SMU 2012 Forum

[kalvano]

I've not found Career Services to be very helpful, but that may be just me. I guess it depends on how comfortable you are with a job search on your own.

But SMU definitely has the name recognition in Dallas. A lot of the firms I contacted said they are too small to offer a summer clerk position, but that they are hiring graduating 3L's. There are jobs available, you just have to look for them, and they probably won't be the $160K Akin Gump jobs.

[Stevoman]

What is "too small" and what pay range are we talking? Also what kind of billing requirements?

[kalvano]

"Too small" meaning like too small. It could be 50 attorneys, it could be 5. They just don't have the need or money to pay summer associates.

They might pay $45K, they might pay $85K or $100K. It's so varied as to be impossible to say. Same with billing requirements.

Biglaw and smaller firms operate in completely different ways.

[Flappy Scribbleneck]

I wouldn't say you have to be top 10% to get big law, but it certainly becomes about you as a law student as to whether you can pull that off. Most of the 2Ls I've heard of who have had success with biggish to big size firms outside of the top quarter are interesting people, good interviewers, or have interesting backgrounds.

I think outside of OCI it becomes about you hustling to get a job. It's putting yourself in front of people, be it through mailings, going to CLE lunches and meeting attorneys in practice areas you are interested in, etc. It won't just fall in your lap outside of OCI but thats not to say that you can't find a good gig outside the top quarter or even the top half. It really becomes like any normal job search and you get out what you put in.

Our Career Services office is actually really helpful if you take the initiative to ask them to help you. They have been really instrumental thus far for me.

This...from an employed graduate who ended up right outside top 25%

Would you mind talking in more detail about your experience?

[holdencaulfield]

I wouldn't say you have to be top 10% to get big law, but it certainly becomes about you as a law student as to whether you can pull that off. Most of the 2Ls I've heard of who have had success with biggish to big size firms outside of the top quarter are interesting people, good interviewers, or have interesting backgrounds.

I think outside of OCI it becomes about you hustling to get a job. It's putting yourself in front of people, be it through mailings, going to CLE lunches and meeting attorneys in practice areas you are interested in, etc. It won't just fall in your lap outside of OCI but thats not to say that you can't find a good gig outside the top quarter or even the top half. It really becomes like any normal job search and you get out what you put in.

Our Career Services office is actually really helpful if you take the initiative to ask them to help you. They have been really instrumental thus far for me.

This...from an employed graduate who ended up right outside top 25%

Would you mind talking in more detail about your experience?

Not sure what you want, but....

The quote very accurately described what I experienced personally and what I observed from watching my classmates. There are plenty of good jobs outside of OCI, but your resume and your mailing campaign will generally not be enough to land you a gig (at least one you want).

You need to create relationships that may turn into opportunities. Doing so will help you land a job you actually want because you will be doing your networking with lawyers who practice in the fields and firms you want to end up in.

[Flappy Scribbleneck]

Reading through the old threads.
In 2011 first denials went out about seven days before the last day of January, first wait-lists went out a couple of days later and first acceptances went out on the very last day of January via status checker. Scholarships were included in a letter that arrived a week or so after acceptance.
In 2010 the Status checker updated in the last Tuesday and Thursday of January and the admitted students received phone calls on the last Friday of the month.
Just curious, for how many people on this thread is SMU their first choice? how many people have SMU as a top three?

[mooseman2216]

Reading through the old threads.
In 2011 first denials went out about seven days before the last day of January, first wait-lists went out a couple of days later and first acceptances went out on the very last day of January via status checker. Scholarships were included in a letter that arrived a week or so after acceptance.
In 2010 the Status checker updated in the last Tuesday and Thursday of January and the admitted students received phone calls on the last Friday of the month.
Just curious, for how many people on this thread is SMU their first choice? how many people have SMU as a top three?

Im from the DFW area, so it is definitely in my top 3 especially if I get some money!

[Flappy Scribbleneck]

Damn - I am sad that this thread is so dead
When I see some other TLSers from previous years that passed up some big name schools to go to SMU I feel like "Hell Yeah" and then I look at our 2012 thread and I feel a little embarrassed
Has anyone been to the campus, sat in on any classes, talked to any professors?
Are there any other Dallas people in here?
Anyone married, kids?
Quitting a job to go to Law School?
Struggling with the idea of Part-Time vs. Full Time?
Anyone with any information at all?

