Top Law Schools

Thinking of adding Tulane to the list (New Orleans is looking like a dope place to spend some time), and the biggest criticism I get is that it'd be hard to get NYC biglaw out of Tulane.

However, I'm from NYC - would this change things?

It would be very, very difficult to get big law from Tulane

Ties to NYC wouldn't make a difference

Of similarly ranked schools, Fordham would be your best shot.

Don't Louisiana law schools teach a different form of law than other states, too?

If you're looking for biglaw at all, you already know what schools you should be targeting (hint: not Tulane).

But New Orleans is so nice ...and the school is Top 50. Also, scanning through some associate/partner profiles at V100 law firms, there are a handful of Tulane alumni at their NYC office (they typically have a degree of a top undergrad, which I have too - I see this as part of my networking capabilities).

Fordham is definitely getting an app. Just looking for 3-4 other "relative safeties." (I'm URM, so I, perhaps falsely, consider Fordham/Tulane as a relative safeties - if of course I kill the LSAT).

greatspirit wrote:But New Orleans is so nice ...and the school is Top 50. Also, scanning through some associate/partner profiles at V100 law firms, there are a handful of Tulane alumni at their NYC office (they typically have a degree of a top undergrad, which I have too - I see this as part of my networking capabilities).

Fordham is definitely getting an app. Just looking for 3-4 other "relative safeties." (I'm URM, so I, perhaps falsely, consider Fordham/Tulane as a relative safeties - if of course I kill the LSAT).

Neither of these matter, take a look at https://www.lstreports.com/schools/tulane/ for a sobering consideration of your prospects. To make it clear, it's more likely that you'll be completely unemployed than land NYC biglaw if you go to Tulane. Retake or don't go.

greatspirit wrote:(I'm URM, so I, perhaps falsely, consider Fordham/Tulane as a relative safeties - if of course I kill the LSAT).

Or how about you kill the LSAT and have Georgetown be your safety?

greatspirit wrote:But New Orleans is so nice ...and the school is Top 50. Also, scanning through some associate/partner profiles at V100 law firms, there are a handful of Tulane alumni at their NYC office (they typically have a degree of a top undergrad, which I have too - I see this as part of my networking capabilities).

Fordham is definitely getting an app. Just looking for 3-4 other "relative safeties." (I'm URM, so I, perhaps falsely, consider Fordham/Tulane as a relative safeties - if of course I kill the LSAT).

Top 50 means jack when you're looking at biglaw. I guarantee that the handful of Tulane alums you see at V100 firms had top grades from Tulane. You cannot go somewhere on the assumption that you'll have top grades. And stop leveraging your undergrad; the few law firms that care about that don't care enough for it to override going to a non-T14 school.

There is no such thing as a "safety school" for law. You should not go to any school where you cannot realistically achieve your career goals. This isn't undergrad.

I don't mean to sound like a total dick, but I agree with the notion that law school isn't undergrad part 2. You're there to look for a job. Yeah, you should make the most out of it and can do your best to have a great time while you're at it, but your primary focus in applying/attending/graduating is to achieve your career goals.

I don't understand this "New Orleans seems like a great place to live so I want to apply there" line of thought. Hawaii seems like an amazing place to live, but would you apply to the University of Hawaii Law with the hopes of Biglaw?

If you want BigLaw and want to go to New Orleans, book a week-long trip there for vacation. It's cheaper than the tuition you'll be throwing in that direction just to live in a cool place.

If you still want Tulane, then think about practicing in New Orleans at a local firm. Can't really have both Biglaw and Tulane at the same time.

Thanks for your thoughts everyone.

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Admiralty law, I believe, is one of Tulane's specialties that might enable you to get to a major port city.

Tulane offers both common law & civil law curriculums.