Top Law Schools

JCDante wrote:Having been born and raised in LA most of my life and with practically all my family residing there, I am confident that I wouldn't want to work anywhere else.

So outside of the Big 3, what's the best law school to attend if I want LA biglaw? Or better yet, what is the LA T14-esque tier list that firms here seek?

pamphleteer wrote:Given your ties to the region, you should have a good shot at a 2L SA in L.A at most T14 schools. So, to answer your question, I guess Columbia since it's the best non-HYS school for biglaw.

hearsay77 wrote:
UCLA Pepperdine

FloridaCoastalorbust wrote:

hearsay77 wrote:
UCLA Pepperdine Loyola

flawschoolkid wrote:

FloridaCoastalorbust wrote:

hearsay77 wrote:
UCLA Pepperdine Loyola People's College of Law

sesto elemento wrote:

flawschoolkid wrote:

FloridaCoastalorbust wrote:

hearsay77 wrote:
UCLA Pepperdine Loyola People's College of Law

OP, come back when you have acceptance letters and $$$ offers so we can give you better advice.

JCDante wrote: But in general, I should blanket the T14 (maybe minus Georgetown) for more opportunities to bribe USC/UCLA for more scholly money, correct? And for the most part there are four schools I cannot turn down 95 percent of the time right (HYS + Columbia). I figure Chicago, NYU, and Penn are schools I shouldn't turn down, but might be able to (and Berkeley because Cali), and Virginia/Mich/Duke are debatable. Then Cornell/Georgtown just apply for scholly offers, but with no intention of going, and Northwestern wouldn't look at me because I won't have meaningful work experience.

Tiago Splitter wrote:

JCDante wrote: But in general, I should blanket the T14 (maybe minus Georgetown) for more opportunities to bribe USC/UCLA for more scholly money, correct? And for the most part there are four schools I cannot turn down 95 percent of the time right (HYS + Columbia). I figure Chicago, NYU, and Penn are schools I shouldn't turn down, but might be able to (and Berkeley because Cali), and Virginia/Mich/Duke are debatable. Then Cornell/Georgtown just apply for scholly offers, but with no intention of going, and Northwestern wouldn't look at me because I won't have meaningful work experience.

Columbia is not that obvious here. That's why I asked what you'd do if you couldn't land LA Biglaw, which is a reality for most people at USC/UCLA and a meaningful number from places like Columbia too. If you'd shoot hard for LA small/mid-law or local gov stuff if you struck out at OCI then go to USC/UCLA. If you'd prefer to do biglaw elsewhere in the country over LA smalllaw then go T-14

jbagelboy wrote:

Tiago Splitter wrote:

JCDante wrote: But in general, I should blanket the T14 (maybe minus Georgetown) for more opportunities to bribe USC/UCLA for more scholly money, correct? And for the most part there are four schools I cannot turn down 95 percent of the time right (HYS + Columbia). I figure Chicago, NYU, and Penn are schools I shouldn't turn down, but might be able to (and Berkeley because Cali), and Virginia/Mich/Duke are debatable. Then Cornell/Georgtown just apply for scholly offers, but with no intention of going, and Northwestern wouldn't look at me because I won't have meaningful work experience.

Columbia is not that obvious here. That's why I asked what you'd do if you couldn't land LA Biglaw, which is a reality for most people at USC/UCLA and a meaningful number from places like Columbia too. If you'd shoot hard for LA small/mid-law or local gov stuff if you struck out at OCI then go to USC/UCLA. If you'd prefer to do biglaw elsewhere in the country over LA smalllaw then go T-14

I don't entirely agree. I think Columbia, Chicago and Berkeley would play strongest after Harvard and Yale (with Stanford obviously in the lead). Then Penn, then the rest & UCLA. I don't know about all firms in los angeles but for the two I have substantial recruiting experience with, the less selective one has a very generous cutoff for Harvard/Columbia students (it probably doesnt get many Chi) and a substantially stricter one for UVA/Michigan/ect; for the very selective one, it takes more students from CLS and Chicago than any school aside from HS. Other firms most likely fall inbetween.

Tiago Splitter wrote:

jbagelboy wrote:

Tiago Splitter wrote:

JCDante wrote: But in general, I should blanket the T14 (maybe minus Georgetown) for more opportunities to bribe USC/UCLA for more scholly money, correct? And for the most part there are four schools I cannot turn down 95 percent of the time right (HYS + Columbia). I figure Chicago, NYU, and Penn are schools I shouldn't turn down, but might be able to (and Berkeley because Cali), and Virginia/Mich/Duke are debatable. Then Cornell/Georgtown just apply for scholly offers, but with no intention of going, and Northwestern wouldn't look at me because I won't have meaningful work experience.

Columbia is not that obvious here. That's why I asked what you'd do if you couldn't land LA Biglaw, which is a reality for most people at USC/UCLA and a meaningful number from places like Columbia too. If you'd shoot hard for LA small/mid-law or local gov stuff if you struck out at OCI then go to USC/UCLA. If you'd prefer to do biglaw elsewhere in the country over LA smalllaw then go T-14

I don't entirely agree. I think Columbia, Chicago and Berkeley would play strongest after Harvard and Yale (with Stanford obviously in the lead). Then Penn, then the rest & UCLA. I don't know about all firms in los angeles but for the two I have substantial recruiting experience with, the less selective one has a very generous cutoff for Harvard/Columbia students (it probably doesnt get many Chi) and a substantially stricter one for UVA/Michigan/ect; for the very selective one, it takes more students from CLS and Chicago than any school aside from HS. Other firms most likely fall inbetween.

I'm sure this is right but it only applies if price is no object. There is a pretty low chance of striking out from CCN, but a very real chance of striking out if you're only focused on LA. Shooting for LA Biglaw alone is like going to Georgetown for biglaw anywhere; you've got a decent shot but there's a serious risk of striking out. If the next option would be to shoot for LA small law if you do strike out, you're no better off at Columbia vs USC/UCLA. Is that difference in LA biglaw prospects worth something like 150k? Not for me

In OP's case it sounds like he's got a pretty big safety net via the family so it might make sense to take the better prospects (even for LA) from CCN.

jbagelboy wrote: I don't entirely agree. I think Columbia, Chicago and Berkeley would play strongest after Harvard and Yale (with Stanford obviously in the lead).