Top Law Schools

skissorzofdoom wrote:Hey all,

I deferred a year before I'm set to go to Duke (I wanted to travel), and while I'm really happy to be attending Duke, transferring has come to mind. I'm particularly interested in intellectual property law and really, really wish to practice BigLaw in New York City. After a bit of experience, I'd like to teach law.

Considering the hassles of transferring and the fact that I know I am already fortunate to be attending a wonderful school, I'd really only consider leaving Duke for Yale, Harvard, Columbia, or NYU. Really, though, I have my sights set on Columbia and NYU.

• - If were one to weigh the influence that Columbia and NYU have over the New York market and the corresponding increase in prestige, how would my hiring prospects improve for BigLaw? I know that a Duke degree tends to have great range because relatively few of its graduates stick around to practice in the NC area.
  
  - Will not being eligible for the Law Review or Moot Court at Columbia/NYU hurt me more than the school upgrade will help me? (Is that true? That I can't be on the Law Review or in the Moot Court?)
  
  - Columbia also has an excellent Careers in Law Teaching Program, and my research has shown that Duke doesn't put people on a track for academia. Is this true?
  
  - Since it's not such a huge jump (or is it?), would I still need to be in the top 10% of my class? Maybe top 25% would be enough?

I know you get a lot of these, so play nice. I do really appreciate your help

skissorzofdoom wrote:

With regard to IP, are you set on it or simply leaning that way? What kind of IP are you interested in (e.g. patent prosecution, patent litigation, copyright, etc.)? Also realize that many IP botiques are actually better in quality than many BigLaw IP practices.

As I have yet to take any law school classes on IP, I suppose it'd be premature to say that I was anything more than 'leaning that way.' I'm interested in copyrights, ever since I attended a CLS prof lecture on literary and artistic property law while an UG at CU. I guess the second part of that sentence is another reason for why I've got my heart set on CLS, even though I got w/l'ed>dinged. It just seemed like it offered the best of all worlds in terms of IP, academia, and location.

If you don't mind my asking, what's the difference between an IP boutique and a BigLaw IP practice? I thought that what distinguished a boutique firm was that it specialized.

And thanks for the advice, Patrickd139 I know I oughtn't go in with the wrong mentality.