Stories of TTT people who made it Forum

[Anonymous User]

I worked at a V5 and knew this guy who got his JD from a TTT in New York. After law school, he worked for a solo practitioner in New Jersey. After that, he got a job with a midlaw firm in NJ. After that, he got a job as an associate at a V10. After that, he lateraled to a V5, where he was made partner after a few years.

TL;DR
TTT JD -> worked for a solo practitioner in NJ -> partner at a V5 in NYC.

[MoonDreamer]

I worked at a V5 and knew this guy who got his JD from a TTT in New York. After law school, he worked for a solo practitioner in New Jersey. After that, he got a job with a midlaw firm in NJ. After that, he got a job as an associate at a V10. After that, he lateraled to a V5, where he was made partner after a few years.

TL;DR
TTT JD -> worked for a solo practitioner in NJ -> partner at a V5 in NYC.

Fiction.

[romothesavior]

I worked at a V5 and knew this guy who got his JD from a TTT in New York. After law school, he worked for a solo practitioner in New Jersey. After that, he got a job with a midlaw firm in NJ. After that, he got a job as an associate at a V10. After that, he lateraled to a V5, where he was made partner after a few years.

TL;DR
TTT JD -> worked for a solo practitioner in NJ -> partner at a V5 in NYC.

Fiction.

You're wandering close to a timeout. Cut the crap.

[MoonDreamer]

I worked at a V5 and knew this guy who got his JD from a TTT in New York. After law school, he worked for a solo practitioner in New Jersey. After that, he got a job with a midlaw firm in NJ. After that, he got a job as an associate at a V10. After that, he lateraled to a V5, where he was made partner after a few years.

TL;DR
TTT JD -> worked for a solo practitioner in NJ -> partner at a V5 in NYC.

Fiction.

You're wandering close to a timeout. Cut the crap.

I don't mean to be rude or uninformative. I just don't see how that's possible. Can he provide us with a link? I'd like to see proof of these ppl.

[romothesavior]

How is that hard to believe? Some guy went from a TTT to a solo job, killed it there, then went to a midlaw firm and killed it there, went to bigger firm and killed it there. Incredibly unlikely, sure... but how is that impossible?

And when someone says, "Keep in mind that although there are hundreds of TTT grads doing well, there are thousands more who are not," how is that "fiction"?

[MoonDreamer]

How is that hard to believe? Some guy went from a TTT to a solo job, killed it there, then went to a midlaw firm and killed it there, went to bigger firm and killed it there. Incredibly unlikely, sure... but how is that impossible?

And when someone says, "Keep in mind that although there are hundreds of TTT grads doing well, there are thousands more who are not," how is that "fiction"?

I guess it's possible. I've heard of it happening but never actually seen any proof.

[Anonymous User]

I don't mean to be rude or uninformative. I just don't see how that's possible. Can he provide us with a link? I'd like to see proof of these ppl.

I worked at the V5, and I was fairly close with the partner while I was there. He personally told me all of the stuff in my original post. I would provide a link but I don't care enough whether you believe me or not, and I'd like to respect his privacy to a degree (and it's not like he's going to put his solo-practitioner firm experience on his current firm profile).

[Anonymous User]

The top of the class people at TTs can still kill it. Know of a former classmate who's summering at a V30 firm in DC even though that school almost never gets a student a job outside of its home market, nevermind a competitive summer position. He works like a dog though and has to do LR,Moot Court & TA.

[helfer snooterbagon]

How is that hard to believe? Some guy went from a TTT to a solo job, killed it there, then went to a midlaw firm and killed it there, went to bigger firm and killed it there. Incredibly unlikely, sure... but how is that impossible?

And when someone says, "Keep in mind that although there are hundreds of TTT grads doing well, there are thousands more who are not," how is that "fiction"?

I guess it's possible. I've heard of it happening but never actually seen any proof.

You said that you, personally, were a success story from a TTT, moreover with crap grades. Your posts contradict. What more proof do you need. Check big firms, government, academia or even SCOTUS clerks. There will be outliers, those who did not go to top schools. But, they are just that, outliers.

[Anonymous User]

Jerry R. Marlatt graduated from Southwestern. He works for MoFo and was named "Dealmaker of the Year" by The American Lawyer. In fact, I've heard of about a half dozen Southwestern grads that are doing very well, but they all graduated ~30 years ago.

