Top Law Schools

Hey guys, was wondering if you could give me any advice.

I just got my grades back and I will likely be top 10% (I go to a T1 in the 30s). I'm on the cusp of 10% (historically my gpa would likely make it though). I feel confident I can maintain this (I say this because I only took the very end of last semester extremely seriously and managed good grades).

Now, I don't have a scholarship, but I like where I am (although I'm a super content person who generally likes every region of the US). I've never really thought about transferring, but I feel I should at least try for scholarship leverage (I sort of feel dirty doing this if I plan on staying, but money is money).

Say I end up getting a biglaw clerkship this summer, would transferring hurt me at all? is there really a point if I'm not interested in academia/clerkships if I manage biglaw/midlaw?

The biggest thing for me is that I don't have a scholarship. I'm an idiot, my gpa/lsat range on LSN got a bunch of scholarships but I applied late and they told me money ran out and that I could defer if I wanted.

Thanks for any advice you guys can give!

Which school & what are your post law school goals ?

I'm very flexible. In this market my goal is to get a legal job, I understand how little choices we actually have so I try to keep my options open. My magical unicorn dream would to be working with gaming law/poker legislation, but a magic unicorn dream is just that.

As for my specific school, does specifics really matter, its a T1 in the 30's as I've said. Not really trying to say because the subject of transfers is kind of weird (I do have friends I really like here)

WaitlistedSadPanda wrote:I'm very flexible. In this market my goal is to get a legal job, I understand how little choices we actually have so I try to keep my options open. My magical unicorn dream would to be working with gaming law/poker legislation, but a magic unicorn dream is just that.

As for my specific school, does specifics really matter, its a T1 in the 30's as I've said. Not really trying to say because the subject of transfers is kind of weird (I do have friends I really like here)

You need to be more specific. Fordham, Georgia, and Wake Forest are all schools in the 30s that all have drastically different employment prospects for the top 10%.

Transferthrowaway wrote:You need to be more specific. Fordham, Georgia, and Wake Forest are all schools in the 30s that all have drastically different employment prospects for the top 10%.

(school), but could you not quote this. I just feel super douchey talking about transferring. (Also there is a chance i'm like top 12% or something right outside the 10% magical number)

WaitlistedSadPanda wrote:

Transferthrowaway wrote:You need to be more specific. Fordham, Georgia, and Wake Forest are all schools in the 30s that all have drastically different employment prospects for the top 10%.

<School>, but could you not quote this. I just feel super douchey talking about transferring.

Given that, I would transfer. Your school plays third fiddle in an exceedingly small legal market. ED Chicago but you'll probably get deferred, kick ass second semester and apply to HSYCCN.

Yeah, you need to transfer unless they give you a full tuition from here on out.

Transferthrowaway wrote:Given that, I would transfer. Your school plays third fiddle in an exceedingly small legal market. ED Chicago but you'll probably get deferred, kick ass second semester and apply to HSYCCN.

Not to start a battle, but for legal jobs it does not really play third fiddle. More like a tie for second (NLJ wise). Although I was under the assumption top 10% at both is a completely different story where there are more jerbs. Under the scenario where I get a good paid internship this summer, how does that change the situation for you?

AssumptionRequired wrote:Yeah, you need to transfer unless they give you a full tuition from here on out.

Do schools generally do that that for top 10% people not on schollys? I know they give money to people at the top, but full tuition? I guess I'll look through this forum for threads on playing hard ball.

WaitlistedSadPanda wrote:

Transferthrowaway wrote:Given that, I would transfer. Your school plays third fiddle in an exceedingly small legal market. ED Chicago but you'll probably get deferred, kick ass second semester and apply to HSYCCN.

Not to start a battle, but for legal jobs it does not really play third fiddle. More like a tie for second (NLJ wise). Although I was under the assumption top 10% at both is a completely different story where there are more jerbs. Under the scenario where I get a good paid internship this summer, how does that change the situation for you?

I'd still transfer and actually did. I did 1L at a school in the 30s (not yours) last year, was ranked much higher, had a firm gig 1L summer, and still transferred.

W/r/t/ money, my 1L school gave me $1k and that was it to try to get me to stay.

what is w/r/t?

DubPoker wrote:what is w/r/t?

with regard to

What is W/R/T? and they only gave you 1k? That seems insulting.

Interesting though. TLS has led me to believe you need a biglaw internship your first summer to get a biglaw job after law school. Would getting one in this region and then transferring to another have a negative affect on my future prospects. The last thing I want to do is shoot myself in the foot.

If not, I guess I really should do this no matter what.

WaitlistedSadPanda wrote:What is W/R/T? and they only gave you 1k? That seems insulting.

Interesting though. TLS has led me to believe you need a biglaw internship your first summer to get a biglaw job after law school. Would getting one in this region and then transferring to another have a negative affect on my future prospects. The last thing I want to do is shoot myself in the foot.

You need a biglaw internship for your second summer, as they are basically extended interviews to receive an offer to come back after graduation. Very few 1Ls receive 1L summer gigs with firms.

I doubt it'd hurt your future prospects. My 1L firm gave me an offer to come back 2L summer.

Transferthrowaway wrote:I doubt it'd hurt your future prospects. My 1L firm gave me an offer to come back 2L summer.

Well thanks for the all the advice. I guess I need to figure out deadlines and stuff, then pepper the T14 with applications.