If you graduate early from Law school..... Forum

[ringdabell]

say you graduate in 2.5 years - meaning you will be out in January.
How does getting a job work?
When you get an offer at the end of 2nd summer, can you set a date as to when you want to work?

In general, I would appreciate any advices on what kinds of plans are possible after 2.5 years of law school.
Thanks a lot in advance

[thesealocust]

I am not aware of any law schools at which early* graduation is possible.

*I have heard of Northwestern's 2 year accelerated program, I have no idea how it works.

[Moxie]

If you do summer start at Michigan, doesn't one typically graduate in December?

[bhan87]

I think it'd be irrelevant because the timetables for beginning work at law firms is pretty standardized (few months after May to let you pass the bar and such).

[random5483]

Most law schools require you to spend 6 semesters (not including summer) to graduate. Plus, most schools limit classes to 16 units or so per semester and require ~88 units to graduate.

Assuming you take 30 units your first year (fairly standard and no control over it) you would need to 58 units in the last two years. 3 semesters - 16x3 or 48 units. You would still need to take 10 units over summer. However, the school is unlikely to let you graduate with 88 units and 2.5 years UNLESS you are in a special accelerated 2 yr program.

[ringdabell]

I wanted to get some info on how jobs or other plans can possibly ensue IF i can graduate early.
Hence i dont think the subject of the discussion should be WHETHER I can or not.

[luthersloan]

Well, if it is in fact the case, then your question would be basically unanswerable because no one could have experience with in, since no one graduates in less then 3 years.

[kapachino]

I am not aware of any law schools at which early* graduation is possible.

*I have heard of Northwestern's 2 year accelerated program, I have no idea how it works.

CLS graduated a guy in two years. I think he was C/O 2008. Even more annoying is the fact that he was 20 at the time.

[random5483]

I wanted to get some info on how jobs or other plans can possibly ensue IF i can graduate early.
Hence i dont think the subject of the discussion should be WHETHER I can or not.

The only people who graduate early are those in schools with accelerated programs. In my school and most schools I have looked into, it is impossible.

Graduating early won't help you much with any of the better jobs (big law, clerkships, federal jobs like doj/etc) because they have set recruiting cycles. If you graduate early enough to take the bar early, you can apply for smaller firm jobs/etc.

[kapachino]

I wanted to get some info on how jobs or other plans can possibly ensue IF i can graduate early.
Hence i dont think the subject of the discussion should be WHETHER I can or not.

The only people who graduate early are those in schools with accelerated programs. In my school and most schools I have looked into, it is impossible.

Graduating early won't help you much with any of the better jobs (big law, clerkships, federal jobs like doj/etc) because they have set recruiting cycles. If you graduate early enough to take the bar early, you can apply for smaller firm jobs/etc.

The guy I just mentioned spent 2 years at Davis Polk.

[random5483]

I wanted to get some info on how jobs or other plans can possibly ensue IF i can graduate early.
Hence i dont think the subject of the discussion should be WHETHER I can or not.

The only people who graduate early are those in schools with accelerated programs. In my school and most schools I have looked into, it is impossible.

Graduating early won't help you much with any of the better jobs (big law, clerkships, federal jobs like doj/etc) because they have set recruiting cycles. If you graduate early enough to take the bar early, you can apply for smaller firm jobs/etc.

The guy I just mentioned spent 2 years at Davis Polk.

I meant early as in 2.5 years as mentioned by the OP. A 2 yr grad from Columbia at 20 is bound to have some crazy opportunities.

[ran12]

If you do summer start at Michigan, doesn't one typically graduate in December?

I think summer starts just take 1 less class in the Fall and graduate with the rest of the class in May.

[MoS]

The ABA requires that your in school for 27 months from start to finish to receive a JD. Even the two year programs are 27 months, they just start early. Other people take summer classes and graduate early if their school will allow it.

As far as the OP's question goes, the legal market will largely depend on what you want to do. If you are hoping to work for a large firm I doubt you will get to start any earlier than those who graduate in may because they like to standardize their training. It's cheaper to do it all at once because all their orientation programming cannot be billed. I guess you could talk with the firm if you are a summer associate there, see how they feel about the idea. I imagine small firms may be more flexible at letting you start early, since their hiring is a more personal process. But unless you are able to take the bar earlier than the may graduates, you probably will not be getting full pay during the period of time before you take the bar because you have extended the period of work without a license by 5 months. Firms who pay full pay for the 3 months you don't have a license is one thing, I just can't imagine them doing it for 8.

[cigarman]

Its simple to graduate in 2 1/2 years at almost any school. Its called summer classes. The ABA allows up to 9 hours can be taken in the summer. It takes 90 hours generally to graduate.
Typically you take 15 hours a semester. Thus... If you take either 15 hours between your first year and second year summers you can graduate a semester early. OR, if you take 18 hours (the ABA maximum) in the regular semesters in year 2 and 3 you can speed things up. But you can't do that alone, since in your 1L year the school assigns your classes.
So between summers and 2nd and 3rd years you need to basically "find" 15 hours extra above the normal 15 hours to graduate in 2 1/2 years. Simple.
Not what happens after that? Well Feb bar exam to start. Then beats me. I'll find out since this is what i am doing.

[Bronx Bum]

Yeah, there is a tremendous amount of misinformation ITT (as usual). A lot of schools allow you to take summer classes and then there's the February bar.

[legallyblondeDC]

Did any of you actually do this? I'm a 2L now and considering it but I'm concerned about hiring. I live in DC and will probably get a federal job, but I'm not sure if they only recruit at certain times.

[PDaddy]

Most law schools require you to spend 6 semesters (not including summer) to graduate. Plus, most schools limit classes to 16 units or so per semester and require ~88 units to graduate.

Assuming you take 30 units your first year (fairly standard and no control over it) you would need to 58 units in the last two years. 3 semesters - 16x3 or 48 units. You would still need to take 10 units over summer. However, the school is unlikely to let you graduate with 88 units and 2.5 years UNLESS you are in a special accelerated 2 yr program.

Cardozo has very flexible programs, as does Southwestern. Very few TLSers apply to the latter.

[dingbat]

As has been mentioned in this thread 2.5 years is doable at almost every school, it just isn't desirable.

Legal hiring follows a certain timeline which graduating early screws with - not only do you graduate at the wrong time of year, you forfeit summer opportunities.

Unless you have a guaranteed job lined up, or have some real and reasonable reason for finishing early, it is I'll-advised