Florida Law Schools Forum

[keg411]

I wouldn't recommend paying sticker at anywhere other than FSU/UF.

This. Going to your state school is always TCR.

Miami is solid for Miami (I went to ugrad there back in the day and know law grads/students who are doing fine), but only with $$$. Since you don't want BigLaw, you need to keep debt low.

[Aberzombie1892]

Basically:
UF
UM
FSU
And then the rest. Many will say that FSU is better than UM, but it's not. However, FSU is far less expensive than UM. If you are on the fence about the cost of UM, I would say apply and then see if you are offered a scholarship to equalize costs.

FL does have far too any law schools (like every other state with a desirable market). Yet the FL market is not as large as some people think. As a result attending a school outside of the top three while paying more than $10,000 in tuition a year is probably a bad idea.

[NoleinNY]

Yeah I think the top three are certainly USF, UF and Miami. To pay sticker for Miami seems a bit pricey considering the school, though I read their tax law is pretty good and well...it is Miami. But if you are an out of state person I guess it would not be a whole lot more than paying out of state for USF and UF. Anyone know if you can get residency for USF and UF after first year without working?

UFL.... USF....

Goddddddd

Blatant Stetson trolling.

If you're referring to my comment, then wow. Google UFL Law or USF Law...

otherwise disregard

LOL @ various bolded. University of San Francisco Law for Florida legal market ftw!

[Canarsie]

If I know for sure I want to work in Miami, UM is a good choice with a scholarship? It seems that way but other threads seem to suggest it isn't a very good school. I'd only go to UM if I was positive I'd be working in Miami. I believe I could get the 23K a year scholarship with my statistics/early application cycle (although we shall have to see).

[Grizz]

If I know for sure I want to work in Miami, UM is a good choice with a scholarship? It seems that way but other threads seem to suggest it isn't a very good school. I'd only go to UM if I was positive I'd be working in Miami. I believe I could get the 23K a year scholarship with my statistics/early application cycle (although we shall have to see).

If you can get into UF, that's the safer choice, even for Miami, generally.

[trialjunky]

Yeah I think the top three are certainly USF, UF and Miami. To pay sticker for Miami seems a bit pricey considering the school, though I read their tax law is pretty good and well...it is Miami. But if you are an out of state person I guess it would not be a whole lot more than paying out of state for USF and UF. Anyone know if you can get residency for USF and UF after first year without working?

UFL.... USF....

Goddddddd

Blatant Stetson trolling.

If you're referring to my comment, then wow. Google UFL Law or USF Law...

otherwise disregard

LOL @ various bolded. University of San Francisco Law for Florida legal market ftw!

Damn you for getting to it first. Also, I think they may be referring to the University of South Florida. LMAO

[taxguy]

As a Florida attorney, there is some blatantly bad advice given along with some good advice. Here is my take.

Yes, you can get a job with a law firm graduating from University of Florida, Miami and Florida State. I don't know much about FIU since they are too new, and I haven't encountered any Stetson grads in south Florida. However, if you want a significant chance of getting a job with Big Law, you will need to be in either the top 10% of your class or on law review or both. Winning some national competitions might help.

However, not everyone ascribes to big law. For example, if you want to work in the tax department of a big accounting firm, you can go to any school and take a bunch of tax courses. Miami and Florida would be particularly well known for this.

If you want to work for the government, any law school will work as long as you do well. Grades and class rank really do matter in hiring.

AS for Miami, FIU and Stetson, each have their local benefits. Miami is very well known among Miami firms and accounting firms. Stetson is well known in Tampa, FIU is certainly up and coming and is VERY inexpensive. Remember , after the first year, you can easily establish in-state residency ,which makes schools like FIU, FSU, and Florida a steal compared to their private school counterparts.

Also, if you have a great personality and are willing to hussle and network, you can get jobs in law from any of these four schools even with a rank lower than 10%

Finally, if you don't want to practice law but want some ancillary career such as financial planning, the school won't mater as much. However, Florida, Miami, and Stetson would have good programs for tax and Elder Law.

As for other Florida law schools, I would stay away from them.

[Canarsie]

I hear Stetson is the jewel of them all.

[Grizz]

I hear Stetson is the jewel of them all.

Hahah great catch from a previous thread.

[GATORTIM]

I hear Stetson is the jewel of them all.

