Top Law Schools

Graduated from Washington State University with degree in Political Science and Digital Technology and am looking to go into Intellectual Property Law. I'm wondering what my chances are at these schools from something other than online automatic predictors, maybe someone with experience or accumulated forum knowledge.
1. Santa Clara
2. University of Washington
3. Cardoza University

and also planning on applying to University of Houston, George Washington, California Irvine, Indiana University Bloomington, Illinois Institute of Technology, American university

Thanks ahead of time.

Depends on your URM (MA, AA, etc.). That said, you're probably in at SC, deny at UW, and good shot at Cardozo.

Why that list of schools, though? Seems really random.

I'm looking to go into Intellectual Property and Santa Clara and Cardoza have high ranked IP programs. I live in Seattle normally too so that is why UW. The other schools are all other schools with strong IP programs but i'm using the Newsweek rankigns as reference so i'm open to any advice direction in where I should try applying. In terms of URM I'm African American.

yafosho wrote:I'm looking to go into Intellectual Property and Santa Clara and Cardoza have high ranked IP programs. I live in Seattle normally too so that is why UW. The other schools are all other schools with strong IP programs but i'm using the Newsweek rankigns as reference so i'm open to any advice direction in where I should try applying. In terms of URM I'm African American.

Specialty programs are a joke. you have 0% better chance of getting a job in IP by attending Santa Clara over a better CA school. You should aim higher with your numbers.

nebula666 wrote:

yafosho wrote:I'm looking to go into Intellectual Property and Santa Clara and Cardoza have high ranked IP programs. I live in Seattle normally too so that is why UW. The other schools are all other schools with strong IP programs but i'm using the Newsweek rankigns as reference so i'm open to any advice direction in where I should try applying. In terms of URM I'm African American.

Specialty programs are a joke. you have 0% better chance of getting a job in IP by attending Santa Clara over a better CA school. You should aim higher with your numbers.

This. You will learn almost nothing of use to an employer in law school. Law school general rank + your grades = easy sorting mechanism for resumes. Specialty rankings are nothing more than PR aimed at unsuspecting potential applicants.

yafosho wrote:I'm looking to go into Intellectual Property and Santa Clara and Cardoza have high ranked IP programs. I live in Seattle normally too so that is why UW. The other schools are all other schools with strong IP programs but i'm using the Newsweek rankigns as reference so i'm open to any advice direction in where I should try applying. In terms of URM I'm African American.

Disregard specialty rankings. I'd recommend you apply to Georgetown, Northwestern and Cornell, too.

Where do you want to practice post graduation?

Ok, what about Santa Clara though, I thought I'd give their program a but more weight since their IP program is supposed to be particularly good being in Silicon Valley and all.

And I would ideally like to go.to school in Washington or California.

I've heard (I am in no way an expert on IP stuff or CA) that Santa Clara's IP employment rate is so high because a lot of their students either currently work in Silicon Valley and are going part time or have substantive experience in it before starting law school. Just a word of warning.

californiauser wrote:

yafosho wrote:I'm looking to go into Intellectual Property and Santa Clara and Cardoza have high ranked IP programs. I live in Seattle normally too so that is why UW. The other schools are all other schools with strong IP programs but i'm using the Newsweek rankigns as reference so i'm open to any advice direction in where I should try applying. In terms of URM I'm African American.

Disregard specialty rankings. I'd recommend you apply to Georgetown, Northwestern and Cornell, too.

Where do you want to practice post graduation?

I was hoping to practice in either California or Washington
after graduation.

You need to do much much more research on these things before you make a decision. It's cardozo, not cardoza.

TheSpanishMain wrote:I've heard (I am in no way an expert on IP stuff or CA) that Santa Clara's IP employment rate is so high because a lot of their students either currently work in Silicon Valley and are going part time or have substantive experience in it before starting law school. Just a word of warning.

