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So, I transferred to T20, and have a interview next Wednesday, and the interviewer went to my previous law school. Guaranteed I'll get the ''why transfer'' question.

Do I just say better employment statistics? I mean, thats why I transferred...

Kinda of like thin-ice here. Don't want to offend him. My previous school was T4, now I'm at T20.

Help?

Edit: Really only transferred b/c the school is well-known / prestigious and I always wanted to have something like that as a credential. And employment stats.

I also made a similar transfer and had two interviews with attorneys from my old school. I would recommending looking to see how long ago they graduated.

For me, one graduated 20+ years ago and the other graduated around 5 years ago. The one who graduated 20+ years ago seem more attached to the school and actually asked me why I transferred. The recent grad seemed to understand why I would want to transfer, so he asked me how the transferring process was and how I was liking the new school.

While I also transferred for prestige/employment, I came up with a reason that fit in with my "story" for why I wanted to transfer. I first tied in the reason to the type of law that I want to practice, and then talked about an activity that I'm doing or planning or doing at the school to support that interest and just tried to move the conversation along.

this is a simple finesse answer:

Law school is 3 years, but they are a significant three years. In law school you lay the foundation for what will soon become your occupation, which is something that will partially define you for the rest of your life. I transferred because I saw the opportunity, for my remaining 2 years of law school, to learn from the highly accomplished professors at (new school), to learn amongst the highly qualified students that attend (new school), and to take advantage of (insert something new school is known for) during these formative years.

Anonymous User wrote:this is a simple finesse answer:

Law school is 3 years, but they are a significant three years. In law school you lay the foundation for what will soon become your occupation, which is something that will partially define you for the rest of your life. I transferred because I saw the opportunity, for my remaining 2 years of law school, to learn from the highly accomplished professors at (new school), to learn amongst the highly qualified students that attend (new school), and to take advantage of (insert something new school is known for) during these formative years.

Wouldn't this come across to an alum of the old school as saying the old school has crappy professors and stupid students?

A. Nony Mouse wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:this is a simple finesse answer:

Law school is 3 years, but they are a significant three years. In law school you lay the foundation for what will soon become your occupation, which is something that will partially define you for the rest of your life. I transferred because I saw the opportunity, for my remaining 2 years of law school, to learn from the highly accomplished professors at (new school), to learn amongst the highly qualified students that attend (new school), and to take advantage of (insert something new school is known for) during these formative years.

Wouldn't this come across to an alum of the old school as saying the old school has crappy professors and stupid students?

the partner knows why you switched - for a better chance at making a huge salary upon graduation. they just want you to justify it.

if the partner gets offended that you switched to a better school to put yourself in a better position, that's probably not someone you want to work for. just imagine how little that person values your time.

I came across this scenario a few times. I basically said I was interested in practice area X and that the new school offered far more course in X topic area than my old school did. True and accurate and side-steps the whole prestige thing.

Anonymous User wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:this is a simple finesse answer:

Law school is 3 years, but they are a significant three years. In law school you lay the foundation for what will soon become your occupation, which is something that will partially define you for the rest of your life. I transferred because I saw the opportunity, for my remaining 2 years of law school, to learn from the highly accomplished professors at (new school), to learn amongst the highly qualified students that attend (new school), and to take advantage of (insert something new school is known for) during these formative years.

Wouldn't this come across to an alum of the old school as saying the old school has crappy professors and stupid students?

the partner knows why you switched - for a better chance at making a huge salary upon graduation. they just want you to justify it.

if the partner gets offended that you switched to a better school to put yourself in a better position, that's probably not someone you want to work for. just imagine how little that person values your time.

I don't think it's so much that the partner is going to be offended as that they're looking to see you be diplomatic about it. I feel like employment prospects and something the new school is known for are a safer answer (especially what DCESQ said), but that's just me.

(That said, I also tend to agree with the person above who drew a distinction between the recent alum and longer-ago alum.)

DCESQ wrote:I came across this scenario a few times. I basically said I was interested in practice area X and that the new school offered far more course in X topic area than my old school did. True and accurate and side-steps the whole prestige thing.

This may be obvious OP but if you go this route make sure it's a practice the firm has...

OP here. Im going into a really general area of law... So I can't really use that. Would it be good to say something like ''I thought it was a great opportunity to push myself for my last two years of law school, and I realize it is a difficult market so employment statistics were a large factor for me"

something along the lines of transferring being an insurance policy, to give me a better shot at getting a job in my intended area?

Are the two schools in different states? You can always bs and say you had to take care of a family member and stay closer to home. Say you came back because you want to practice in the area where you are interviewing.

Genius wrote:Are the two schools in different states? You can always bs and say you had to take care of a family member and stay closer to home. Say you came back because you want to practice in the area where you are interviewing.

Don't lie. Different location is a super easy spin to begin with no reason to complicate it

That was me accidental anon

Say positive stuff about the new school and don't neg on the old one.

star fox wrote:Say positive stuff about the new school and don't neg on the old one.

Yes so much this. "I really loved my school and it pains me that I could not take classes with my friends anymore. But it was really purely a difficult business decision/family decision..."

Anonymous User wrote:OP here. Im going into a really general area of law... So I can't really use that. Would it be good to say something like ''I thought it was a great opportunity to push myself for my last two years of law school, and I realize it is a difficult market so employment statistics were a large factor for me"

something along the lines of transferring being an insurance policy, to give me a better shot at getting a job in my intended area?

Don't say you transferred because you wanted "to push yourself." I think it's fine to say you transferred because you thought it would improve your employment prospects. If you give that answer, though, there's a chance you'll get this follow-up question. "Sure, overall employment statistics are better at the T20. But you were at the top of the class at the T4. What makes you think that someone with your rank at the T4 was better off after transferring?"

By the way, I doubt he is going to ask you why you transferred. But if he cares enough to ask about it, you may get some follow-up questions that aren't easy to answer.

rpupkin wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:OP here. Im going into a really general area of law... So I can't really use that. Would it be good to say something like ''I thought it was a great opportunity to push myself for my last two years of law school, and I realize it is a difficult market so employment statistics were a large factor for me"

something along the lines of transferring being an insurance policy, to give me a better shot at getting a job in my intended area?

Don't say you transferred because you wanted "to push yourself." I think it's fine to say you transferred because you thought it would improve your employment prospects. If you give that answer, though, there's a chance you'll get this follow-up question. "Sure, overall employment statistics are better at the T20. But you were at the top of the class at the T4. What makes you think that someone with your rank at the T4 was better off after transferring?"

By the way, I doubt he is going to ask you why you transferred. But if he cares enough to ask about it, you may get some follow-up questions that aren't easy to answer.

I interviewed with 5+ people who were from my pre-transfer school. Don't BS them. They know why you transferred. They're not going to be offended, and most of the interviewers said it was a smart move.

I disagree with pupkin. They are definitely going to ask why you transferred, and I doubt they will say something about being at the top of a T4. I was at a TT, but no one ever mentioned anything like his.

Best advice is to just keep it short and honest and say you thought you might get a better job out of your new school etc.

Does this firm hold OCI at your old school? How many people got offers there vs. at your new school? Did your old school's career services put you in touch w alum like the one who's going to interview you before you decided to transfer?

Shit like that would make for compelling facts to back up your "better employment odds" response - and show that you actually did put in thought and it's not just naked prestige-whoring.