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Hey All,

Significant ties to CA, went out of state to LS, now I want to return (mostly career options (BigLaw) and family).

Not looking so much for chances of admission, I feel decently confident at getting some T-14 (outside of HYS).

Wondering about my ability to get CA BigLaw from various T-14 schools. I've looked at the ABA reports but it's hard to make any conclusions because of self-selection.

I'm ok with doing NYC/other large market for a bit, but would love the option to lateral to CA as early on as possible.

If I target CA firms, is it doable from pretty much any T-14? How doable? Any ones better than others (obviously Berk)? What about UCLA/USC - even worth it if I get in to T-14s?

Very grateful for any advice, particularly those who have targeted CA biglaw from other schools. Thanks!

Bump

As you appear to be already aware, you would have an obvious advantage, all things equal, for CA biglaw if you go to a CA t-14. That advantage includes some CA firms that may not travel to east coast OCI events, however, most will. So if a firm you're interested in doesn't come to an east coast school's OCI, it's not the end of the world. You would just need to reach out to that firm via mass mail or some other form of networking. Your ties to CA will help you sell yourself to CA firms. If CA is definitely where you want to end up, then I think you'd have an advantage at a CA t-14. That's not to say you wouldn't be able to do so from an east coast school, plenty do (in fact, the vast majority of my firm's CA offices SA class this summer is from east coast schools).

There are plenty of UCLA, USC, etc. folks that get biglaw in CA. It can be harder to obtain than if you would have attended a higher ranked school. Such is life given how much prestige plays a factor in hiring decisions.

If you have to choose between UCLA/USC v. T14:

If i had to compare, I'd say you have about equal or maybe very slightly better chance to get biglaw in CA at T14 then if you were at UCLA/USC but better chance at getting biglaw in general.

Me: targeted CA at a T6. I found out a lot of the summer spots in CA were already filled when I had my callbacks. Though there were spots saved, they were spots that had to be divided by pretty much every other non-CA T14.

If you work in NYC for a bit then lateral, should be easy if you're corporate. Much harder for lit.
Getting CA while out of state, if you strike out at OCI is very difficult.
You also have to be more proactive. CA firms may not post on your school's website or come to your school for certain events.


Otherwise, unless you're choosing UC Berk v. HYS, go Berk over any other T14. I don't think the slight biglaw advantage some schools have over Berkeley is worth it.

TLDR: if you're okay with working NYC for a bit in corporate then moving back, go out of state. If you want to do lit or something else, just know it will be harder but more difficult.

I'm good with working in another market for a bit, but would love to lateral to CA asap. Is that a tough move, or pretty common? I would hopefully be doing Tax. Do you think there could be a situation where USC/UCLA would be better than T-14s (assuming cost is equal)?

Thanks!

EDIT: Sorry you answered that last part, nvm.

Assuming no Berkeley or Stanford, what are the best T-14 for targeting CA firms?

What are you grades at your current school, and what tier is your current school?

Top 10%, Tier 1 (30-40)

If you're going to SoCal, UCLA/USC is probably a good bet. While I had no problems getting back to NorCal, ymmv.

You can probably just check the state report for california on law school transparency if you're looking for the schools with the highest placement rate in CA biglaw.