Top Law Schools

I'm a 1L at a T2 school, finished in the top 1/3 of my class, applied to 50+ jobs already, but only heard back from one firm and one public interest. I plan on sending out about 100 more apps to firms/clerkships/etc., but am I already too late on this?

T2 in the south, so the timeframe is a little delayed here.

2L/3L/Associate advice/insight appreciated. Thanks.

Disclaimer: Fellow 1L, T2.

EDIT: I misread your post... Thought you ONLY applied to firms and clerkships.

Have you tried applying for RA positions at your school with a professor you like (who whose research area interests you)? Any family/friend networking left to be done?

EDIT + SIDE NOTE:
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=142313

This thread may be useful for you.

Have you been seeking only paying positions, or also considering unpaid internships?

Which T2?

What is your local market like (size-wise)? 100 more is good, but play the numbers and don't just limit yourself to that number... Ya know

assuming u mean intern/externships not clerkships - this is prolly ur best bet, but even on this option, timing is late. just hurry the fuck up (no offense, but u need some sense of urgency here) and get everything mailed out before this friday. helps to set goals like: mail out 20 letters wed, 20 thurs, 20 fri. hth.

dude... you are a 1L. Stop worrying about jobs and worry about your grades. You need to be in the top 20% to have a chance of getting a job as a 2L. The only exception is if you can do patent law

You will not get a paid internship this summer with your grades and LS. Only hope is to do the diversity clerkship stuff if you are a minority.

Study hard, there will be plenty of time in the summer to look for jobs.

Eh, top 1/3 at a T2 really is nothing special. When people on here say you need to be in the top 5 or 6 people (not percentages) or so people in your class at a T2, they are not joking.

MrAnon wrote:When people on here say you need to be in the top 5 or 6 people (not percentages) or so people in your class at a T2, they are not joking.

True 25 years ago when I was top 1/3 at a T2 school. Near as I can tell, still true. Except that it's more like numbers 1,2, and 3 in your class around here if you want a shot at the New Mexico version of Big Law, such as it is, or any sort of federal appointment like AUSA or the federal PD or a judicial clerkship.

It comes as a bit of a shock, too, to all those lower ranked students who've wrecked every curve before law school.

Fact is, if you're at a T2 and in the lower half of your class at the end of your 1L year, you should SERIOUSLY consider cutting your losses and dropping out unless you dream of a small town general practice, probably solo.

OP here--I have been applying to pretty much everything (firms, government, public interest). I would say that most of the things I have applied to are unpaid, but some of the firms with 1L SA positions are paid. My local market is small, but I have been applying to some of the larger markets although I'm sure it's not easy to get to Dallas/Atlanta/Charlotte from my school.

How important is the class rank itself? I ask because ours come out later this month, which means I can wait for my official rank to come out or I can send out stuff now and update with rank later--which would be more beneficial?

I've done some networking, but I went to undergrad in a different market, which makes things difficult (can't exactly drop in for an interview, if I were even lucky enough to get one). However, I have blanketed my undergrad market with applications/cover letters/resumes.

As far as the whole not worrying aspect, I am aware that it's very difficult to get stuff as a 1L, but I'm still going to try to get some kind of legal experience. I know that the odds are stacked against me because my school isn't as prestigious as others, and grades are a huge concern--trying to crack top 10% this semester to be somewhere in the top 20% after 1L year. Thanks to everyone for the advice, more feedback is always helpful.

How important is class rank? I can't speak to any market other than the one I'm in but here is my observation. As I said above, coming from a T2 class rank is more important than everything else over which you have any control. Combined. The trouble is, a class rank below the top few is about as important, in a negative way, as a high class rank is important in a positive way.

After your first year, it is exceedingly difficult to claw your way up very far. It is also not very easy to drop very far so there's some comfort, I guess. Anyway, top third at a T2 doesn't make you unemployable as a lawyer. It just means that the really well-paid gigs right out of school won't be going to you and that your career will probably not place you among the wealthy and powerful.

Rather, you will get the "second string" work; small to mid sized firms doing things like insurance defense or a career in state government. That's where I spent my life and on the whole I've been pretty happy with it.

But I came out of law school owing $15,000. My attitude might have been quite different if I owed $115,000.

Be grateful! From what I've been seeing around here, folks in the lower half of T2 schools don't get even a decent shot at the second string work. You are better off than a considerable majority of law students. Unless, of course, you will end up owing that hundred thou.

Oh, one other thing...I've hired several new lawyers into state service over the last decade or so. I blush to admit that class rank is the first thing I look for, even before the rank of the school. I should know better but there it is. Anyway, I'm not alone in this.