Top Law Schools

i'd like to know what the lowest ranked law school you would attend if you aren't planning on BIG LAW but public interest of some sort (I'm interested in legal aid work, attorneys for non-profit-type work), because i've been hearing two different sides to the answer to my question-- i've heard, STILL try to get into T14 basically or whatever the best school you can get into is, and then I've heard, grades/rank doesn't matter as much as the experience you gain from clinics, job exp., etc. And then there are those ranking systems FOR public interest which I can't tell are just for normally low-ranked schools to fluff their own feathers and make themselves look like they're better than they are...i'm a little lost.

exitlane wrote:I am a URM with an accounting background, eligible for cpa license, and a 3.78 GPA from a top 4 UC. I did not get recruited during undergraduate for a cpa firm, I did not attempt to look for jobs since I was dealing with a life threatening illness during my last two years of college. Do you think any lower tier 1 school is a bad choice, at ticket price, if I have the opportunity to get hired by accounting firms or IRS as tax attorney; I ultimately want to open up my own tax law/bankruptcy/estate planning practice, pursue forensic accounting, or work as an independent consultant for small companies.

I also want to pursue an LLM or MBA, obviously grades are important, so attending a higher ranked school might make it difficult to get top grades.

This position can be suprisingly tough to come by ... with respect to the LLM, you may consider the joint programs at NYU, GULC, and NU. Outside of the T-14, the only other school with a respectable LLM Program in Taxation are UF, BU, and Miami. Although other schools have notable tax programs, they simply do not offer an LLM in Taxation.