Hybrid Energy and Environmental Program Forum

[Pmgagge]

Please advise on hybrid programs with an energy and environmental option specializing in energy.

[nealric]

I would advise you to ignore specialty rankings and programs unless it is the deciding factor between otherwise very similar schools. Most of your law school career (and usually your entire 1L year) is going to be focused on general classes with no specialty component. Few employers are looking at specialties when deciding who to hire, and it is your experience that will dictate the direction of your career. The only potential benefit is mostly if there are faculty with connections to relevant employers in that field AND you are not going into a biglaw-centric field like M&A where there is already an established pipeline.

For example, it may make sense to choose NYU over Penn if you are set on tax due to NYU's reputation in tax. But it doesn't make sense to go to a random second tier school in a market you have no connections to because they are #1 in environmentally sustainable basketweaving.

[Pmgagge]

Thanks for the response. Points well taken.