OMG CORNELL.

Would you rather biglaw in Chicago for 3-4 years with a chance to get back to CA afterwards or work in CA as a starbucks Barista?

if Cal won't match Michigan, then NU.

So Berkeley refused to match any of these scholarships?

Doorkeeper wrote:So Berkeley refused to match any of these scholarships?

this is quite literally the bane of twinkle's existence for the past month ;/

Also COA Boalt is really 92K a year?

wert3813 wrote:Also COA Boalt is really 92K a year?

twinkletoes16 wrote: -Berkeley $277,024

make a poll

jbagelboy wrote:

Doorkeeper wrote:So Berkeley refused to match any of these scholarships?

this is quite literally the bane of twinkle's existence for the past month ;/

How can Berkeley not match Michigan's scholly? They're literally the same rank. That sucks.

I would probably say Northwestern here if Berkeley doesn't match. It's TLS wisdom that CA biglaw only takes top 1/3 of USC/UCLA. If Northwestern is similar or better in CA, your total outcomes look much better.

Cornell, I go there and a bunch of our school has been very successful in getting back to Cali with ties. Its your cheapest option and gives you a safety net of having NYC is Cali doesn't work out. I'd say top 30% and your great for Cali, which is what you would need from the other Cali schools anyway for biglaw. Median or maybe a little below and you still have a job. I don't buy that Michigan would be that much better for your goals.

Doorkeeper wrote: How can Berkeley not match Michigan's scholly? They're literally the same rank. That sucks.

Berkeley is evil with merit-based money.

Cross off UCLA/USC/MICHIGAN. If you matriculate to one of the schools, you'll be damning yourself during their OCI's and telling yourself you should have forked up the extra cash for better career prospects at a better school. Given that and because you want to practice ONLY in CA, I would choose NU, Berkeley and then Cornell. Bid well and heavily on CA during NU's OCI and hope your ties mean something during interview time.

This is coming from a 0L who doesn't know shit for shit about OCI or bidding processes but my two cents nonetheless. Best of luck homegirl

GL to you. Tough choice. I agree that NU looks good. You can network with firms and alumns in CA during breaks. Employers also understand that scholarships influence students' decisions to enroll at one school or another. I don't doubt your ability to make a compelling case to a firm about your desire to settle in CA. All this said, I hope B comes through with a bit of money. Several people here have opted for B at a higher price over other T14 schools (some higher ranked) in order to benefit from the CA placement. Still, the gap with NU is larger than most.

Lacepiece23 wrote:Cornell, I go there and a bunch of our school has been very successful in getting back to Cali with ties. Its your cheapest option and gives you a safety net of having NYC is Cali doesn't work out. I'd say top 30% and your great for Cali, which is what you would need from the other Cali schools anyway for biglaw. Median or maybe a little below and you still have a job. I don't buy that Michigan would be that much better for your goals.

If true, and Lacepiece23 should know, Cornell would seem to be best choice with NU a good second. I know the LST #s. Think how you'll appreciate CA after Ithaca (or Chi)!

sinfiery wrote:Would you rather biglaw in Chicago for 3-4 years with a chance to get back to CA afterwards or work in CA as a starbucks Barista?

It sounds like even going to LS in Chicago makes it difficult to get Chicago biglaw. If my grades are good enough at NU to get Chicago, then they would be good enough for me to get back to CA.


Also I cannot/will not do NYC biglaw. Visited NYC for first time this year and just...no. Open to NorCal/SoCal/central cal- have ties to all. Prefer SF/SV though.

tidymnstr wrote:

Lacepiece23 wrote:Cornell, I go there and a bunch of our school has been very successful in getting back to Cali with ties. Its your cheapest option and gives you a safety net of having NYC is Cali doesn't work out. I'd say top 30% and your great for Cali, which is what you would need from the other Cali schools anyway for biglaw. Median or maybe a little below and you still have a job. I don't buy that Michigan would be that much better for your goals.

If true, and Lacepiece23 should know, Cornell would seem to be best choice with NU a good second. I know the LST #s. Think how you'll appreciate CA after Ithaca (or Chi)!

I heard students at Mich/NU/Cornell all say that, but I don't know if there's any actual data to prove that outcome.

Edit: maybe add a poll as well.

twinkletoes16 wrote:

sinfiery wrote:Would you rather biglaw in Chicago for 3-4 years with a chance to get back to CA afterwards or work in CA as a starbucks Barista?

It sounds like even going to LS in Chicago makes it difficult to get Chicago biglaw. If my grades are good enough at NU to get Chicago, then they would be good enough for me to get back to CA.


Also I cannot/will not do CA biglaw. Visited NYC for first time this year and just...no. Open to NorCal/SoCal/central cal- have ties to all. Prefer SF/SV though.

This doesn't comport with your OP. Please explain.

If you absolutely don't want anything except CA, I guess UCLA, though I'd hustle there if I were you. SF/SV is tough. Otherwise, Cornell, with NU as a close second. If you want to know more about the chances of getting CA BigLaw from Cornell, PM me.

