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Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on whether having a demonstrated interest in public interest work might actually hurt you when applying to transfer? There seems to be some thought that one big incentive for accepting transfers is to boost that post-graduation median salary number, and if it looks like you'll be anchoring the number instead of boosting it by taking a legal-aid type job after graduating, I wonder if they'd be less inclined to take you?

Thanks.

sorry to revive this, folks. Any thoughts?

sillyboots wrote:Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on whether having a demonstrated interest in public interest work might actually hurt you when applying to transfer? There seems to be some thought that one big incentive for accepting transfers is to boost that post-graduation median salary number, and if it looks like you'll be anchoring the number instead of boosting it by taking a legal-aid type job after graduating, I wonder if they'd be less inclined to take you?

Thanks.

No, it won't hurt you. Transferring to gain access to more prestigious gov/PI opportunities is just as legitimate as transferring to gain access to more/better firms. Also, to the extent that Adcomms are thinking about their stats, they are most likely concerned with employed at graduation numbers (not median salary).

concurrent fork wrote:

sillyboots wrote:Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on whether having a demonstrated interest in public interest work might actually hurt you when applying to transfer? There seems to be some thought that one big incentive for accepting transfers is to boost that post-graduation median salary number, and if it looks like you'll be anchoring the number instead of boosting it by taking a legal-aid type job after graduating, I wonder if they'd be less inclined to take you?

Thanks.

No, it won't hurt you. Transferring to gain access to more prestigious gov/PI opportunities is just as legitimate as transferring to gain access to more/better firms. Also, to the extent that Adcomms are thinking about their stats, they are most likely concerned with employed at graduation numbers (not median salary).

Yeah this was my first thought. However, even if the focus is on employment at graduation, couldn't the fact that a student is aiming at gov/PI jeopardize that number as well since most 2L summer jobs outside of biglaw don't provide for post-grad employment (assuming someone wanting gov/PI would do gov/PI for 2L summer)? I can't imagine adcomms would reject someone who wants to do gov/PI just for this reason though. Interesting question.

quiver wrote:

concurrent fork wrote:

sillyboots wrote:Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on whether having a demonstrated interest in public interest work might actually hurt you when applying to transfer? There seems to be some thought that one big incentive for accepting transfers is to boost that post-graduation median salary number, and if it looks like you'll be anchoring the number instead of boosting it by taking a legal-aid type job after graduating, I wonder if they'd be less inclined to take you?

Thanks.

No, it won't hurt you. Transferring to gain access to more prestigious gov/PI opportunities is just as legitimate as transferring to gain access to more/better firms. Also, to the extent that Adcomms are thinking about their stats, they are most likely concerned with employed at graduation numbers (not median salary).

Yeah this was my first thought. However, even if the focus is on employment at graduation, couldn't the fact that a student is aiming at gov/PI jeopardize that number as well since most 2L summer jobs outside of biglaw don't provide for post-grad employment (assuming someone wanting gov/PI would do gov/PI for 2L summer)? I can't imagine adcomms would reject someone who wants to do gov/PI just for this reason though. Interesting question.

Frankly, I don't think they have a good way to distinguish between these types of applicants anyway. Even if they want biglaw, most transfers have gov/PI on their resume from 1L summer (1L SAs being so rare), and many people who worked PI-type jobs before law school ultimately end up in firms. Hell, my resume makes me look like I want to save the world, but after graduation I just want to take people's money.

concurrent fork wrote:

quiver wrote:

concurrent fork wrote:

sillyboots wrote:Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on whether having a demonstrated interest in public interest work might actually hurt you when applying to transfer? There seems to be some thought that one big incentive for accepting transfers is to boost that post-graduation median salary number, and if it looks like you'll be anchoring the number instead of boosting it by taking a legal-aid type job after graduating, I wonder if they'd be less inclined to take you?

Thanks.

No, it won't hurt you. Transferring to gain access to more prestigious gov/PI opportunities is just as legitimate as transferring to gain access to more/better firms. Also, to the extent that Adcomms are thinking about their stats, they are most likely concerned with employed at graduation numbers (not median salary).

Yeah this was my first thought. However, even if the focus is on employment at graduation, couldn't the fact that a student is aiming at gov/PI jeopardize that number as well since most 2L summer jobs outside of biglaw don't provide for post-grad employment (assuming someone wanting gov/PI would do gov/PI for 2L summer)? I can't imagine adcomms would reject someone who wants to do gov/PI just for this reason though. Interesting question.

Frankly, I don't think they have a good way to distinguish between these types of applicants anyway. Even if they want biglaw, most transfers have gov/PI on their resume from 1L summer (1L SAs being so rare), and many people who worked PI-type jobs before law school ultimately end up in firms. Hell, my resume makes me look like I want to save the world, but after graduation I just want to take people's money.

Ha yeah good point. It would have to be from the personal statement I think. If that's true, even assuming gov/PI is a negative to adcomms (which it may not be) it would still be a very small part of the calculus since almost all of transfer admissions is 1L GPA and school. I really can't believe an adcomm would ding someone with otherwise stellar stats just because they say in their PS that they want gov/PI.

Thanks for the input, guys. I think you're right, it shouldn't make a big difference. Thanks again for the opinions

concurrent fork wrote:

sillyboots wrote:Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on whether having a demonstrated interest in public interest work might actually hurt you when applying to transfer? There seems to be some thought that one big incentive for accepting transfers is to boost that post-graduation median salary number, and if it looks like you'll be anchoring the number instead of boosting it by taking a legal-aid type job after graduating, I wonder if they'd be less inclined to take you?

Thanks.

No, it won't hurt you. Transferring to gain access to more prestigious gov/PI opportunities is just as legitimate as transferring to gain access to more/better firms. Also, to the extent that Adcomms are thinking about their stats, they are most likely concerned with employed at graduation numbers (not median salary).

+1. There are a couple of Michigan transfers that did so precisely for the prestigious PI/gov't opportunities.