Best Law Schools for International Trade Forum

[KME89]

Hey guys,

I've been out of school for 5+years and took the time to really figure out what I want to do before investing in law school. I currently analyze public union contracts for a statewide municipal organization. I have a sick obsession with contracts. Like Sheldon from Big Bang Theory level obsession. I also want to do international law, so I feel like international trade is a natural route for me. I want to stay on the east coast after school, ideally working as in-house counsel. The schools I can realistically get into are T2. If I'm lucky, I could maybe get into the lower ranked T1's. Other than suggesting I take the LSAT again and reapply to higher ranked schools, does anyone have any suggestions on which of these schools would get me to where I want to be? Right now I'm looking at Temple, URichmond, UCONN, American, & Villanova. My reach is W&L.

Much appreciated.

[cavalier1138]

Not a single one of the schools you listed will get you a job working on international trade agreements. If you want to work in-house for the type of company that does that work, you'll probably have to lateral there from biglaw. Additionally, most in-house counsel outsources international work to biglaw (not all the time, but generally international business has a ton of money on the line), so biglaw is doubly your goal. So you should only be considering a T14 school.

What's your LSAT/GPA?

[KME89]

.

[cavalier1138]

Well, you're in a bit of a pickle.

Either you really crack down on the LSAT to give yourself a shot at the T14 next cycle, or you go wherever you can get in this cycle and change your career goals. Unfortunately, your career goals are just not compatible with the schools you can get into with your numbers.

[KME89]

Thank you for the honest response. I appreciate it.

[Npret]

Not a single one of the schools you listed will get you a job working on international trade agreements. If you want to work in-house for the type of company that does that work, you'll probably have to lateral there from biglaw. Additionally, most in-house counsel outsources international work to biglaw (not all the time, but generally international business has a ton of money on the line), so biglaw is doubly your goal. So you should only be considering a T14 school.

What's your LSAT/GPA?

I don't think OP necessarily needs biglaw with his work experience.
OP: there is a good deal of variety within international trade. What exactly do you want to do? If you just want to analysis contracts you may not need law school at all.

Why not start looking for jobs now that will get you into international trade?

[cavalier1138]

Not a single one of the schools you listed will get you a job working on international trade agreements. If you want to work in-house for the type of company that does that work, you'll probably have to lateral there from biglaw. Additionally, most in-house counsel outsources international work to biglaw (not all the time, but generally international business has a ton of money on the line), so biglaw is doubly your goal. So you should only be considering a T14 school.

What's your LSAT/GPA?

I don't think OP necessarily needs biglaw with his work experience.
OP: there is a good deal of variety within international trade. What exactly do you want to do? If you just want to analysis contracts you may not need law school at all.

Why not start looking for jobs now that will get you into international trade?

I guess it depends on what you mean by "international trade".

If you think that "international trade" refers to the local liquor store signing a contract with Jameson for whisky supplies, then I'm sure that the OP can go anywhere they want and be an international trade lawyer. But if you mean "international trade" the way that most people use it (inter-governmental negotiations, multinational corporations, M&A, etc.), then yes, you need biglaw, regardless of any pre-law experience.

[Npret]

Not a single one of the schools you listed will get you a job working on international trade agreements. If you want to work in-house for the type of company that does that work, you'll probably have to lateral there from biglaw. Additionally, most in-house counsel outsources international work to biglaw (not all the time, but generally international business has a ton of money on the line), so biglaw is doubly your goal. So you should only be considering a T14 school.

What's your LSAT/GPA?

I don't think OP necessarily needs biglaw with his work experience.
OP: there is a good deal of variety within international trade. What exactly do you want to do? If you just want to analysis contracts you may not need law school at all.

Why not start looking for jobs now that will get you into international trade?

I guess it depends on what you mean by "international trade".

If you think that "international trade" refers to the local liquor store signing a contract with Jameson for whisky supplies, then I'm sure that the OP can go anywhere they want and be an international trade lawyer. But if you mean "international trade" the way that most people use it (inter-governmental negotiations, multinational corporations, M&A, etc.), then yes, you need biglaw, regardless of any pre-law experience.

I don't think OP was talking about M&A at all.

There is a huge range of legal practice in international trade between the two ridiculous extremes you describe.

That's why I asked OP what he type of international trade he was talking about.

[cavalier1138]

I don't think OP was talking about M&A at all.

There is a huge range of legal practice in international trade between the two ridiculous extremes you describe.

That's why I asked OP what he type of international trade he was talking about.

Where? What is a concrete example of a job where the OP would be working as a lawyer on international trade in any kind of depth?

[KME89]

.

[Npret]

I don't think OP was talking about M&A at all.

There is a huge range of legal practice in international trade between the two ridiculous extremes you describe.

That's why I asked OP what he type of international trade he was talking about.

Where? What is a concrete example of a job where the OP would be working as a lawyer on international trade in any kind of depth?

OP is talking about managing contracts not negotiating a new trans-Asian trade agreement. I know people who deal with customs and the court of international trade, for example. They aren't all biglaw people. It's a specialized field.

[KME89]

I would choose the negotiation and management of import/export agreements if I was pressed to pick a specialty area.

[Npret]

I would choose the negotiation and management of import/export agreements if I was pressed to pick a specialty area. Sure, I'd love to work for the World Trade Organization or NATO but that's not realistic for where I'm at, and I realize that. I would just like some honest feed back from informed individuals on whether or not my goals are achievable based on my present law school options.

I suggest you contact attorneys working in import-export. I know the bar association in NYC has an internal trade committee and so does the ABA. Your local bar association might have the same. Either way I would reach out to them for advice before you go to school.

I don't think you need biglaw but I don't know if any of those schools will help you get the job you want.

You should look at jobs available without a JD. I have been to a couple of bar association conferences dealing with international trade and there are always a number of non-lawyers in attendance.

[KME89]

Thank you.