To support this with 100% anecdotal evidence that I am in no way sure is representative of the whole picture, my dad has worked in San Jose for 30-40 years now and he was telling me how he knows numerous colleagues and clients who indeed had a solid career in Silicon Valley and then the company basically helped send them to Santa Clara to get their JD and then return for a better position.

My dad is in the Commercial Real Estate business, but a few of the guys he mentioned worked for tech companies in Silicon Valley (my dad got to know them by appraising their company's buildings, etc.).

Again this is the definition of anecdotal evidence that may not be close to the real picture but it does support what TheSpanishMain has heard.

Clearly wrote:You need to do much much more research on these things before you make a decision. It's cardozo, not cardoza.

Well considering me coming on here and asking for advice would be the definition of me actively researching, do you have any non grammatical suggestions? maybe for schools in my target range? I'm looking at Washington and California mainly but am applying everywhere and up to this point had been using specialty rankings as a big influence in deciding so now that I realize they aren't important i'm kind of back to square one and could use some advice.

yafosho wrote:

Clearly wrote:You need to do much much more research on these things before you make a decision. It's cardozo, not cardoza.

Well considering me coming on here and asking for advice would be the definition of me actively researching, do you have any non grammatical suggestions? maybe for schools in my target range? I'm looking at Washington and California mainly but am applying everywhere and up to this point had been using specialty rankings as a big influence in deciding so now that I realize they aren't important i'm kind of back to square one and could use some advice.

I wasn't trying to be an asshole, I'm genuinely suggesting you continue on researching. You'll get into better schools than these. I'm just saying LS is a very costly major decision, and you want to know everything you possibly can about the reality of hiring from each school. Mentioning specialty rankings, and misspelling schools is just an indication that you are just starting on this path. It's all good. I'd apply broadly at the top, you might be pleasantly surprised with how much better schools you get into than Cardozo.

Clearly wrote:

yafosho wrote:

Clearly wrote:You need to do much much more research on these things before you make a decision. It's cardozo, not cardoza.

Well considering me coming on here and asking for advice would be the definition of me actively researching, do you have any non grammatical suggestions? maybe for schools in my target range? I'm looking at Washington and California mainly but am applying everywhere and up to this point had been using specialty rankings as a big influence in deciding so now that I realize they aren't important i'm kind of back to square one and could use some advice.

I wasn't trying to be an asshole, I'm genuinely suggesting you continue on researching. You'll get into better schools than these. I'm just saying LS is a very costly major decision, and you want to know everything you possibly can about the reality of hiring from each school. Mentioning specialty rankings, and misspelling schools is just an indication that you are just starting on this path. It's all good. I'd apply broadly at the top, you might be pleasantly surprised with how much better schools you get into than Cardozo.

Ok cool thanks for the advice and ya my research is just starting, i'm now thinking I'll apply to Northwestern, Georgetown, UCLA, USC and UC Davis as reach. UW, Cardozo, and UC Hastings and Irvine as target then Santa Clara, Pepperdine and Seattle U for safety. Is there anywhere else you think I'm missing out by not sending an application?

That looks suspiciously like a Law School Predictor list. Make sure your list makes geographic sense. You seem to be targeting the west coast, so Cardozo makes no sense. Also, I wouldn't go to Seattle at any price.

Well i'm mainly looking at Washington and California, but I would consider DC and New York as alternatives and I'd go to Northwestern if I got in. Thanks for the advice about Seattle U though, I'll stop considering schools around that rank.

yafosho wrote:

Clearly wrote:

yafosho wrote:

Clearly wrote:You need to do much much more research on these things before you make a decision. It's cardozo, not cardoza.

Well considering me coming on here and asking for advice would be the definition of me actively researching, do you have any non grammatical suggestions? maybe for schools in my target range? I'm looking at Washington and California mainly but am applying everywhere and up to this point had been using specialty rankings as a big influence in deciding so now that I realize they aren't important i'm kind of back to square one and could use some advice.

