Michigan 1Ls/2Ls/3Ls taking questions Forum

[washingtonian]

thanks so much for answering my question! care to weigh in on how OCI went, or how the 1L summer job search went?

[verdandi]

I can't comment much on OCI, since I haven't done it yet, but my discussions with 2Ls suggest that it was pretty rough. Many got call backs but few got offers. At least that was my impression... However, it's bad all over, and I definitely did not get any indication that Michigan's OCI was somehow worse than peer schools. It's just tough out there.

I got my job early in the cycle (early Feb) after putting most of my apps in by January 5th. Everyone I know got a job eventually, although more than usual were unpaid and most didn't get their #1 choice. I only know one person who is working for a firm in the US, while I do have several friends working in firms in their home countries overseas. So all things considered I think we did pretty well, but again, my friends might not be representative.

[Alexandria]

So, they gave me my Fall section awhile since I have to report it to VA and wait for them to process. Any current students have feedback on the following professors?

Contracts - James White
Crim - Kimberly Thomas
Con - Richard Primus
Legal Practice I/Legal skills - Timothy Pinto

I had White and Primus. Primus = my favorite prof in all three years. Brilliant guy, and a great teacher. It's an intense class. JJ White = legend. Also an intense class, but in a different way. Maybe not *as* good a teacher, but he scares you into learning anyway. I think Thomas is supposed to be good... I think she does clinical stuff and has real experience, which is always nice in a crim teacher.

[cutiewiddlebebe]

I noticed that Ann Arbor has both an American Apparel and an Urban Outfitters, which is odd for such a small town. Is AA hipster?

[JRMjr]

I noticed that Ann Arbor has both an American Apparel and an Urban Outfitters, which is odd for such a small town. Is AA hipster?

YES. Very hipster but there is the preppy crowd too. It is a very crunchy type of small town (think asheville, NC or a smaller town greenwich village feel)

[vertigo959]

It definitely has that image among MI residents.

[betsyanna]

So, they gave me my Fall section awhile since I have to report it to VA and wait for them to process. Any current students have feedback on the following professors?

Contracts - James White
Crim - Kimberly Thomas
Con - Richard Primus
Legal Practice I/Legal skills - Timothy Pinto

I had White and Primus. Primus = my favorite prof in all three years. Brilliant guy, and a great teacher. It's an intense class. JJ White = legend. Also an intense class, but in a different way. Maybe not *as* good a teacher, but he scares you into learning anyway. I think Thomas is supposed to be good... I think she does clinical stuff and has real experience, which is always nice in a crim teacher.

I had Kim Thomas for clinic, and she was amazing in that setting. I've heard more mediocre reviews about her crim class, but she's a wonderful person and kind of a badass attorney. I have a slightly different take on JJ and Primus than Alexandria: I adore JJ. Hands down best teacher of law school. I've never worked so hard in my life--and I had no interest in contract law coming in as a 1L. He's also an amazing mentor and he helped get me a clerkship after graduation. The guy's seriously connected, especially if you want to clerk in the 6th circuit region.

Primus: everybody says he's great, but I honestly didn't learn much con law. It never solidified for me. (I'm studying for the bar right now and am basically learning it all from scratch because I didn't understand it the first time.) I think part of my problem was that I knew nothing about basic government/poli sci coming in, so I didnt' have foundational concepts in place to start the semester. So, my advice for non-poli sci types is to get a beginner's book about govt/the constitution and read it before the semester starts. Wish I'd done that my 1L year. Most people really loved Primus, though, including people without poli sci basics, so maybe it was just me...

[cutiewiddlebebe]

Are there underground tunnels or aboveground passageways connecting the Lawyers Club, library, and classrooms?

I envision never having to set foot outside, thereby allowing me to wear shorts all winter long, skipping merrily from class to class.

[goblue1646]

Are there underground tunnels or aboveground passageways connecting the Lawyers Club, library, and classrooms?

I envision never having to set foot outside, thereby allowing me to wear shorts all winter long, skipping merrily from class to class.

i thiiink it's all in the same quad-area, but you still have to go outside at some point.

[KMaine]

I can't comment much on OCI, since I haven't done it yet, but my discussions with 2Ls suggest that it was pretty rough. Many got call backs but few got offers. At least that was my impression... However, it's bad all over, and I definitely did not get any indication that Michigan's OCI was somehow worse than peer schools. It's just tough out there.

I got my job early in the cycle (early Feb) after putting most of my apps in by January 5th. Everyone I know got a job eventually, although more than usual were unpaid and most didn't get their #1 choice. I only know one person who is working for a firm in the US, while I do have several friends working in firms in their home countries overseas. So all things considered I think we did pretty well, but again, my friends might not be representative.

Would anybody care to comment on the "many got callbacks, few got offers" comment. That seems pretty bleak, perhaps overly so. Do other people think that is accurate?