[kalvano]

The SMU thread is always a little dead around this time, since they won't give out decisions for about a month.

[Stevoman]

Damn - I am sad that this thread is so dead
When I see some other TLSers from previous years that passed up some big name schools to go to SMU I feel like "Hell Yeah" and then I look at our 2012 thread and I feel a little embarrassed

Hey, I'm here!

Has anyone been to the campus,

Yup.

sat in on any classes

Sadly, couldn't make it up during the work week.

talked to any professors?

Not professors, but an advisor.

Are there any other Dallas people in here?

Got family up there, would like to end up there myself.

Anyone married, kids?

No, and hell no. >_>

Quitting a job to go to Law School?

Yep.

Struggling with the idea of Part-Time vs. Full Time?

Indeed. The idea of holding a steady job in the tech-company-rich area of Dallas while in school sounds quite appealing to me, but 4 years versus 3 years doesn't. Decisions...

[ClutchCity24]

Ask any questions you want. Ive been waiting for this thread to pick up. Current 1l here.

[Flappy Scribbleneck]

Ask any questions you want. Ive been waiting for this thread to pick up. Current 1l here.

Do we get to choose our professors at all, specifically 1st semester?
If so, who should we avoid?
Based on the stable of professors, is there any summer reading that is helpful?

[Flappy Scribbleneck]

Are there any other Dallas people in here?

Got family up there, would like to end up there myself.

Where are you right now?

[Gail]

People should start hearing about acceptances soon, right? I'm above median and 75th for LSAT (which is apparently the same number?) and below median for GPA (I don't know why Texas schools have such hard-ons for GPAs)

[kalvano]

Ask any questions you want. Ive been waiting for this thread to pick up. Current 1l here.

Do we get to choose our professors at all, specifically 1st semester?
If so, who should we avoid?
Based on the stable of professors, is there any summer reading that is helpful?

You have no say in 1L classes at all. The class and prof are assigned by the school.

[ClutchCity24]

No say in classes or Profs 1l year. Also first acceptances go out towards the end of January. Last year the magic LSAT number was 165 for the first round of acceptances. SMU is very slow with everything.

[Flappy Scribbleneck]

Ask any questions you want. Ive been waiting for this thread to pick up. Current 1l here.

Do we get to choose our professors at all, specifically 1st semester?
If so, who should we avoid?
Based on the stable of professors, is there any summer reading that is helpful?

You have no say in 1L classes at all. The class and prof are assigned by the school.

Summer Reading?

[ClutchCity24]

Just enjoy your summer. Hang out with friends, drink, travel, or whatever you like to do. Watch Suits on USA instead.

[kalvano]

I really can't think of any reading that might be helpful, because it's very professor-dependent. They all have their own styles and quirks, and what you need to read will depend on that.

So just enjoy the summer. Suits is fun. So is Falling Skies. And the newish book in the Game of Thrones series is out.

[Flappy Scribbleneck]

I really can't think of any reading that might be helpful, because it's very professor-dependent. They all have their own styles and quirks, and what you need to read will depend on that.

So just enjoy the summer. Suits is fun. So is Falling Skies. And the newish book in the Game of Thrones series is out.

right now I am watching Terriers, The League, Portlandia and my coworker talked me into watching an episode a night of Deep Space 9, even though I am not a Star Trek kind of guy

I read history, so I have been skewing a little towards legal stuff lately - right now is The People v. Clarence Darrow

[kalvano]

Terriers was fantastic TV. Still mad that's off the air.

[apeopleshistory]

.

[Flappy Scribbleneck]

Terriers was fantastic TV. Still mad that's off the air.

NO! It is canceled?

[Flappy Scribbleneck]

If I get admitted it will be at sticker so I probably won't be able to attend. I am nontrad with 2 kids and going PT would be horrible for my family. We are totally uprooting and starting over for me to attend law school. -I'm not in Dallas, but am familiar with the area. At one point I planned to go to SMU for a grad program in a completely unrelated area, so I've toured the campus and it is beautiful, as is the neighborhood. Are you in Dallas? PM me if you want to chat more.

Live in Dallas, married, 33, 3 year old son, great job, love my employer, but my industry is dying, so time for a change

[kalvano]

Terriers was fantastic TV. Still mad that's off the air.

NO! It is canceled?

It was canceled before it even finished it's first season. Thankfully, they let it play out.