I am considering Appalachian School of Law. Forum

[hazencage]

In my opinion all I need to do is go to a Law School, Continue to develop my business plan, and pass the bar. These past few years I have primarily worked as a Paralegal, and whenever I have been in-between jobs I have always found a way to bring in a few uncontested actions. In brief I know how to bring in a client, but what I need most is the ability to have that client sign a retainer so I can "get that money", and provide a better service.

What do you guys/gals think?

[BasilHallward]

About what? Appalachian Law??

Yeah, don't go there.

[hazencage]

About what? Appalachian Law??

Yeah, don't go there.

Why Not?

[SirArthurDayne]

Post removed.

[shump92]

About what? Appalachian Law??

Yeah, don't go there.

Why Not?

No prestige, which means terrible job prospects. At the very least you want your law school to have a good reputation in its region so you will likely have employment without having to be at the very top of your class. Legal market is too saturated for those types of options to be smart decisions for law school.

[BasilHallward]

Because the school is a dumpster fire.

You haven't outlined any details with respect to your geography, what type/size of firm you are currently at, what your 'business' plan is, so I am only giving my two cents with respect to Appalachian Law. This school has objectively terrible employment outcomes. http://www.asl.edu/Documents/Career%20S ... -39-50.pdf

[Manteca]

Retake.

[03152016]

the school has been struggling
it's not clear to me that they will remain open for all three years of your study

[ndirish2010]

This is an obvious troll, come on.

120.

[joejoe]

To the geniuses calling "flame" or "troll"

you think this guy waited 5 years of membership to post this as a "slow troll" flame???




OP, do whats best for you. But I think what may interest some of us is WHY you are considering them. Yes it gets the JD, but are they only one that said yes to you? Are you worried about GPA and LSAT? We need more details to give an honest answer.

I get what you are saying about paralegal perspective. Nurses are the same way when looking at Doctors. I've seen both fall into that thought trap. I'd be careful with it.

[Ron Howard]

No one in the world should attend Campbell [Appalachian] law

It should be shut down

[Mack.Hambleton]

how are there still law schools I've never heard of. there's not that many law schools

[A. Nony Mouse]

To the geniuses calling "flame" or "troll"

you think this guy waited 5 years of membership to post this as a "slow troll" flame???




OP, do whats best for you. But I think what may interest some of us is WHY you are considering them. Yes it gets the JD, but are they only one that said yes to you? Are you worried about GPA and LSAT? We need more details to give an honest answer.

I get what you are saying about paralegal perspective. Nurses are the same way when looking at Doctors. I've seen both fall into that thought trap. I'd be careful with it.

Quite a lot of his prior posts over those 5 years are also flame.

[joejoe]

To the geniuses calling "flame" or "troll"

you think this guy waited 5 years of membership to post this as a "slow troll" flame???




OP, do whats best for you. But I think what may interest some of us is WHY you are considering them. Yes it gets the JD, but are they only one that said yes to you? Are you worried about GPA and LSAT? We need more details to give an honest answer.

I get what you are saying about paralegal perspective. Nurses are the same way when looking at Doctors. I've seen both fall into that thought trap. I'd be careful with it.

Quite a lot of his prior posts over those 5 years are also flame.

If this is par for the course, maybe its just a legit paralegal? They tend to have brains wired different than us. Think dogs vs cats. Not "stupid" just..........different.

[hazencage]

To the geniuses calling "flame" or "troll"

you think this guy waited 5 years of membership to post this as a "slow troll" flame???




OP, do whats best for you. But I think what may interest some of us is WHY you are considering them. Yes it gets the JD, but are they only one that said yes to you? Are you worried about GPA and LSAT? We need more details to give an honest answer.

I get what you are saying about paralegal perspective. Nurses are the same way when looking at Doctors. I've seen both fall into that thought trap. I'd be careful with it.

I am considering them because they are less expensive than the Charlotte School of Law, and they offered me more money. I know that a lot of the posters on here value the prestige of a program, and I view Appalachian Law School as a more established institution than the Charlotte School of Law. Finally, after having worked in the industry for some time I have noticed that nobody really cares about what Law School someone went to, and instead the biggest thing was wether or not someone had passed the Bar exam. In the end a lot of 4th tier attorneys and T14 types can often be found working in the same offices.

In any event I am waiting for a phone call from the Dean, and I am going to ask him the following questions. I am going to challenge his answers with information as well.

1) Will the school move due to financial hardship, and if this happens how would it effect me?
2) What are my chances of success following graduation from your program?
3) How can a student transfer from your program after their 1st year?
4) Does the program place summer students over the summer or at graduation in clerkships, and if so which judges?
5) Does your program assist with placement after graduation and how so?
6) Are there any graduates I could contact in order to ask about what their thoughts are on the program
7) I would like to know more about scholarship, grant, and financial aid information.

[PeanutsNJam]

1) Will the school move due to financial hardship, and if this happens how would it effect me?

2) What are my chances of success following graduation from your program? 32.6% of graduates obtain any full-time, JD required job within 9 months of graduation. 3.2% of graduates obtain a full time, JD required position in a big law firm. Lawyer salaries are bi-modal; biglaw firms pay 6 figures, while you'd be lucky to get 60k at other places.

3) How can a student transfer from your program after their 1st year? By getting good grades. However, since Appalachian is one of the worst law schools in the nation, it's unlikely that even the rank #1 person will be able to transfer to any notable school.

4) Does the program place summer students over the summer or at graduation in clerkships, and if so which judges? No. The federal clerkship placement of Appalachian law is 0%.

5) Does your program assist with placement after graduation and how so?

6) Are there any graduates I could contact in order to ask about what their thoughts are on the program

7) I would like to know more about scholarship, grant, and financial aid information.

I've answered some of the questions for you. Here are sources:

Employment stats: http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/appalachian/

Salary distribution: http://www.nalp.org/class_of_2013_bimodal_salary_curve

[A. Nony Mouse]

4) Does the program place summer students over the summer or at graduation in clerkships, and if so which judges?

In case you're not trolling - these are 2 completely different things. Summer placement into judicial internships doesn't mean anything.