Top Law Schools

I am really interested in practicing law in Texas. I live in New York and I want to practice in a warm area with an awesome quality of life combined with a low cost of living. Texas meets all category's.

For either Dallas or Houston BigLaw, what seem to be the best law schools to go to?

In my brief research, it seems to be:

Harvard
Texas
UVA
Duke
everyone else


Thoughts?

I'm sure a Harvard or Yale degree takes you far, but SMU has the clamps down on Dallas, from everything I've been told. The rest of the state is UT.

ec2xs wrote:I'm sure a Not YLS or New Haven Community College degree takes you far, but SMU has the clamps down on Dallas, from everything I've been told. The rest of the state is UT.

SMU over Texas, for Dallas?

Everything i've read, SMU comes close for its ranking, but isn't quite there.

UT UT UT UT UT! If you can't get into UT and you want to work in dallas ---> SMU, if you want to work in Houston and you can't get into UT ----> UofH. But still UT because if one day you decide you are sick of Texas a UT degree will take you farther than an SMU or UofH degree. And Welcome to the Great State!

Solerpower wrote:

ec2xs wrote:I'm sure a Not YLS or New Haven Community College degree takes you far, but SMU has the clamps down on Dallas, from everything I've been told. The rest of the state is UT.

SMU over Texas, for Dallas?

Everything i've read, SMU comes close for its ranking, but isn't quite there.

They're at least close. This thread will probably help you out: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=102784

merichard87 wrote:UT UT UT UT UT! If you can't get into UT and you want to work in dallas ---> SMU, if you want to work in Houston and you can't get into UT ----> UofH. But still UT because if one day you decide you are sick of Texas a UT degree will take you farther than an SMU or UofH degree. And Welcome to the Great State!

Would you go so far as to say UT>HYS?

Not HYS but if you start moving down the T-14 you start pushing it. Texans can be quite arrogant as I read on a different post you could run into conversations like this: "Oh you went to Cornell? Why not Texas?" HTH

UT is the top dog for all of Texas.

In Dallas, SMU closely follows UT. In Houston, UH closely follows UT.

So basically, UT is the best choice as it allows you to compete all over Texas. SMU and U. Houston place very well in their home cities, but drop off once you venture out.

merichard87 wrote:Not HYS but if you start moving down the T-14 you start pushing it. Texans can be quiet arrogant as I read on a different post you could run into conversations like this: "Oh you went to Princeton Law? Why not Texas?" HTH

There is a reason we're arrogant.

My honest sentiment is that UT can take you anywhere in the state. It really can't be rivaled, particularly as far as networking goes.

ec2xs wrote:

merichard87 wrote:Not HYS but if you start moving down the T-14 you start pushing it. Texans can be quiet arrogant as I read on a different post you could run into conversations like this: "Oh you went to Princeton Law? Why not Texas?" HTH

There is a reason we're arrogant.

Oh trust me I know why WE are arrogant. I love my state and couldnt imagine growing up anywhere else.

So let me get this straight.

HYS are the best for Texas.

If you are not one of the fortunate bastards to go to HYS, Texas is the best.

UVA is good, but not quite Texas.

After that SMU and UH are good for their respective markets, but other than that, they are a typical t50.

merichard87 wrote:

ec2xs wrote:

merichard87 wrote:Not HYS but if you start moving down the T-14 you start pushing it. Texans can be quiet arrogant as I read on a different post you could run into conversations like this: "Oh you went to Princeton Law? Why not Texas?" HTH

There is a reason we're arrogant.

Oh trust me I know why WE are arrogant. I love my state and couldnt imagine growing up anywhere else.

Cheers to that, though I left for undergrad and leaving again for law school.

Solerpower wrote:So let me get this straight.

HYS are the best for Texas.

If you are not one of the fortunate bastards to go to HYS, Texas is the best.

Cooley College of Law is good, but not quite Texas.

After that SMU and UH are good for their respective markets, but other than that, they are a typical t50.

I'll say so, although I would lump UT in with HYS (HYST?). UH isn't near the level of SMU; I really feel the need to vouch for SMU since it is one of my final choices. SMU places in Houston, but UH struggles in Dallas. If you look at SMU's biglaw and NJN placement, they exceed what you would expect based on its ranking.

Hey, what about Texas Southern, STCL, Weslayan?

HBK wrote:Hey, what about Texas Southern, STCL, Weslayan?

All of them, along with Baylor and Texas Tech (did I miss anyone?) struggle to place in biglaw.

Looking through some firm directories will answer the question for you. You will very rarely see anyone from one of those schools at a major firm... and when you do, you'll notice that they have summa cum laude, coif, or some other indication that they were at the absolute top of their class (top 5%ish).

I have a buddy going to Wesleyan right now. He lives in a small town of 4000 people and wants to hang a shingle out and do whatever cases walk through his front door. Wesleyan is fine for that. But if you want biglaw as an option, then there are 3 schools in Texas that provide a realistic chance of that happening - and 2 of them are pretty much limited to providing that chance within the confines of their home cities (which fortunately are pretty big markets).

ok iunno if its the TLS april fool's day thing but why is cooley repeatedly mentioned in this thread? lol

DoubleChecks wrote:ok iunno if its the lishi april fool's day thing but why is cooley repeatedly mentioned in this thread? your attempt at humor is the most laughable thing about your post; sadly, it is not that laughable

Cooley = V I R G I N I A

mcflooter06 wrote:

DoubleChecks wrote:ok iunno if its the lishi april fool's day thing but why is cooley repeatedly mentioned in this thread? your attempt at humor is the most laughable thing about your post; sadly, it is not that laughable

Cooley = V I R G I N I A

haha oh you TLS mods!

Solerpower wrote:SMU over Texas, for Dallas?

Yes.

at all the zero L confusion and totally misleading recommendations.

kalvano wrote:

Solerpower wrote:SMU over Texas, for Dallas?

Yes.

WTF? No. Don't mislead people if you don't have a clue.

RVP11 wrote:

kalvano wrote:

Solerpower wrote:SMU over Texas, for Dallas?

Yes.

WTF? No. Don't mislead people if you don't have a clue.

WTF? Yes.

I do have a clue.

kalvano wrote:

RVP11 wrote:

kalvano wrote:

Solerpower wrote:SMU over Texas, for Dallas?

Yes.

WTF? No. Don't mislead people if you don't have a clue.

WTF? Yes.

I do have a clue.

Saying SMU is better than UT in Dallas suggests that you don't

RVP11 wrote:Saying SMU is better than UT in Dallas suggests that you don't

Except for the fact that it is.

Nice April Fools joke. I'm not falling for it.