Top Law Schools

Assuming you want to practice in Dallas, how hard is it to get into biglaw from SMU. I know SMU places great in Dallas, but what percent of grads have biglaw opportunities?

thanks

texaspecial88 wrote:Assuming you want to practice in Dallas, how hard is it to get into biglaw from SMU. I know SMU places great in Dallas, but what percent of grads have biglaw opportunities?

thanks

I've spent some time reviewing the website for each individual NALP 250 firm headquartered in Dallas, and it appears as though the vast majority of new associates graduated cum laude. I have a pdf here somewhere that shows biglaw placement by school.

SMU dominates the Dallas legal scene.

Assuming you do well at SMU, you will do fine for Dallas Biglaw.

chadwick218 wrote:

texaspecial88 wrote:Assuming you want to practice in Dallas, how hard is it to get into biglaw from SMU. I know SMU places great in Dallas, but what percent of grads have biglaw opportunities?

thanks

I've spent some time reviewing the website for each individual NALP 250 firm headquartered in Dallas, and it appears as though the vast majority of new associates graduated cum laude. I have a pdf here somewhere that shows biglaw placement by school.

And cum laude is like top 10%? top 25%?

texaspecial88 wrote: And cum laude is like top 10%? top 25%?

According to the 2009-2010 NALP Directory of Law Schools, cum laude at SMU is for the top 35%.

http://www.nalplawschoolsonline.org/index.asp

Also, poster above me, I really like your avatar.

I wish it really was Thirteen above me.

so top 35% at SMU = good shot at BigLaw? or was that back in the day?

adrib wrote:so top 35% at SMU = good shot at BigLaw? or was that back in the day?

Yes, but other factors such as prior experience and personality, as with any other school, become increasingly more important. The top 35% never really was a guarantee.

betasteve wrote:

adrib wrote:so top 35% at SMU = good shot at BigLaw? or was that back in the day?

SMU 1L here... 35% is back in the day
You could probably get a mid to slightly larger firm that pays below market (160) but above 100 at 35%, though...

They are predicting only 5% of 1Ls to get biglaw firm jobs over the summer.

Those are still pretty numbers compared to the rest of the world.

betasteve wrote:

keg411 wrote:

betasteve wrote:

adrib wrote:so top 35% at SMU = good shot at BigLaw? or was that back in the day?

SMU 1L here... 35% is back in the day
You could probably get a mid to slightly larger firm that pays below market (160) but above 100 at 35%, though...

They are predicting only 5% of 1Ls to get biglaw firm jobs over the summer.

Those are still pretty numbers compared to the rest of the world.

They are also statements made by a 1L... so take them with a grain of salt.

SMU 2L here; those numbers sound spot on for my 1L year.

I would imagine top 10% these days to have a shot at biglaw. I wouldn't choose SMU if biglaw is your thing- chances aren't good enough in my book.

betasteve wrote:

nealric wrote:I would imagine top 10% these days to have a shot at biglaw. I wouldn't choose SMU if biglaw is your thing- chances aren't good enough in my book.

This is substantiated and well founded advice; thanks for the massive contribution of your analysis to the thread.

Thanks to your analysis of his analysis, the thread is now truly great.

This is substantiated and well founded advice; thanks for the massive contribution of your analysis to the thread.

You are welcome. Thank you for your own substantiated and well founded sarcasm. You have truly made this board a better place.
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nealric wrote:I would imagine top 10% these days to have a shot at biglaw. I wouldn't choose SMU if biglaw is your thing- chances aren't good enough in my book.

I disagree. I think the market is going to turn around and SMU will be back at its pre-recession numbers in a year or two. Where would you choose if not SMU? UH? UT would be a no brainer; but if an applicant is wanting biglaw and looking at SMU, we can assume he/she didn't get into UT.

I disagree. I think the market is going to turn around and SMU will be back at its pre-recession numbers in a year or two. Where would you choose if not SMU? UH? UT would be a no brainer; but if an applicant is wanting biglaw and looking at SMU, we can assume he/she didn't get into UT.

They could be weighing UT vs. SMU with $$$. And there is no way to know where things will be in a year two. The consensus is that it won't be at pre-recession numbers though. Hopefully the consensus is wrong, but I wouldn't bank money on it.

betasteve wrote:This is substantiated and well founded advice; thanks for the massive contribution of your analysis to the thread.

Hey, on a different note, at the ASD, SMU was bragging about stupidly high post-graduate employment numbers for their recent class. Are they really that good, or is there a little inflation going on there?

kalvano wrote:

betasteve wrote:This is substantiated and well founded advice; thanks for the massive contribution of your analysis to the thread.

Hey, on a different note, at the ASD, SMU was bragging about stupidly high post-graduate employment numbers for their recent class. Are they really that good, or is there a little inflation going on there?

they placed the 28th most in the top 250 firms from the class of 2009. I think if you add in their federal clerkships it brings it to jus about 25%

So take that for what you will.

nealric wrote:

I disagree. I think the market is going to turn around and SMU will be back at its pre-recession numbers in a year or two. Where would you choose if not SMU? UH? UT would be a no brainer; but if an applicant is wanting biglaw and looking at SMU, we can assume he/she didn't get into UT.

They could be weighing UT vs. SMU with $$$. And there is no way to know where things will be in a year two. The consensus is that it won't be at pre-recession numbers though. Hopefully the consensus is wrong, but I wouldn't bank money on it.

The consensus? Who is forming this consensus? Other 0L's? You're right that there's no way to know exactly where the numbers will be in two years, but I think it's a safe bet that SMU will rebound just as well as any other lawschool.

As far as UT vs. SMU with $$$, you may be right; but unless it was a full ride to SMU, it'd be hard to turn down UT. They really do dominate every other school in Texas.