Mercer University School of Law Forum

[yellow_submarine]

I know, guys, many of you don't even consider a school of this rank, but...

I visited Macon, and the school looks like a little charmer. Nice and cozy.
Any thoughts, how marketable my diploma would be, if I go to Mercer?
Their placement numbers look pretty impressive, but I don't want to make a decision based on application booklet alone.

[sockpuppet]

Their reputation scores put them down in T3/4 territory (around the 30th percentile):

AR Academic Reputation
PR Practitioner Reputation
REP Combined Reputation (AR + PR)
PCTL Reputation Percentile
RANK USNWR Overall Rank

AR / PR / REP / PCTL / RANK
3.40 3.90 7.30 88.5 22 Emory University (GA)
2.30 2.90 5.20 49.7 82 Georgia State University
2.00 2.60 4.60 32.7 100 Mercer University (GA)

US News Combined Reputation Scores 2007

But they made a strong showing in the Legal Education Value Added Rankings, coming in at #31 overall. I would not suggest that you should take those as any sort of authority on the quality of their education. But in the pantheon of T2/3/4 schools, it seems they might be doing more to improve their graduates' chances of success than many of their peers.

RANK LEVA Ranking
LEVA LEVA Score
INDEX Academic Index
LSAT Median LSAT
GPA Median GPA
SUCCESS Bar Passage Performance Ratio
SCHOOL School's Bar Passage Rate
STATE State's Overall Passage Rate
USNWR US News & World Report Ranking

RANK / LEVA / INDEX / LSAT / GPA / SUCCESS / SCHOOL / STATE / USNWR
31 832 705 156 3.45 0.375 0.900 0.840 100 Mercer University (GA)

Legal Education Value Added Rankings 2007

If you want to work in Macon, then they may suit you fine. I would not count on strong chances in Atlanta, where you will have to compete with graduates of GSU and Emory.

[yellow_submarine]

^ Thank you. It helps.

[gtg263r]

a friend of a family friend graduated from mercer law & makes bank @ allston & byrd

im sure your chances would be fine in atlanta. that said, id still go to GSU over mercer. macon sucks.

[CaptainDirtyBird]

So I would go there, but only on a full ride because they hand those shit out like cheeseburgers. My friend is there now, on a full ride, hates it, and is probably going to transfer out. It's not a bad school, but it isn't exactly the top of its market with Emory actually in Atlanta, UGA rocking the good ole boy network, and GSU offering a pretty good value. That being said, if your from a school that it offers a full scholarship to, I'd check it out. But spend some decent time in Macon first.

[18488]

...

[aguyingeorgia]

I looked at Mercer initially, because it is so close by. I have a lot of friends that go there.
That said...

The good:
They have a great legal writing program. Most people love it there. They hand out money like it grows on trees. The staff is friendly and nice. They have some strong ties with some big firms in Atlanta, and you could do quite well there.

The bad:
Their reputation stinks. Regardless of the strides they have made, if you go there it is automatically assumed that you couldn't get into Emory, UGA, or Georgia State. As the post above also wrote, some people automatically are inclined to think less of you, and your degree, if you are a graduate of that law school.

If you can go somewhere else, I would say go there. Much better prospects coming out. But, the place can also be a great place for three years of learning and boredom.

Good luck either way.

[glsd56]

I know a couple of Superior Court judges and well-respected attorneys that graduated from Mercer. They seem to be doing fine...
But... it is a low tier school, and you may have trouble finding work in the big law firms in Atlanta. The market is already full of graduates from Emory and UGA!

[JeffersonDavis]

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[neskerdoo]

"We are here to help you find a job. If you don't 'want' to work in Atlanta, then we'll work with you to find paralegal work or nontraditional legal work."

no way...

[AJ]

The attitude of entitlement exhibited by law students continues to amaze me.

Have either of you ever considered getting up off your arse and finding your own job...there is a legal world outside the state of Georgia.

You are the hero of your own story...live like it.

[Connelly]

I heard Mercer is adding in Janitorial Engineering courses to its law program to up the job prospects for its graduates. Is this true?

