Top Law Schools

What's up with their rankings? They seem to fluctuate more than any other school in the T14. Though I hate to sound like a prestige whore, what is the general consensus of the school's actual ranking? Is it a T10? T 14? The reason I am asking is because I am considering going there for law school. At the end of the day, it won't sway my decision any particular way but I am just kind of curious as to how legal employers tend to regard Berkeley?

yngblkgifted wrote:What's up with their rankings? They seem to fluctuate more than any other school in the T14. Though I hate to sound like a prestige whore, what is the general consensus of the school's actual ranking? Is it a T10? T 14? The reason I am asking is because I am considering going there for law school. At the end of the day, it won't sway my decision any particular way but I am just kind of curious as to how legal employers tend to regard Berkeley?

I'm pretty sure it's generally acknowledged as a T10. Most of TLS would probably lump it in with MVP in some order. Regionally--obviously highly regarded on the west coast; very well-regarded in Texas (at least that's my impression from meeting a pair of V50 partners and a couple high-prestige crimlaw attorneys); and I can't really speak to the NE. Hard to say internationally, but this probably paints a general picture:

HTH

I generally see it as a top 8 but I think employers see it as a top 11 so I'd be weary of attending it over another school in the top 11

Actual ranking?

CA: HYS > B > T14

EAST COAST: > DCNGB

Is it a T10? Probably. Is it a T14? Almost definitely. It is the 2nd best law school west of the mississippi, and at least down in Florida it carries a surprising amount of prestige with its name (like paid 1L summer gigs with straight P grades).
Beyond the t10 designation, it's gonna come down to the student much more so than the school in the employer's eyes (aside from alma mater biases).

cheers

Ok, let's say between UVA and Berkeley, without getting too specific, which degree would be more portable nationally for biglaw?

yngblkgifted wrote:Ok, let's say between UVA and Berkeley, without getting too specific, which degree would be more portable nationally for biglaw?

It's going to depend on whatever school is higher ranked in the us news the year you are hired.

yngblkgifted wrote:Ok, let's say between UVA and Berkeley, without getting too specific, which degree would be more portable nationally for biglaw?

West Coast Berkeley, East Coast UVA

bhan87 wrote:

yngblkgifted wrote:Ok, let's say between UVA and Berkeley, without getting too specific, which degree would be more portable nationally for biglaw?

West Coast Berkeley, East Coast UVA

This. The exact rank in any given year matters very little.

Patriot1208 wrote:

yngblkgifted wrote:Ok, let's say between UVA and Berkeley, without getting too specific, which degree would be more portable nationally for biglaw?

It's going to depend on whatever school is higher ranked in the us news the year you are hired.

No it's not.

Veyron wrote:

bhan87 wrote:

yngblkgifted wrote:Ok, let's say between UVA and Berkeley, without getting too specific, which degree would be more portable nationally for biglaw?

West Coast Berkeley, East Coast UVA

This. The exact rank in any given year matters very little.

Nope lawyers follow usnews to a tee. If you are at a t8 school instead of a t9 school you will have a better chance of getting the job, holding everything else constant.

Patriot1208 wrote:

Veyron wrote:

bhan87 wrote:

yngblkgifted wrote:Ok, let's say between UVA and Berkeley, without getting too specific, which degree would be more portable nationally for biglaw?

West Coast Berkeley, East Coast UVA

This. The exact rank in any given year matters very little.

Nope lawyers follow usnews to a tee. If you are at a t8 school instead of a t9 school you will have a better chance of getting the job, holding everything else constant.

*Kicks self for choosing school ranked one spot lower based on fit*
*Cries softly*
*Gives into despair*

Veyron wrote:

Patriot1208 wrote:

Veyron wrote:

bhan87 wrote:
West Coast Berkeley, East Coast UVA

This. The exact rank in any given year matters very little.

Nope lawyers follow usnews to a tee. If you are at a t8 school instead of a t9 school you will have a better chance of getting the job, holding everything else constant.

*Kicks self for choosing school ranked one spot lower based on fit*
*Cries softly*
*Gives into despair*

Hopefully you can do well enough at Penn to make up for that miscalculation, but it is going to be hard.