I wasn't trying to be an asshole, I'm genuinely suggesting you continue on researching. You'll get into better schools than these. I'm just saying LS is a very costly major decision, and you want to know everything you possibly can about the reality of hiring from each school. Mentioning specialty rankings, and misspelling schools is just an indication that you are just starting on this path. It's all good. I'd apply broadly at the top, you might be pleasantly surprised with how much better schools you get into than Cardozo.

Ok cool thanks for the advice and ya my research is just starting, i'm now thinking I'll apply to Northwestern, Georgetown, UCLA, USC and UC Davis as reach. UW, Cardozo, and UC Hastings and Irvine as target then Santa Clara, Pepperdine and Seattle U for safety. Is there anywhere else you think I'm missing out by not sending an application?

Literally blanket from Columbia to Georgetown. You can't get in if you don't apply, and urm boosts can be unpredictable.

Look at lawschooltransparency.com. Only apply to schools that have good employment outcomes. Ignore US News rankings beyond the top 14 schools or so.

The only schools in CA that you should consider are Stanford, Berkeley (neither will happen), UCLA, and USC. Most of the rest of them are true toilets that should be shut down because they ruin people's lives.

In WA, it's pretty much UW or bust.

I'd apply to most of the T14. What type of URM are you? You may be able to snag a few T14 acceptances. I'd also apply to UCLA, USC, and UW, but not many other schools.

Good luck!

I'm half african american half white. And thanks for the advice I will follow your suggestion and apply to practically all the top schools after Columbia. In response to Big Zuck though, does everyone agree that every school including and below UC Davis is a waste to attend? Should I try to not settle for anything below UW in the rankings?

yafosho wrote:I'm half african american half white. And thanks for the advice I will follow your suggestion and apply to practically all the top schools after Columbia. In response to Big Zuck though, does everyone agree that every school including and below UC Davis is a waste to attend? Should I try to not settle for anything below UW in the rankings?

I would say Berkeley or Stanford would be good choices, although I am not sure you have much of a shot at Stanford. UCLA or USC with decent scholarship. The rest are probably not good choices in your situation. You should consider UW if you want to practice in that state/have ties and get a decent scholarship. I agree you should blanket the mid to lower T14 plus the three regionals discussed.

Apply to Columbia on down the T14, USC and UCLA and UCI. I wouldn't apply to Davis unless you might want to do Nor Cal. I would also include George Washington as IP grads go back to California easily. With your stats and URM status you will get into tons of schools. You want to apply broadly and many schools so after you get your acceptances, you can then negotiate scholarship amounts.

If you want to save more money for Law school, think about retaking for a higher score to cop that free scholly money.

You said IP...what was your undergrad degree in?

yafosho wrote:I'm half african american half white. And thanks for the advice I will follow your suggestion and apply to practically all the top schools after Columbia. In response to Big Zuck though, does everyone agree that every school including and below UC Davis is a waste to attend? Should I try to not settle for anything below UW in the rankings?

http://www.lawschooltransparency.com

Also browse around the forums a lil bit. You will learn a lot about the law school game. The rankings are a joke, don't worry about them. Your main concern are which schools get grads jobs and those don't correlate to US News rankings at all.

J-e-L-L-o wrote:Apply to Columbia on down the T14, USC and UCLA and UCI. I wouldn't apply to Davis unless you might want to do Nor Cal. I would also include George Washington as IP grads go back to California easily. With your stats and URM status you will get into tons of schools. You want to apply broadly and many schools so after you get your acceptances, you can then negotiate scholarship amounts.

If you want to save more money for Law school, think about retaking for a higher score to cop that free scholly money.

You said IP...what was your undergrad degree in?

I graduated with two degrees, one in Political Science and the other in Digital Technology which is where I discovered IP law. And could you elaborate on how/why IP grads go back to California easily? is that from any location back to California or just D.C.?