[awesomepossum]

I can't comment much on OCI, since I haven't done it yet, but my discussions with 2Ls suggest that it was pretty rough. Many got call backs but few got offers. At least that was my impression... However, it's bad all over, and I definitely did not get any indication that Michigan's OCI was somehow worse than peer schools. It's just tough out there.

I got my job early in the cycle (early Feb) after putting most of my apps in by January 5th. Everyone I know got a job eventually, although more than usual were unpaid and most didn't get their #1 choice. I only know one person who is working for a firm in the US, while I do have several friends working in firms in their home countries overseas. So all things considered I think we did pretty well, but again, my friends might not be representative.

Would anybody care to comment on the "many got callbacks, few got offers" comment. That seems pretty bleak, perhaps overly so. Do other people think that is accurate?

No. I don't think that's accurate. I think once people got callbacks the offer rate wasn't bad. The issue I think was that people weren't getting the numbers of callbacks as in previous years. Overall, I think a lot of people did get offers. I don't know what the stats are exactly, but I know tons of people who got offers. I was just at a party last night in NYC with Michigan Law people that I know and we were sharing our firm experiences. I think things went better than we expected before going into OCI.

[verdandi]

No. I don't think that's accurate. I think once people got callbacks the offer rate wasn't bad. The issue I think was that people weren't getting the numbers of callbacks as in previous years. Overall, I think a lot of people did get offers. I don't know what the stats are exactly, but I know tons of people who got offers. I was just at a party last night in NYC with Michigan Law people that I know and we were sharing our firm experiences. I think things went better than we expected before going into OCI.

This could be totally right. My reports came from a few 2Ls (now 3Ls) that weren't thrilled with their OCI experience, but I could believe that such reports were completely anecdotal and not indicative of the average experience. I'll report back once I've gone through it this year.

[doinmybest]

Are there underground tunnels or aboveground passageways connecting the Lawyers Club, library, and classrooms?

I envision never having to set foot outside, thereby allowing me to wear shorts all winter long, skipping merrily from class to class.

i thiiink it's all in the same quad-area, but you still have to go outside at some point.

How fast can you sprint? Minimize your outside time. Wear the shorts and speed that skip up!!

[cutiewiddlebebe]

Where can I find a list of the firms that are represented at 1L and 2L OCI? Thanks!

[jjlaw]

Hi! Thanks for answering questions. I have two.

1) Can someone shed some light on the Michigan clinics -- specifically the child advocacy clinic? Or, insight to any of the clinics would be great -- such as what was required, what it was like on a day-to-day basis, etc.

2) Has anyone taken a course with Prof. Catherine Mackinnon? How was that?

Thanks!

[betsyanna]

Hi! Thanks for answering questions. I have two.

1) Can someone shed some light on the Michigan clinics -- specifically the child advocacy clinic? Or, insight to any of the clinics would be great -- such as what was required, what it was like on a day-to-day basis, etc.

2) Has anyone taken a course with Prof. Catherine Mackinnon? How was that?

Thanks!

I took Sex Equality with Mackinnon during my 2L year and got SO much out of the experience. She really changed the way I think about sex and the law. I actually didn't love the class while I was taking it, though. She only teaches accelerated classes, so it's like a whole semester crammed into 5 weeks--tons of reading, many hours of class each night, but worth it. She's quite a visionary. PM me if you have more specific questions.

I also did the general clinic. The format is 6 "office hours" per week plus about 5 hours of classtime. The class portion involves a lot of simulations, ending with a big mock trial. During the office hours portion, you'll deal with an assortment of cases. I had a great selection--asylum, real estate, criminal, immigration--and got to court pretty often. Wonderful faculty involvement/mentoring. I've heard good feedback about the child advocacy clinic, but I don't have any specifics.

[drake]

is it actually harder to get into Michigan with ED? since you are considered for the summer class which i imagine is smaller.

[Kohinoor]

So it has to be phrased as a question eh? Defend your TTT?

[holydonkey]

So it has to be phrased as a question eh? Defend your TTT?

? I thought you were attending UVA. Please correct me if you are in fact attending a T9.

[Kohinoor]

So it has to be phrased as a question eh? Defend your TTT?

? I thought you were attending UVA. Please correct me if you are in fact attending a T9.

HYSCCV for life

[charlesgoodson]

Could someone provide some more info on the the Fall Recess (October 16-October 20)? Do many students travel during that time?

[lawschool7777]

Hey...I know this has probably been discussed, but can anyone give good recommendations for housing? I'm looking for a 1 bedroom apt, off campus, pets must be allowed, and preferably furnished. Does anyone know anything about Woodbury Gardens? thanks!

[Geat27]

I'm a current 2L and I've never lived in Woodbury Gardens but I've had friends who have. It's pretty decent housing, modest but nice 1 bedroom apartments with washers & dryers, dishwashers and decent kitchens. It's in a quiet area, maybe a 20 minute bus ride from the law school. A benefit of it is that it would give you a place to get away from the law school, the undergrads, the university as a whole, and relax.

[lawschool7777]

Thanks Geat. Do you have any other recommendations?

[holydonkey]

check out http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... start=1225