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What would be your second choice if not atl biglaw bc atl biglaw is an unlikely outcome

rad lulz wrote:What would be your second choice if not atl biglaw bc atl biglaw is an unlikely outcome

Biglaw anywhere (except NY) and then any law in ATL.

You realize that NY BigLaw is the largest market (excluding TN)? When you say anywhere else, do you have ties to any other markets? If not, and you don't have the grades to get Atl (which is a very grade-focused city) or want NY, then there's a very good chance you won't get BigLaw at all.

If you're serious about Atl BigLaw, you should retake for HYS or VD with $$$. Don't let that GPA go to waste.

MyNameIsFlynn! wrote:You realize that NY BigLaw is the largest market (excluding TN)? When you say anywhere else, do you have ties to any other markets? If not, and you don't have the grades to get Atl (which is a very grade-focused city) or want NY, then there's a very good chance you won't get BigLaw at all.

Yeah, I know NY is the biggest market, but I have zero desire to live/work there and my SO hates it. I have some ties in TN (chattanooga/nashville), very small ties in NC, some in FL, and some in TX, and if I don't go to a school that requires biglaw to service my debt, then I am okay not getting it.

i would retake or don't go to vandy then

wsparker wrote:

MyNameIsFlynn! wrote:You realize that NY BigLaw is the largest market (excluding TN)? When you say anywhere else, do you have ties to any other markets? If not, and you don't have the grades to get Atl (which is a very grade-focused city) or want NY, then there's a very good chance you won't get BigLaw at all.

Yeah, I know NY is the biggest market, but I have zero desire to live/work there and my SO hates it. I have some ties in TN (chattanooga/nashville), very small ties in NC, and some in FL, and if I don't go to a school that requires biglaw to service my debt, then I am okay not getting it.

All of the markets you've described are as hard to get as Atl.

Best bet is probably UGA if you're not dead set on BigLaw. COL in Athens is dirt cheap and the total COA will probably be 40-60k less than Emory.

just don't get stuck in athens

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i think Emory makes the most sense here

patogordo wrote:i think Emory makes the most sense here

If it's about the same COA as UGA, then I agree with this

just don't break up with your gf

patogordo wrote:just don't break up with your gf

+1

MyNameIsFlynn! wrote:

patogordo wrote:i think Emory makes the most sense here

If it's about the same COA as UGA, then I agree with this

This is what I am thinking, just wanted to make sure I wasn't crazy. Now to wait and find out. Thanks yall!

I'm in a similar position as you OP.

Assuming Atlanta is really as hard to break into as people on TLS say (personally idk) and you don't want NYC big law, then my suggestion is not to attend Vanderbilt.

Atlanta, even with ties, is still a heavily grade dependent market & NYC is the best market for people w/o ties, so that's cutting out a lot of jobs. I heard DC doesn't need ties, BUT you also need stellar grades to make it there & the rest of the locations you listed are ties/grade dependent as well.

I chose not to do Vandy because they don't seem have the pull I was looking for in my home market, and like you, I have no intention of working in NYC.

I don't think Vandy is worth 100k+, especially since you're not willing to gun for NYC big law

Vandy 1L here. In your situation I'd probably take Emory if the difference is over $50k. ATL biglaw is unlikely without stellar grades, and you're better off saving the money if you're set on ATL.

ETA: If you think your ties to TN/NC are good enough to convince firms that you want to stay, then maaaaybe Vandy is the better choice for $75k difference. Most Nashville firms want Dean's List (top 20%) if you have ties, probably better grades if you don't. Looking through c/o 2014, I don't see many non-URM people who got jobs at Nashville firms without Dean's List.

Chattanooga firms are less grade-selective but are super tie selective from what I hear. Like K-12 in Chattanooga selective.

I don't know about NC. If you have a background in finance, Charlotte could be a good place to land, depending on how much it's recovered since the crash

FL seems like a crapshoot. If you want biglaw, don't gun for FL.

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W your so Emory seems like best bet yes

Emory seems like it would make a lot of sense here.

Yea sorry to add to the swelling chorus but Emory is a no-brainer here

Glad to see there is a consensus!

Thanks everyone!