[Katdaddy]

I heard Mercer is adding in Janitorial Engineering courses to its law program to up the job prospects for its graduates. Is this true?

That's cold; but funny !

[AJ]

There are at least a dozen Mercer alums in the Charleston area

There are at least a dozen Mercer alums in the City.

There are at least 52 (Fifty-Two) Mercer alums in the JAX area.

...ever think of networking?

You do not have to have the school's career placement office holding your hands to do this.

C'mon guys, you are adults now...you can do this on your own...geez.

[Katdaddy]

There are at least a dozen Mercer alums in the Charleston area

There are at least a dozen Mercer alums in the City.

There are at least 52 (Fifty-Two) Mercer alums in the JAX area.

...ever think of networking?

You do not have to have the school's career placement office holding your hands to do this.

C'mon guys, you are adults now...you can do this on your own...geez.

TITCR

[kiskadee321]

There are at least a dozen Mercer alums in the City.

When you wrote the City were you referring to NY?

I love that all New Yorkers only know of one City (don't worry I do it too. I currently live in ATL but when I say "the City," my coworkers have learned what I mean.)

[AJ]

Mercer Alums in The City
(List may not be all inclusive)
Name: Milton M. Ferrell, Jr.
Position: CEO
Organization: Ferrell Law, A Professional Association
Office: New York, New York (New York Co.)

Name: Laura W. Sawyer Article(s) Published
Position: Associate
Organization: Jones Day
Office: New York, New York (New York Co.)

Name: Brett A. Steele Article(s) Published
Position: Counsel
Organization: Siemens Corporation (Legal Department)
Office: New York, New York (New York Co.)

Name: Anthony R. Cueto
Office: New York, New York (New York Co.)

Name: Marc H. Glick
Office: New York, New York (New York Co.)

Name: Nancy A. Grace
Office: New York, New York (New York Co.)

Name: Todd W. Hedgpeth
Office: New York, New York (New York Co.)

Name: Michael S. Levine
Office: New York, New York (New York Co.)

Name: Christopher Paine
Office: New York, New York (New York Co.)

Name: Jacqueline Sadow
Office: New York, New York (New York Co.)

Name: Michael F. Swick
Office: New York, New York (New York Co.)

Name: James H. Williams, Jr.
Office: New York, New York (New York Co.)

[AJ]

There are at least a dozen Mercer alums in the City.

When you wrote the City were you referring to NY?

I love that all New Yorkers only know of one City (don't worry I do it too. I currently live in ATL but when I say "the City," my coworkers have learned what I mean.)

If he is referring to NYC, then I know for a fact he's lying. There are no Mercer grads in NYC, unless one is taking a vacation there.

Dude, you are elminating yourself. No, you may not land a "big-law" job in NYC, but you CERTAINLY WILL NOT land a job anywhere if you don't get after it a little more and quit expecting something to fall in your lap. I don't even attend your school and I know more about its alumni base than you do...unbelievable.

[JeffersonDavis]

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[ari20dal7]

Mercer 1L and Jefferson Davis, what made you choose Mercer?

[prettypithy]

Jefferson Davis and Mercer 1L...same guy, right? Back to J.D Underground with the both of you!

[ari20dal7]

How do other students at Mercer feel? Does everyone think of it as a TTT (although I actually think it's low T2)? If so, why does anyone go there? I assume that most students are local, which would make it easy to visit the school and figure out what you're saying......

[AJ]

You guys are the biggest cry-babies I've seen since Loyola 2L retired.

You act as though your whole self-worth is tied up within 3 years of law school and if you don't land an NYC "big-law" job immediately upon graduation, all is lost. Well get over it---it's time for the two of you to nut-up and grow a set. Who cares if you don't get the class-A law job you've been frothing over with all your teenage angst and worry. Your entire career in law will not be determined by what you do upon your immediate graduation from Mercer. And guess what...it takes hard work to be successful, even with a law degree. I don't know what they feed you boys down there in Jawja, but it sounds like you need to change your diets...you need to add a little piss and vinegar. Good Lord Man.

[ari20dal7]

Sorry to hear that, man. I hope you can transfer out or make it work down there......best of luck.

[JeffersonDavis]

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