Case Western vs. Brooklyn vs. Pitt Forum

[green22]

Hi, I am having trouble choosing law schools. I have been admitted to Case Western and Pitt, and am waitlisted at Brooklyn. I am very interested in international humanitarian law (though I would also take international business law classes as well), but if that doesn't work out in terms of employment, I am interested in criminal law in a major city (Philly/NYC).

Case seems to have a lot of networks for international law, they said that they have a lot of graduates in that field that provide summer internships. Thus getting a job is not very difficult. But if I'm at Case and decide I like criminal law better, am I disadvantaged in the eastern cities' marketplace?

Therefore, should I go to Brooklyn (which is only better because of the location for criminal law)?

And Pitt (my hometown) has a huge international law program but I'm not sure if they have strong and wide networks for internships and jobs. But criminal law wouldn't be bad. Basically, I don't want to live in Ohio after graduation at all, I'd prefer to live in NYC/Philly/Boston/Washington D.C. or abroad BUT I want to go to a school that will get me my jobs in international and criminal law in the marketplaces that I like.

Could you please help?

[scionb4]

You're putting way too much emphasis on program rankings for your decision. Employers care much, much more about the ranking of the school itself than its internal programs. For instance, St. Louis University is ranked at the top for health law, but no employer is going to hire an SLU grad to take a health law position over a WashU grad simply because the SLU Health Law track is ranked higher. Go where you want to practice to the best school you can get into, and you will be much more likely to get a job in the field that you want. If you HAVE to stay in the NE and detest the idea of being in Ohio, then don't go to Case (although Case has much better placement outside of its own state than either of the other schools do). However, I'm personally voting Case because it opens more doors than the other schools do.

BTW - were you offered any money at any of them? That should definitely be taken into account.

[green22]

Hi, thanks for the advice. I was offered at $10,000/year scholarship from case but pitt would be in-state tuition (I haven't heard anything from pitt or brooklyn yet).

[scionb4]

Hi, thanks for the advice. I was offered at $10,000/year scholarship from case but pitt would be in-state tuition (I haven't heard anything from pitt or brooklyn yet).

I got the same deal, and I am also waiting to hear from Pitt.

[green22]

does anyone else have any advice/input?

[Scheveningen]

Employers care much, much more about the ranking of the school itself than its internal programs.

I would agree with that, especially when employers are reviewing hundreds of applications from people they do not know. In those cases, applicants are likely to be filtered in or out depending on where they went to law school. At the same time, it is important to bear in mind that securing a great job can be done through networking, even when there are candidates who are more qualified they you are on paper. In those cases, making the right contacts -- which a law school's specific program may allow you to do, even if the law school is not ranked highly overall -- can be extremely helpful.

[creamedcats]

If you can handle the debt/expense, I'd say Case is your best bet. We were discussing placement and geography in the other Case thread and it does pretty well outside of OH, including in NY and DC - especially in public interest/international law. The professor in charge of the international law center is really, really, well connected. I don't know about Pitt's program though, if you find them comparable you might not want to drop 120k on Case.

Their geographical placements seem comparable: --LinkRemoved--

[scionb4]

Wierd - 10k scholarship at Case - WL at Pitt. I just don't understand.