Partner at my niche V100 went to Southwestern as well and pulled in a 750k bonus last yr.

But, yeah. He graduated in the 80s.

[Anonymous User]

I went to a lower ranked TT. I graduated in the recession (2009-2012). Only 5 of us even landed summer jobs at firms that pay over 100k. My entire summer class was no-offered (including me). By the grace of god, I landed a Federal District Court clerkship and then a Federacl COA clerkship. At the end of my clerkships I had offers from several v15-30 firms. I consider my outcome a success, but there are plenty of my fellow TT grads that are as smart as me, but jobless. Even some that were in the top 5% had a tough time landing anything at all.

[bbmic45]

Pre-ITE graduates may not be the best predictor of future results.

And not only is the likelihood of success smaller, the costs of failure (unemployed with $160K in debt like many of today's grads vs. unemployed with $30K in student debt like many law school grads in the 80's) is also greater.

I know this alumni of a TTT (NYLS). I know she makes a couple mill a year and has a net worth north of $90 million. Her name is Judy, you may know her. She's a judge. Not sure if she was on law review or anything though.

[20160810]

I know plenty of people who went to horrible law schools who have reasonably successful debtor-side bankruptcy practices. It's high-volume, often unchallenging, unglamorous work, but you'll make a living and you can still tell honeys at the bars that you're an attorney.

[alicrimson]

Man the GC at my small agency, and I've seen two so far, both went to TTT school. One graduated in 2002 from said law school. Making $225-$250k 9-6 and fairly young. Womp. I'm jealous.

If I knew what range of schools you mean when you say TTT, I could try and throw in some input.

[MoonDreamer]

How is that hard to believe? Some guy went from a TTT to a solo job, killed it there, then went to a midlaw firm and killed it there, went to bigger firm and killed it there. Incredibly unlikely, sure... but how is that impossible?

And when someone says, "Keep in mind that although there are hundreds of TTT grads doing well, there are thousands more who are not," how is that "fiction"?

I guess it's possible. I've heard of it happening but never actually seen any proof.

You said that you, personally, were a success story from a TTT, moreover with crap grades. Your posts contradict. What more proof do you need. Check big firms, government, academia or even SCOTUS clerks. There will be outliers, those who did not go to top schools. But, they are just that, outliers.

I don't work at V30.

[MoonDreamer]

I know plenty of people who went to horrible law schools who have reasonably successful debtor-side bankruptcy practices. It's high-volume, often unchallenging, unglamorous work, but you'll make a living and you can still tell honeys at the bars that you're an attorney.

I've never had a girl actually care that I'm a lawyer. Big let down.

[BigEasTTT]

If you go to a TTT law school and can't get biglaw just go to sports/entertainment law!
http://www.forbes.com/sites/darrenheitn ... on-sports/

Please don't ban me admin...I just wanted to share this article.

[MoonDreamer]

If you go to a TTT law school and can't get biglaw just go to sports/entertainment law!
http://www.forbes.com/sites/darrenheitn ... on-sports/

Please don't ban me admin...I just wanted to share this article.

she's hot.

[reasonable_man]

I'm a 2008 TTTT grad. It was a long ugly road, but I really can't complain. I started at a sorta middling mid sized firm. Went to a small firm and developed myself in a niche practice area. A year ago some of us joined a legit mid sized firm (over 100 lawyers), great quality of life and very reasonable money. The problem is that most TTTT success stories you hear are filled with lots of exceptional occurrences that lead to the TTTT candidate's successful outcome.

[MoonDreamer]

I'm a 2008 TTTT grad. It was a long ugly road, but I really can't complain. I started at a sorta middling mid sized firm. Went to a small firm and developed myself in a niche practice area. A year ago some of us joined a legit mid sized firm (over 100 lawyers), great quality of life and very reasonable money. The problem is that most TTTT success stories you hear are filled with lots of exceptional occurrences that lead to the TTTT candidate's successful outcome.

Life is generally an exceptional story except if you're spoiled and get to go through the OCI spoon-feeding phase of life.