Hahah great catch from a previous thread.

get some hobbies

[Grizz]

I hear Stetson is the jewel of them all.

Hahah great catch from a previous thread.

get some hobbies

At 1660 posts, you're no slouch yourself.

[trialjunky]

ooOO, another Gator Tim against radlaw debate...let's not. This thread is old anyway.

[Mickey Quicknumbers]

As a Florida attorney, there is some blatantly bad advice given along with some good advice. Here is my take.

Yes, you can get a job with a law firm graduating from University of Florida, Miami and Florida State. I don't know much about FIU since they are too new, and I haven't encountered any Stetson grads in south Florida. However, if you want a significant chance of getting a job with Big Law, you will need to be in either the top 10% of your class or on law review or both. Winning some national competitions might help.

However, not everyone ascribes to big law. For example, if you want to work in the tax department of a big accounting firm, you can go to any school and take a bunch of tax courses. Miami and Florida would be particularly well known for this.

If you want to work for the government, any law school will work as long as you do well. Grades and class rank really do matter in hiring.

AS for Miami, FIU and Stetson, each have their local benefits. Miami is very well known among Miami firms and accounting firms. Stetson is well known in Tampa, FIU is certainly up and coming and is VERY inexpensive. Remember , after the first year, you can easily establish in-state residency ,which makes schools like FIU, FSU, and Florida a steal compared to their private school counterparts.

Also, if you have a great personality and are willing to hussle and network, you can get jobs in law from any of these four schools even with a rank lower than 10%

Finally, if you don't want to practice law but want some ancillary career such as financial planning, the school won't mater as much. However, Florida, Miami, and Stetson would have good programs for tax and elder law.

As for other Florida law schools, I would stay away from them.

considering 80% of kids going to these schools won't be top 10% or have great personalities, would you really call everyone's advice of staying away bad advice?

[Grizz]

ooOO, another Gator Tim against radlaw debate...let's not. This thread is old anyway.

Or, I can call Miamiman and Romothesavior and we can turn this into Nova v. Barry part 2.

[Mickey Quicknumbers]

ooOO, another Gator Tim against radlaw debate...let's not. This thread is old anyway.

Or, I can call Miamiman and Romothesavior and we can turn this into Nova v. Barry part 2.

Was that ever a battle? Nova has documentation that it has had a graduate get a legal job before, Barry can prove that if a grad has parents who can get him a job in a non-legal field then he can too can be employed. Neither one of these cases will apply to anyone asking about these schools. And that's all there is to it folks.

[Grizz]

ooOO, another Gator Tim against radlaw debate...let's not. This thread is old anyway.

Or, I can call Miamiman and Romothesavior and we can turn this into Nova v. Barry part 2.

Was that ever a battle? Nova has documentation that it has had a graduate get a legal job before, Barry can prove that if a grad has parents who can get him a job in a non-legal field then he can too can be employed. Neither one of these cases will apply to anyone asking about these schools. And that's all there is to it folks.

It was mainly trolling and meme posting.

[witorres89]

Yeah I think the top three are certainly USF, UF and Miami. To pay sticker for Miami seems a bit pricey considering the school, though I read their tax law is pretty good and well...it is Miami. But if you are an out of state person I guess it would not be a whole lot more than paying out of state for USF and UF. Anyone know if you can get residency for USF and UF after first year without working?

http://www.top-law-schools.com/law-scho ... cy.html#fl Doesn't seem to be too hard

[gwuorbust]

I went to FIU for undergrad. I would say that one should consider FIU if they are Instate and Instate only. Contrary to what people say, UM is king around here. It seems like UM grads rule this place and this includes law grads. If you want to stay in Miami, go to UM. If you feel that UM will leave you with a lot of debt go to FIU since Instate tuition costs roughly a 1/4th of what it would cost at UM. However, FIU is still a fairly new school and a lot of grads find themselves employed in mediocre fields.

One girl that I went to UG with and is going to be a 3L is going to work for a "Ticket Clinic". Garbage in my opinion. Im not sure too many people No self-respecting person wants to work at one of these places. If you want to work in Biglaw or clerk for a judge, go to UM. But understand that you will graduate with a lot of debt. If you want to graduate with relatively little debt, go to FIU, but be warned to keep your employment options open.

Good luck!

fixed