Top Law Schools

This seems like a class that you need no matter the area of law. How damning would it be to get a poor grade (~C+) in this class relative to others?

Not any better or worse than any other class, really.

Based on what I know, this is the order in which things matter:

Overall GPA >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Individual Class GPA

Maybe if you were taking a class that had some very direct bearing on your employment (bombing Criminal Investigation would possibly not look good to a DA or PD) but Civ Pro is just a foundational 1L class. If anything, if they ask you can just say "It was my first semester, if you look at my other grades I've improved since then" and they'll probably go "OK".

If you want to do litigation, firms may be skeptical. Just like a DA's office might laugh your resume into the trashcan if you got a C in criminal law.

Llewellyn wrote:If you want to do litigation, firms may be skeptical. Just like a DA's office might laugh your resume into the trashcan if you got a C in criminal law.

Yes, this is more along the lines of what I am fearing. I just took this course Spring semester and don't know how well I did but it seems like it is more important to do well in this course than say, torts. I guess I will have to see how it ends up. Just wanted to know if anyone knew whether or not their performance in CP seemed to be a factor in the employment prospects.

I wouldn't worry about one class-just focus on your overall class rank. Employers are more worried about the name of the school on your resume than the grade you got in civ pro.

hithere wrote:I wouldn't worry about one class-just focus on your overall class rank. Employers are more worried about the name of the school on your resume than the grade you got in civ pro.

Well....but this one grade will affect their overall class rank.

Pearalegal wrote:

hithere wrote:I wouldn't worry about one class-just focus on your overall class rank. Employers are more worried about the name of the school on your resume than the grade you got in civ pro.

Well....but this one grade will affect their overall class rank.

Perceptive. Considered law school? We could use a few good minds like yours.

Overall gpa is all that matters. IMO LRW is the only 1L class where a very poor grade will hurt you regardless of overall rank.

vanwinkle wrote:Overall GPA >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Individual Class GPA

Hoping that this is true...

no reason in particular

disco_barred wrote:

Pearalegal wrote:

hithere wrote:I wouldn't worry about one class-just focus on your overall class rank. Employers are more worried about the name of the school on your resume than the grade you got in civ pro.

Well....but this one grade will affect their overall class rank.

Perceptive. Considered law school? We could use a few good minds like yours.

Haha, I was just saying that it was obvious OP was already worrying about his/her overall class rank by asking this question.

hombredulce wrote:Overall gpa is all that matters. IMO LRW is the only 1L class where a very poor grade will hurt you regardless of overall rank.

what is a poor LRW grade? B-?

Sheeeeet, my first (sort of practice) LRW memo was like freakin' median and I am at the top of my section. Needless to say I crapped myself. I worked pretty freakin' hard and am probs. one of the top 2 grades in the class now. Moral of the story? I dunno.

Anonymous User wrote:

hombredulce wrote:Overall gpa is all that matters. IMO LRW is the only 1L class where a very poor grade will hurt you regardless of overall rank.

what is a poor LRW grade? B-?

I think that depends largely on your schools curve. If your school curves to a B- I'd wager B- is pretty average. If it curves to B+, B- is pretty bad.

Anonymous User wrote:This seems like a class that you need no matter the area of law. How damning would it be to get a poor grade (~C+) in this class relative to others?

I don't really know the answer to this question but I just wanted to remark I find this funny, because after I took civpro I basically resolved never to use what I'd learned ever again in my life (I probably want to do transactional).

even a low LRW grade won't sink you if you do well in the rest. The name of the game is overall GPA. Employers realize how tight and crazy curves can B, and they also know that every class you take is legal writing. Some are just 'legal writing about contracts' while others are 'legal writing about inane bluebook rules'

.

toaster2 wrote:

disco_barred wrote:...every class you take is legal writing. Some are just 'legal writing about contracts' while others are 'legal writing about inane bluebook rules'

0L?

Did you just call me a 0L?

*rolls up sleeves*

Civil Procedure is much easier in a real law firm practice than it is in law school. Plus you will generate a lot of billable hours by confusing the issue.

toaster2 wrote:

disco_barred wrote:...every class you take is legal writing. Some are just 'legal writing about contracts' while others are 'legal writing about inane bluebook rules'

0L?

OH NO YOU D'INT! I bet disco is rolling up his sleeves right about now.

Anonymous User wrote:

hombredulce wrote:Overall gpa is all that matters. IMO LRW is the only 1L class where a very poor grade will hurt you regardless of overall rank.

what is a poor LRW grade? B-?

below median is a poor lrw grade.

While I do agree that every class tests your ability to write, LRW is looked at with a bit more scrutiny than others.

From my own personal experience: I am comfortably ranked amongst the top 30% of students, but had one of the two lowest lrw grades in the section (c-). Pre OCI employers that I had been talking to were happy when they heard my rank, but expressed doubts when they saw/heard the spread of grades and saw I had a far below median lrw grade. There actually ended up being an error with the grading, and I got bumped up to a B. My rank didn't move much, but there was a considerable change in what I was hearing from employers after I informed them that my lrw grade was actually much higher.

.

toaster2 wrote:

disco_barred wrote:

toaster2 wrote:

disco_barred wrote:...every class you take is legal writing. Some are just 'legal writing about contracts' while others are 'legal writing about inane bluebook rules'

0L?

Did you just call me a 0L?

*rolls up sleeves*

i stand corrected! i would argue, however, that LRW bears a much closer resemblance to the type of work junior associates will be doing than the typical in-class law school exam.

And I'd agree! But LRW is forced, artificial, and usually on a bizarre curve. Good grades in other classes won't happen unless you're a good writer. A bad LRW might raise eyebrows, but the other good grades are there suggesting strong writing performance.