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Who in each law school class gets to study corporate law? Do you have to be in the top third of your class or something? What if someone is taking corporate law courses, but is not doing too well in them? (does that mean they won't be able to find a corporate or law firm job at graduation?)

Anybody can take corporate related classes. In fact, the vast majority of law students take at least corporations.

Because of the large firm hiring schedule (they hire after 1L year), you generally already know if you are large-firm bound by the time you would be taking any classes in that area. Although large firms usually have a "corporate" department (which includes things like mergers and joint ventures), what most laypeople think of as corporate law (i.e. representing large corporations at a large firm) actually covers a range of practices (including litigation, intellectual property, tax, etc.). Therefore, there really isn't a specific body of courses you would need to take.

Because of the large firm hiring schedule (they hire after 1L year), you generally already know if you are large-firm bound by the time you would be taking any classes in that area.

Because the large firms hire after 1L, does that mean that they only look at your first year grades in the mandatory courses that everyone has to take? Does this arrangement hurt part-time students alot? And if you are not large firm bound after 1L, does that mean that no matter how many corporate law classes you take in 2L and 3L, you can't do corp. law anymore?

Thanks

Because the large firms hire after 1L, does that mean that they only look at your first year grades in the mandatory courses that everyone has to take? Does this arrangement hurt part-time students alot? And if you are not large firm bound after 1L, does that mean that no matter how many corporate law classes you take in 2L and 3L, you can't do corp. law anymore?

Yes, they only look at mandatory first year grades. It can hurt or help part time students as they generally have a few more grades before they do recruiting (they do recruiting after their second part-time year).

It's not like you are barred from ever practicing corporate law, but it becomes less likely you will be working at a large firm if your 1L grades aren't up to snuff. Like I said, "corporate law" isn't really a well defined term. I think most laypeople think of corporate law as anything that happens in a large law firm with corporate clients. That encompasses a HUGE variety of practice areas and classes.

of course keep in mind all those cases in corporate law are...well, they're litigation

False. What about a private equity fund formation? Or debt issuance? That sounds alot more like contract work then litigation...

He/she is talking about the corporate cases you read in law school.