Lincoln wrote:

twinkletoes16 wrote:

sinfiery wrote:Would you rather biglaw in Chicago for 3-4 years with a chance to get back to CA afterwards or work in CA as a starbucks Barista?

It sounds like even going to LS in Chicago makes it difficult to get Chicago biglaw. If my grades are good enough at NU to get Chicago, then they would be good enough for me to get back to CA.


Also I cannot/will not do CA biglaw. Visited NYC for first time this year and just...no. Open to NorCal/SoCal/central cal- have ties to all. Prefer SF/SV though.

This doesn't comport with your OP. Please explain.

If you absolutely don't want anything except CA, I guess UCLA, though I'd hustle there if I were you. SF/SV is tough. Otherwise, Cornell, with NU as a close second. If you want to know more about the chances of getting CA BigLaw from Cornell, PM me.

Sorry- meant cannot/will not do NY biglaw. Long day.

guinness1547 wrote:

tidymnstr wrote:

Lacepiece23 wrote:Cornell, I go there and a bunch of our school has been very successful in getting back to Cali with ties. Its your cheapest option and gives you a safety net of having NYC is Cali doesn't work out. I'd say top 30% and your great for Cali, which is what you would need from the other Cali schools anyway for biglaw. Median or maybe a little below and you still have a job. I don't buy that Michigan would be that much better for your goals.

If true, and Lacepiece23 should know, Cornell would seem to be best choice with NU a good second. I know the LST #s. Think how you'll appreciate CA after Ithaca (or Chi)!

I heard students at Mich/NU/Cornell all say that, but I don't know if there's any actual data to prove that outcome.

Edit: maybe add a poll as well.

Well LST has 10.5% of the class at NU going to California, and 6.3% from Cornell. Nada on Michigan, but thta is likely because half the class didn't report location.

twinkle, one other thing: my alumni interviewer for NU is a first year associate at an IP firm in Irvine, CA (500+ attorneys). I talked quite a bit with him via email about NU's portability to CA, and he was very optimistic; in fact, his firm regularly hired NU grads. LMK if you want his email address.

Berkeley is out. Between Cornell and NU, I can believe NU placed better in CA than Cornell, however, 40k better..... thats another story.

tidymnstr wrote:

Lacepiece23 wrote:Cornell, I go there and a bunch of our school has been very successful in getting back to Cali with ties. Its your cheapest option and gives you a safety net of having NYC is Cali doesn't work out. I'd say top 30% and your great for Cali, which is what you would need from the other Cali schools anyway for biglaw. Median or maybe a little below and you still have a job. I don't buy that Michigan would be that much better for your goals.

If true, and Lacepiece23 should know, Cornell would seem to be best choice with NU a good second. I know the LST #s. Think how you'll appreciate CA after Ithaca (or Chi)!

I also go to Cornell, but I think its the best choice here. I just dont see the placement difference being worth 40k. Cornell places a ton of people in NYC, but I imagine that is largely based on self-selection. I know several 2Ls that shot for secondary markets and got them (some of whom ended up picking NYC firms anyway). Also, Cornell does do an off campus job fair in LA, and you can also indicate to firms at our main event that you wish to interview for their LA (or other) office.
While this is totally anecdotal, I am shooting for non-NYC, and already have 3 CBs across two different secondary (but non-CA) markets for August (which I got solely from mass mailing for 1L SAs and not from connections or anything else). FWIW, I know a 1L that has 2 CBs in LA already that has ties to the area and got them in a similar way.
NU is a great option, but I think Cornell has the edge with the price difference. Feel free to PM me if you have any Cornell specific questions.

twinkletoes16 wrote:Making my final decision sometime in the next two weeks. I swear this is my last post on this, but ive narrowed it down and know ALL the totals now so dont want to necro my older threads. I ONLY WANT CA, preferably biglaw. A little worried about not being able to get back from a non-CA school because I've heard you need anywhere from top 10% to top 1/3 to median with ties, and a lot of smaller CA firms only go to B/SC/LA. I have ties but have been out of state for a while now (6-8 years). Ive been gone for so long and have lived literally all over the country that i kind of just want to get back and settle down and start my life/start networking on the ground already. Particularly interested in entertainment/soft IP law (but would do anything that pays market, really), and yes I have connections to the entertainment and tech industries- not super strong, but could get me an in the door for interviews.

Choices with COA in () in order of low to high:
-Cornell ($94,020)
-UCLA ($96,129)
-USC ($100kish, it's a 120k scholarship) -side note is that they have paid 1L summer fellowships which I feel I'd be competitive for but you don't find out until after a few weeks into 1L...
-Northwestern ($134,621)
-Michigan ($170,997)
-Berkeley $277,024


I solemnly swear to give back to TLS in the future. This site really helped me a lot especially in the LSAT forums. If you can retake, DO IT. Went up 18 points from my diag to my 2nd LSAT. Worth every minute.

If you went to ASW, I think we might have met, your story seems familiar. I'm sorry you didn't get Boalt, but I think the best bet by far is Cornell. 180k is a lot of money. A huge amount of money for pretty much the same chance of a favorable outcome.