Top Law Schools

Hey guys,

I am used to reading T14 (or T10/T3) or bust in this forum, but how does one explain employment data shown by schools?

For instance, USD (Tier 2, ranked 61 I think) = http://www.sandiego.edu/law/careers/stu ... t_data.php

shows that about 17% of the graduating class of 2008 is making over $100,000. About 10% is in firms of 500+ attorneys making $160k.

Is there something the schoold does to cushion these numbers?

I don't think there is anything strange about this. Top 10% of the class at a lot of schools will get you a quality job. The problem is, top 10% of the class is fairly difficult to attain.

A) That data is pre-ITE.
B) Good luck getting in the top 10%.

azbio wrote:I don't think there is anything strange about this. Top 10% of the class at a lot of schools will get you a quality job. The problem is, top 10% of the class is fairly difficult to attain.

Reading comprehension fail. Just because 10% are in huge firms making $160K does not mean that those are the top 10% of the class. In fact, I can guarantee you that at least half of those people are doing clerkships, non-profit work, working at for the govt., etc. This isn't really the central issue in OP's post, but wanted to clear up any potential misconceptions readers could have as a result of reading azbio's post.

annapavlova wrote:

azbio wrote:I don't think there is anything strange about this. Top 10% of the class at a lot of schools will get you a quality job. The problem is, top 10% of the class is fairly difficult to attain.

Reading comprehension fail. Just because 10% are in huge firms making $160K does not mean that those are the top 10% of the class. In fact, I can guarantee you that at least half of those people are doing clerkships, non-profit work, working at for the govt., etc. This isn't really the central issue in OP's post, but wanted to clear up any potential misconceptions readers could have as a result of reading azbio's post.

Ouch. I actually typically do well on RC.

I would be willing to bet that the 10% making 160K, and the top 10% of the class are many of the same students. Surely its possible to make money, even if you're not in the top 10%. The point I was trying to make, is that 10% of the class making big money isn't very significant. A lot of schools do that. One good reason to shoot for T14 is that a much larger percentage of the class will find jobs making big money.

annapavlova wrote:

azbio wrote:I don't think there is anything strange about this. Top 10% of the class at a lot of schools will get you a quality job. The problem is, top 10% of the class is fairly difficult to attain.

Reading comprehension fail. Just because 10% are in huge firms making $160K does not mean that those are the top 10% of the class. In fact, I can guarantee you that at least half of those people are doing clerkships, non-profit work, working at for the govt., etc. This isn't really the central issue in OP's post, but wanted to clear up any potential misconceptions readers could have as a result of reading azbio's post.

yeah prob an extra 1% maybe more depending on how well they place clerkz

see what people's career goals are on day 1 of law school and year 2, day 1. shit happens (you keep getting loan bills you don't have to pay but you see dat interest pilin' up)

.

What do you think that 10% # will be for c/o 2011?
I say 3% max, if I were to be optimistic.
Maybe 4% for c/o 2012.

But, you also need to count the people who transfer out and THEN get a biglaw job through newschool's OCI.
So, I think old % is something more like 20%, and new % will be ~5%.

Do not bank on that 5%.

I would just throw in that USD is the best school in San Diego. I don't know if grads from other top California universities or elsewhere would want to give up more lucrative or prestigious positions in LA, San Jose, or San Francisco (or opportunities for them) and move to San Diego.

Many T2-T4 schools place the 10% of their class decently in their markets if there are no other higher ranked law schools to compete with.

No comments about the statistics that are new.

Unadilla Kayaker wrote:I would just throw in that USD is the best school in San Diego. I don't know if grads from other top California universities or elsewhere would want to give up more lucrative or prestigious positions in LA, San Jose, or San Francisco (or opportunities for them) and move to San Diego.

Many T2-T4 schools place the 10% of their class decently in their markets if there are no other higher ranked law schools to compete with.

No comments about the statistics that are new.

Ya this is what I was thinking,

I guess it is based a bit on luck if the new batch of grads of the T20 wanted to work in SD.