Patriot1208 wrote:

Veyron wrote:

bhan87 wrote:

yngblkgifted wrote:Ok, let's say between UVA and Berkeley, without getting too specific, which degree would be more portable nationally for biglaw?

West Coast Berkeley, East Coast UVA

This. The exact rank in any given year matters very little.

Nope lawyers follow usnews to a tee. If you are at a t8 school instead of a t9 school you will have a better chance of getting the job, holding everything else constant.

this is just well executed sarcasm, correct?

yngblkgifted wrote:

Patriot1208 wrote:

Veyron wrote:

bhan87 wrote:
West Coast Berkeley, East Coast UVA

This. The exact rank in any given year matters very little.

Nope lawyers follow usnews to a tee. If you are at a t8 school instead of a t9 school you will have a better chance of getting the job, holding everything else constant.

this is just well executed sarcasm, correct?

no

yngblkgifted wrote:

Patriot1208 wrote:

Veyron wrote:

bhan87 wrote:


Nope lawyers follow usnews to a tee. If you are at a t8 school instead of a t9 school you will have a better chance of getting the job, holding everything else constant.

this is just well executed sarcasm, correct?

no

Do you have any evidence to back up that claim?

I think the "no" was also sarcasm.

it's sarcasm bro. a few ranks in any direction won't matter jack (unless you're dabbling in HYS category)

edit: beaten

wow you guys are SOOOOOO sarcastic

--ImageRemoved--

yngblkgifted wrote:What's up with their rankings? They seem to fluctuate more than any other school in the T14. Though I hate to sound like a prestige whore, what is the general consensus of the school's actual ranking? Is it a T10? T 14? The reason I am asking is because I am considering going there for law school. At the end of the day, it won't sway my decision any particular way but I am just kind of curious as to how legal employers tend to regard Berkeley?

Where do you want to work? If you want to work on the west coast and cant get into stanford, then go for it. If you want to work on east coast, then I'd say Berkeley is ~T20. Probably slightly better than UCLA.

ntugwater wrote:

yngblkgifted wrote:What's up with their rankings? They seem to fluctuate more than any other school in the T14. Though I hate to sound like a prestige whore, what is the general consensus of the school's actual ranking? Is it a T10? T 14? The reason I am asking is because I am considering going there for law school. At the end of the day, it won't sway my decision any particular way but I am just kind of curious as to how legal employers tend to regard Berkeley?

Where do you want to work? If you want to work on the west coast and cant get into stanford, then go for it. If you want to work on east coast, then I'd say Berkeley is ~T20. Probably slightly better than UCLA.

For the sake of this thread, I will say that I am not set on a specific geographical location. Would you say the same thing about UVA on the West Coast? Would it be T 20ish?

FWIW, I think the prior posters in this thread have underestimated Berkeley's ability to go east. Definitely higher than T20, and my own opinion higher than Veyron's estimate of "DCNGB" I don't know anyone who wanted east coast who didn't get it. Yes, we have fewer who go to NY/DC, but that's because so many want to stay out here.

clone22 wrote:Is it a T14? Almost definitely.

Almost definitely? Exactly why is there an almost in that statement?

Is it a woman if it has a vagine? Almost definitely.

If its Berkeley Law is it a T14? Definitely. No almost.

yngblkgifted wrote:

ntugwater wrote:

yngblkgifted wrote:What's up with their rankings? They seem to fluctuate more than any other school in the T14. Though I hate to sound like a prestige whore, what is the general consensus of the school's actual ranking? Is it a T10? T 14? The reason I am asking is because I am considering going there for law school. At the end of the day, it won't sway my decision any particular way but I am just kind of curious as to how legal employers tend to regard Berkeley?

Where do you want to work? If you want to work on the west coast and cant get into stanford, then go for it. If you want to work on east coast, then I'd say Berkeley is ~T20. Probably slightly better than UCLA.

For the sake of this thread, I will say that I am not set on a specific geographical location. Would you say the same thing about UVA on the West Coast? Would it be T 20ish?

No. Berk gets less respect in NYC than UVA gets in LA. That being said, LA is a much harder market to crack than NYC.