Top Law Schools

Because this is more interesting than finishing a final paper for a seminar class that's due on Sunday... Since the admin reads these boards (they've admitted as much to us during OCS events on more than one occasion), I'm not willing to reveal identifying details since I'm perfectly willing to speak candidly about the school both good and bad. If for some reason a more in-depth conversation is warranted, messaging is fine, but this thread can go to questions that would be applicable to any student.

That said, thought I'd start this not only about Cardozo but also just what life is like on the T2 level. What should prospectives be looking for at these schools and what should they be wary of (and there's plenty)?

I'll start if off with some basics:

1) don't come here (or any other T2 school) unless you have a full or damn near full scholarship, period.

2) don't come here (or any other T2 school) if you plan on practicing in another city/town. If you have your heart set on a particular state/city, go to either a national school or a regional school IN that state/city.

3) (about 'Dozo in particular) no, we are not all Orthodox Jewish, and no, we're not all Jewish either. But we do get to enjoy the benefit of the 1200 Jewish holidays in the fall resulting in 2 to 3 day weeks for 4 weeks.

4) unfortunately, the school is attached to Yeshiva, which means mandatory kosher catering. There is nothing worse than cold kosher pizza.

5) (more generally) know *exactly*, or close to exactly, what you plan on doing before you come here or any other T2 school. This one I can't stress enough. You don't have the same wiggle room you would have at a national school, and you must, MUST hit the ground running (and preferably have the same type of experience before law school) as soon as you get here to be competitive.

That's about all I can think of off the top of my head.

The floor is open...

How did people do at OCI this year? How many firms came?

How about that professor that said law school should be four years (when the cost of legal education is soaring, as we all know)? Does everybody hate him?

Are 'Dozo students generally oblivious to the state of the current legal market?

how much stock do you put in the formerly circulated truism here on TLS that "from 'bozo you're dead in the water"?

1) Decent # of firms came. Haven't heard about too many job offers though, which can either be attributed to people with offers not blaring that fact as much as they can (unlikely with law students) or a lot of people struck out.

2) Yeah I don't even...that was dumb.

3) Not all, but yes, many people seem to be. Mostly the people who just came to school on a whim or "didn't know what else to do." As is true for many law schools around the country.

4) About as much stock as I put into the "advice" from 0L's who normally preach that about basically every law school like it's the gospel. Not that there aren't many good reasons not to go to law school, or many good reasons not to go to a T2. However, a 0L armed with a keyboard knows about as much about law school and getting a job as the aforementioned professor knows about reality. Cardozo is a place where you will have to make your job opportunities happen; they won't just come to you because you "know" you'll be top 10% by the end of 1L (hint: there's a 90% chance you won't be). For me, there were plenty of Cardozo alum in the office I worked in during 1L summer (it was a large office, 500+). I know where I'm working 2L summer and there are some alum there as well (a bigger office). So for me, no that hasn't been true.

sd5289 wrote:
4) About as much stock as I put into the "advice" from 0L's who normally preach that about basically every law school like it's the gospel. Not that there aren't many good reasons not to go to law school, or many good reasons not to go to a T2. However, a 0L armed with a keyboard knows about as much about law school and getting a job as the aforementioned professor knows about reality. Cardozo is a place where you will have to make your job opportunities happen; they won't just come to you because you "know" you'll be top 10% by the end of 1L (hint: there's a 90% chance you won't be). For me, there were plenty of Cardozo alum in the office I worked in during 1L summer (it was a large office, 500+). I know where I'm working 2L summer and there are some alum there as well (a bigger office). So for me, no that hasn't been true.

i didn't understand your high-falutin' language. so you can indeed confirm that "from 'bozo you're dead in the water" is a huge exaggeration propagated by the most trolltastic elements of TLS?

stillwater wrote:i didn't understand your high-falutin' language. so you can indeed confirm that "from 'bozo you're dead in the water" is a huge exaggeration propagated by the most trolltastic elements of TLS?

Yes.