So you did not go to T14 - is there a chance after? Forum

[RobertGolddust]

id

[lavarman84]

100% right that you should not go to law school on the assumption you'll finish in the top 10. Also, willing your way to the top is not a good strategy. I think, however, people understress the advantage of pure hard work. Everyone thinks they work hard and are disciplined but few actually are. I developed an insane work ethic when I was writing for an AD agency which required 5,000 out of me a day. That was much harder to me than law school so far. Stuff like waking up at 5 am and finishing the day at 5pm during finals was immensely helpful. Also I don't do stupid things like putting work off till the last second, or catching up with reading on Friday/Saturday night. I am having fun instead so I can wake up at 5 am on Monday and get the most out of my law school experience.

Hard work only goes so far in law school. Hell, I woke up in the mid-afternoon throughout finals (like 3-4 PM) and I did great. I know of a lot of people that worked much much harder than I did and didn't get the same results. There's an element of luck to the law school game.

[totesTheGoat]

100% right that you should not go to law school on the assumption you'll finish in the top 10. Also, willing your way to the top is not a good strategy. I think, however, people understress the advantage of pure hard work. Everyone thinks they work hard and are disciplined but few actually are. I developed an insane work ethic when I was writing for an AD agency which required 5,000 out of me a day. That was much harder to me than law school so far. Stuff like waking up at 5 am and finishing the day at 5pm during finals was immensely helpful. Also I don't do stupid things like putting work off till the last second, or catching up with reading on Friday/Saturday night. I am having fun instead so I can wake up at 5 am on Monday and get the most out of my law school experience.

Hard work only goes so far in law school. Hell, I woke up in the mid-afternoon throughout finals (like 3-4 PM) and I did great. I know of a lot of people that worked much much harder than I did and didn't get the same results. There's an element of luck to the law school game.

I don't know that I would call it "luck" as much as natural talent or adaptation. It's an unknown factor, but it's not random chance. Some people are just more adapted to law school exams than others. From observing my classmates, it seems that it's correlated to how good of a test taker you are. Of course, your LSAT score doesn't really reflect how good of a test taker you are. Somebody who studies for a month and gets a 175 is very different than somebody who spends a year and 3 takes getting to a 175.

[bowser]

I've never heard of a lateral into one of the big corporate groups (M&A, cap markets, credit) that came from non-biglaw.

The specialty groups (tax, benefits, IP, environmental) will occasionally hire a midlevel lateral from non-biglaw because of need. If you want to keep the possibility open I would seek work in one of those areas.

I don't know much about lit. I'm guessing it would be similar to the big corporate groups in that very rarely would there be a specific need for someone that they can't fill with a biglaw lateral.

[sanjola]

I don't get the question. What goal?

Is it possible to attend a T14 later on? You mean transferring? If so, yes, but transferring isn't guaranteed and no one should go to law school with the plan that they will be able to.

Get biglaw if you're not in a T14? Yes.

Get biglaw after you've gone to a non T14 and didn't get a biglaw gig? Yeah, but the path there is more convoluted and it'll depend on your experience and what you would bring to the firm as someone more senior. A common route is to get a clerkship postgrad.

h2o and zot1, thank you for your replies.

I apologize for the confusion. I had to write fast as I was on the run. I specifically am wondering about if one who hypothetically did not attend a T14 or even T20 for economic reasons or because he/she did not satisfy the criteria for admission, if there is a possibility to become an associate for a prestigious law firm after a few years of work. What are some experiences or paths that one can take to hopefully get a foot in the door of the firm? I am asking because everything I have read so far as regards to BigLaw seems that it falls under the "make it as a recent grad or else you are doomed" statement.

I have also read that clerkships tend to be mostly for T14 grads. How strongly do you believe this holds? Obviously more elite law schools will have a wider array of options for them.

I just want to get a more realistic perspective of the career options one has four or more years after graduation as a non T14 or even T20 graduate.

Thanks!

What is the urgency in this question that you had to post it while "on the run?"