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Hi all,

I'm going to give as much information as possible here (while still keeping anonymity) so that those interested with experience can best help, so please bear with me. It is the end of the spring semester of 1L at Fordham Law, and with one grade left to be received, I have a 4.04+ GPA. I have received two A+'s this year. I am likely ranked #~1-5 in the 1L class (Fordham does not publish rankings but I believe they do recognize the #1 student/ Top 10% is a ~3.64GPA). I will likely be grading on to Law Review AFAIK, am competing in the Moot Court competition, and am interning for a federal judge this summer. I have made meaningful contacts with professors, and have made initial contacts with some law firms (mostly middle of the top 100 firms). I currently receive approximately half tuition scholarship from Fordham ($~26k/yr).

My desire is the New York market. My goal is Big Law work (which kind is another topic of conversation), partnership or in house after, then possibly federal politics/government/judiciary in later life if that becomes an option (very interested). A post-grad clerkship is a thought right now, but not my #1 priority. I do not have a patent bar undergraduate experience (I was soft science). I won't say much more about undergraduate, because the question is not 'should I apply," but should I transfer assuming I am accepted somewhere.

I am sending applications to Harvard and Columbia, submitting Harvard's today (due 6/15/15). I would appreciate candid advice on the merits of (1) whether or not I should transfer if I indeed get into these schools, (2) whether I should add schools based on the information above, (3) what the difference in my 5 year and 10-20 year out career path would be if I stay at Fordham (on this same trajectory) vs. transferring up (especially the value of the school name on my resume in getting the first job, after the initial job, and later in life for other opportunities, and (4) whatever else seems relevant. I am also curious if Fordham might offer additional scholarship this summer if I hear back positively from schools.

I don't think that it hurts more than the application fee and time to send the applications out, so I am more concerned with the ultimate decision, assuming I am fortunate enough to be accepted wherever I apply. I chose Fordham over Cardozo etc. because I felt I didn't have to transfer up if I did well to get a good job, but now I would really appreciate all the advice that is out there.

Thank you all in advance,

FLS 1L.

Congrats on all of your first year success.

I'd say based on what you've written, you're pretty well-positioned at Fordham to accomplish what you want to accomplish. The top of the Fordham class goes to biglaw for days, and assuming you don't completely bomb the interviews, I predict you'll get enough V10 offers to have a meaningful choice. Fordham may be the bronze medalist in NYC, but its top performers do quite well. Additionally, a half tuition scholarship is nice, and if you get accepted somewhere you'd go, there's a fair probability you'll get more money. In fact, I'd consider adding a couple schools to your transfer app list if for nothing more than increasing your odds of leveraging more scholarship $.

In your shoes I'd only consider the T3, and only then if you - like - really, really, REALLY want to do an appellate A3 clerkship, are gunning for academia, and/or ultimately won't be happy with your career unless you become a federal judge. Unless your motivations are really personal (read: "gotta cop dat prestige, brah") your decision should be pretty easy. If you think you're close to #1 at FLS I'd toss an app to Y and S (along with your H) just to see what happens, but, those are the only three for which I would leave Fordham, in your position and with your goals.

Once you get the job you want, where you went to school won't matter much. You'll be judged on the work you do in practice, and your slim shot at partnership will be based on the clients/money you bring into the firm. Same goes for in-house opportunities, as clients want attorneys that do/did good work for them - no one will balk at law review/Order of the Coif from Fordham. It may not have the same swag as the T6, but, it'll get you where you're describing you want to go, and at a far lower price than what you'll be paying if you transfer.

I've made this point before, but if he wants to clerk on the Second Circuit, he's probably better off staying at Fordham and being among the top 5 people than transferring to H or Y (given your regional preferences, S would kind of be silly). I'd imagine there's at least a couple of professors at Fordham that are willing to make calls for a superstar and have some connections to judges. But at H, he would just get in line behind all the top people from 1L. I don't see how transferring would actually help get a circuit clerkship. But if your goal is to get into politics, maybe H would help for that.

Top 1% & law review at Fordham is a great place to be for one seeking NYC biglaw. Apply to Harvard & Yale since you want to stay in the Northeast US & both offer need based financial aid. Yale is well known for placing its graduates in federal judicial clerkships. Harvard is probably the most valuable & prestigious degree in the world.

The real issue is, in my opinion, whether transferring to Columbia would help you achieve your career goals.

ndirish2010 wrote:I've made this point before, but if he wants to clerk on the Second Circuit, he's probably better off staying at Fordham and being among the top 5 people than transferring to H or Y (given your regional preferences, S would kind of be silly). I'd imagine there's at least a couple of professors at Fordham that are willing to make calls for a superstar and have some connections to judges. But at H, he would just get in line behind all the top people from 1L. I don't see how transferring would actually help get a circuit clerkship. But if your goal is to get into politics, maybe H would help for that.

I actually agree with this insofar as to S/EDNY or 2d Cir, assuming that's where he/she wants to be. Not so sure I buy into the analysis vis-a-vis the rest of the circuits - I'd rather compete with HY 1Ls (which OP will be competing with anyway), from HY than from Fordham. I agree S would make no sense if you're NY/Northeast, 100% no exceptions.

That said, I think the endpoint is the same given OP's preferences (non-academia, biglaw NYC) - I'd probably save the money, stay in the region you want to be anyway, and be a rockstar at Fordham.

SiRR wrote:

ndirish2010 wrote:I've made this point before, but if he wants to clerk on the Second Circuit, he's probably better off staying at Fordham and being among the top 5 people than transferring to H or Y (given your regional preferences, S would kind of be silly). I'd imagine there's at least a couple of professors at Fordham that are willing to make calls for a superstar and have some connections to judges. But at H, he would just get in line behind all the top people from 1L. I don't see how transferring would actually help get a circuit clerkship. But if your goal is to get into politics, maybe H would help for that.

I actually agree with this insofar as to S/EDNY or 2d Cir, assuming that's where he/she wants to be. Not so sure I buy into the analysis vis-a-vis the rest of the circuits - I'd rather compete with HY 1Ls (which OP will be competing with anyway), from HY than from Fordham. I agree S would make no sense if you're NY/Northeast, 100% no exceptions.

That said, I think the endpoint is the same given OP's preferences (non-academia, biglaw NYC) - I'd probably save the money, stay in the region you want to be anyway, and be a rockstar at Fordham.

You might be right, since in the other circuits they may not take an application from Fordham as seriously as one from HY.

Not OP, but in a very similar position at Fordham (over 4.0 GPA). My question is: does anyone know for a fact whether Fordham gives money to top students to entice them to stay?

I can't seem to find a definitive answer to this.

Op here. Thanks for the advice, everyone. I was accepted at HLS yesterday. Will not consider other schools. Not sure what to do. I've made some good connections with professors, etc at Fordham. OCI coming soon. What's in a name?

FLS wrote:Op here. Thanks for the advice, everyone. I was accepted at HLS yesterday. Will not consider other schools. Not sure what to do. I've made some good connections with professors, etc at Fordham. OCI coming soon. What's in a name?

Most people never get the chance to consider going to Harvard so that may be a reason in and of itself to go. (I.E. Once in a lifetime opportunity) Can't speak to the Clerkship conversations had above.