Top Law Schools

Which do you think is more important for job prospects: to attend a highly ranked university, or to graduate in the top of your class? It's the age old question of big fish in a small pond or small fish in a big pond.

Top of your class, always.


But its arguably easier to attend a higher ranked institution than to graduate near the top anywhere.

I voted before I looked at the "top of the class" comment. I would say Top of any class opens a lot of doors, but once you fall out of that tippy top 5-10%, then national rank starts to weigh more. I would be interested in what people think are equivalent class ranks for T14, T20, T30.

Acedeuce wrote:I voted before I looked at the "top of the class" comment. I would say Top of any class opens a lot of doors, but once you fall out of that tippy top 5-10%, then national rank starts to weigh more. I would be interested in what people think are equivalent class ranks for T14, T20, T30.

I'd guess top of class at Cornell/GULC ~= to median at HYS. Totally pulling that out of thin air though.

d34dluk3 wrote:

Acedeuce wrote:I voted before I looked at the "top of the class" comment. I would say Top of any class opens a lot of doors, but once you fall out of that tippy top 5-10%, then national rank starts to weigh more. I would be interested in what people think are equivalent class ranks for T14, T20, T30.

I'd guess top of class at Cornell/GULC ~= to median at HYS. Totally pulling that out of thin air though.

Median at HYS doesn't get sullivan & cromwell. top of Cornell/GULC does (and apparently, you can be a gigantic plagiarizer too!)

RisingMichigan3L wrote:

d34dluk3 wrote:

Acedeuce wrote:I voted before I looked at the "top of the class" comment. I would say Top of any class opens a lot of doors, but once you fall out of that tippy top 5-10%, then national rank starts to weigh more. I would be interested in what people think are equivalent class ranks for T14, T20, T30.

I'd guess top of class at Cornell/GULC ~= to median at HYS. Totally pulling that out of thin air though.

Median at HYS doesn't get sullivan & cromwell. top of Cornell/GULC does (and apparently, you can be a gigantic plagiarizer too!)

Gorgeous first post.

RisingMichigan3L wrote:(and apparently, you can be a gigantic plagiarizer too!)

The credited term is "rhetorical synthesizer."

What would you guys imagine the options are for students from strong regional schools in regards to variation in class rank? For instance, top 10% at GW vs. top 20% at GW vs. top 35% at GW?

At what class rank does someone from GW have better or comparable options to a median student at MVP? Tough question to answer, I know, just looking for opinions.

I work at a Vault top 25 (Biglaw) firm. Without exception, all of our partners and associates have graduated with academic distinction (magna cum laude, Order of the Coif...) and held prominent postions on law review. We hire primarily from the top 14 law schools, interviewing only within the top 25% of the class.....and that just gets you "through the front door." In order to get hired, you have to have distinguished yourself academically within the top 25%.....that's when class rank seriously "kicks in." The partners and associates from the top 14 law schools have mutual respect for one another. There are no discussions about USNW No. 9 or No. 12. We have partners from Harvard, Columbia, Penn, Duke, U Chicago, Stanford, Michigan, UVA, Berkeley, Georgetown (to name a few) - all these schools are highly regarded here. We don't distinguish tiers within the top 14 law schools like "top 10" or "lower 14" as on TLS. If you're fortunate to attend a top 14 law school, yes, class rank definitely does matter if you're shooting for a top firm.

Anonymous User wrote:I work at a Vault top 25 (Biglaw) firm. Without exception, all of our partners and associates have graduated with academic distinction (magna cum laude, Order of the Coif...) and held prominent postions on law review. We hire primarily from the top 14 law schools, interviewing only within the top 25% of the class.....and that just gets you "through the front door." In order to get hired, you have to have distinguished yourself academically within the top 25%.....that's when class rank seriously "kicks in." The partners and associates from the top 14 law schools have mutual respect for one another. There are no discussions about USNW No. 9 or No. 12. We have partners from Harvard, Columbia, Penn, Duke, U Chicago, Stanford, Michigan, UVA, Berkeley, Georgetown (to name a few) - all these schools are highly regarded here. We don't distinguish tiers within the top 14 law schools like "top 10" or "lower 14" as on TLS. If you're fortunate to attend a top 14 law school, yes, class rank definitely does matter if you're shooting for a top firm.

Well, how much harder would it be for somone outside of the T14 to be hired by your firm? Specifically from a school like GW, Notre Dame, Emory, etc.

Always Credited wrote:Top of your class, always.

This is not credited.