Biglaw from UF? Forum

[Anonymous User]

What class rank do you need to be competitive for biglaw from UF? How competitive is it? Do you need to have Law Review to stand a chance?

We had a lot of biglaw firms recruit at EIW, but I don't know if I should expect all screeners to go to the top 20 people in the class.

[Bllblhrs]

As with any school in that ranking range (top 50, outside T14), LR and top grades will be the key to attracting biglaw shops. UF has a strong network and good reputation in Florida. Realistically, top 10% + LR will get lots of interviews. Top 25% with strong networking can get you Florida biglaw. Prestigious ugrad could help get some bites too (but you can’t change that resume line now). If you’re outside top 10% then look to gain strong hands-on work experience with a good regional shop then network to pivot to biglaw after a couple years (HK, GT, etc. all hire plenty of people who start with more regional shops).

Don’t overlook clerking as a means to biglaw either. Though you’ll need top-notch credentials to clerk too. But you could look to clerk for a district court in a less desirable location or after gaining a couple years of work experience then upgrade jobs. Likewise, biglaw in less desirable locations (think Jax) may be less competitive although you’re competing for far fewer slots. It also helps a lot if you have geographic ties, especially in Jax, Tampa, and Orlando, all of which tend to lose good talent to South Florida. UF can set you on a good path in Florida, but you have to put yourself in a position to succeed.

All is not lost if you don’t snag a biglaw job out of law school. Your QOL will likely be better at a regional shop or boutique anyway. Good luck.

[walking-paradox]

As with any school in that ranking range (top 50, outside T14), LR and top grades will be the key to attracting biglaw shops. UF has a strong network and good reputation in Florida. Realistically, top 10% + LR will get lots of interviews. Top 25% with strong networking can get you Florida biglaw. Prestigious ugrad could help get some bites too (but you can’t change that resume line now). If you’re outside top 10% then look to gain strong hands-on work experience with a good regional shop then network to pivot to biglaw after a couple years (HK, GT, etc. all hire plenty of people who start with more regional shops).

Don’t overlook clerking as a means to biglaw either. Though you’ll need top-notch credentials to clerk too. But you could look to clerk for a district court in a less desirable location or after gaining a couple years of work experience then upgrade jobs. Likewise, biglaw in less desirable locations (think Jax) may be less competitive although you’re competing for far fewer slots. It also helps a lot if you have geographic ties, especially in Jax, Tampa, and Orlando, all of which tend to lose good talent to South Florida. UF can set you on a good path in Florida, but you have to put yourself in a position to succeed.

All is not lost if you don’t snag a biglaw job out of law school. Your QOL will likely be better at a regional shop or boutique anyway. Good luck.

If OP doesn't have the grades for biglaw, OP probably wont have the grades for a clerkship. UF had 4 people clerk at the federal level in 2020. The only exception where clerking gives you another shot at biglaw is if you just mess up during interviews but have the grades to land the interviews in the first place.