[romothesavior]

I'm a 2008 TTTT grad. It was a long ugly road, but I really can't complain. I started at a sorta middling mid sized firm. Went to a small firm and developed myself in a niche practice area. A year ago some of us joined a legit mid sized firm (over 100 lawyers), great quality of life and very reasonable money. The problem is that most TTTT success stories you hear are filled with lots of exceptional occurrences that lead to the TTTT candidate's successful outcome.

Life is generally an exceptional story except if you're spoiled and get to go through the OCI spoon-feeding phase of life.

Ah yes, working hard in college to get good grades, working hard on the LSAT to get a good score to go to a good school, working hard in law school to get good grades, and then networking and hustling and interviewing your ass off to land a job where you will then go work your ass off... such entitlement! Those damn tier 1 kids with their OCI and their big firms, they are so spoiled and spoon-fed.

Enjoy your ambulance chasing.

[MoonDreamer]

I'm a 2008 TTTT grad. It was a long ugly road, but I really can't complain. I started at a sorta middling mid sized firm. Went to a small firm and developed myself in a niche practice area. A year ago some of us joined a legit mid sized firm (over 100 lawyers), great quality of life and very reasonable money. The problem is that most TTTT success stories you hear are filled with lots of exceptional occurrences that lead to the TTTT candidate's successful outcome.

Life is generally an exceptional story except if you're spoiled and get to go through the OCI spoon-feeding phase of life.

Ah yes, working hard in college to get good grades, working hard on the LSAT to get a good score to go to a good school, working hard in law school to get good grades, and then networking and hustling and interviewing your ass off to land a job where you will then go work your ass off... such entitlement! Those damn tier 1 kids with their OCI and their big firms, they are so spoiled.
Enjoy your ambulance chasing.

Good grades. Good LSAT. Average law school grades at certain "top" schools. Based on that, these law grades deserve 160k? Not at all. First of all, none of those factors are very good indicators for quality lawyers. You could go to Harvard law and be a terrible communicator, terrible writer, have social anxiety, and terrible people skills. Second, most people who attend TTTs actually have decent college GPAs. Finally, I don't want to diminish the value of Hugh LSAT scores but that's not enough to account for the discrepancy between t14s and the rest. Oh and law school exam grades are a bullshittting issue spotting typing test so I have little regard for it.

T14 grades are incredibly fortunate that they are good at a 2 hour standardized logic and reading comprehension exam. The system in place is producing unfair results, placing certain individuals at top firms and top pay that they aren't necessarily entitled to. What a messed up system.

[bk1]

Pray tell, who exactly is entitled to a job at a top firm?

[A. Nony Mouse]

T14 grades are incredibly fortunate that they are good at a 2 hour standardized logic and reading comprehension exam. The system in place is producing unfair results, placing certain individuals at top firms and top pay that they aren't necessarily entitled to. What a messed up system.

Thing is, if "fairness" here is about merit or ability to do the job, a T14 grad who's not a good lawyer or not able to learn how to be a good lawyer won't last very long in the job. And if they are able to do the job, then there isn't anything unfair about using their school/grades as a proxy for ability. All the work leading up to the T14 OCI (and it is work - people at the T14 did get better college grades and LSATs than, say, 97% of people at TTTs) just gives someone an opportunity, it doesn't guarantee success. The issue isn't that T14 grads unfairly get jobs they're not able to do, the issue is that there are way more new JDs than there are jobs and so employers have to use something to distinguish between them all, and law school/grades (with UGPA and LSAT underlying that) are an easy way to do that. People need to know this going into law school so they understand the system they're dealing with, and if you have a problem with it, maybe law isn't the best path.

(Not defending the system because I went to a T14/got handed the $160K job, because I sure didn't. It just seems to me this is a dumb thing to waste energy worrying about. Besides, didn't you say you ended up at a good firm after all?)

[MoonDreamer]

I start feeling this way when I hear friends at these top firms complain about being underpaid at biglaw because salaries have been "stagnant" for years.

Also, once ur in and don't screw up hard, they're not going to fire you. That doesn't mean they're excelling.

Who is entitled? Hard to tell but doesn't mean they are entitled. I don't want to say law practice quality is completely subjective but it's hard to quantify how one lawyer is better than another. All we know is starting out one group of lawyers are making over twice as much as another. I do not feel they are necessarily more capable or more capable that justifies 160k. It's crap. It's fine that they were able to do it but I don't want to hear from them how they are worth that or that they are actually any better.