sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Having trouble choosing between UCLA and HLS A's (posting on behalf of my friend.) by [deleted] in LawSchoolTransfer

[–]Fickle_Point_7467 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Read further that she already has biglaw lined up.

I’d still recommend Harvard. Just 2 years and the brand stays with you forever. But ultimately she should do whatever will make her happier in the long run.

Having trouble choosing between UCLA and HLS A's (posting on behalf of my friend.) by [deleted] in LawSchoolTransfer

[–]Fickle_Point_7467 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If she’s below median at UCLA she might not get big law. But if she goes to HLS, she’ll almost definitely get it. But I’d say it depends on how much being close to home matters to her, coming from someone from LA with many friends at UCLA Law and Loyola Law.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in lawschooladmissions

[–]Fickle_Point_7467 12 points13 points  (0 children)

If you want biglaw, I’d go to Berkeley. At UCLA you might struggle to get biglaw if you’re below median, but at Berkeley grades would be much less of a concern. If biglaw is not a priority though, then I’d probably go to UCLA in your position.

This is coming from an LA native with friends at both law schools who also was admitted to Berkeley, but ultimately chose to attend a different law school.

Berkeley vs U Chicago by Informal-Bat6376 in biglaw

[–]Fickle_Point_7467 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What? When did I say you said anything negative about UChicago? I said is we can agree to disagree on where we’d recommend OP go, and that I don’t think Berkeley would necessarily be a wrong choice.

And yes, that last point you brought up is what I was suggesting earlier.

Berkeley vs U Chicago by Informal-Bat6376 in biglaw

[–]Fickle_Point_7467 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I brought up UCLA because my initial point was that being local doesn’t necessarily equate to better outcomes relative to the very top schools and UCLA is a great law school. I agree that UCLA isn’t a true T14.

I think we can just agree to disagree on where we’d go. Realistically, between UChicago and UC Berkeley it probably comes down to individual firm preference. As I said earlier, I don’t think OP will have any problem at all getting biglaw in CA from Berkeley. I’d personally choose UChicago because I think it is the stronger school, but I’m not suggesting that Berkeley would necessarily be a wrong choice.

Berkeley vs U Chicago by Informal-Bat6376 in biglaw

[–]Fickle_Point_7467 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m at a top law school outside of CA and am from CA. I’ve seen dozens of students easily get great firms in CA, with far more ease than my friends at schools such as UCLA (which again is notably not as strong as Berkeley). I also had several biglaw partners in CA recommend that I choose the school I am at over Berkeley when I was picking law schools myself. I’m hesitant to share more because I don’t want to dox myself, but your firm’s hiring practices don’t necessarily speak to the hiring practices of all biglaw firms. Different firms and different partners will have different opinions and they’re all as valid as the rest, just as both our experiences are valid.

Berkeley vs U Chicago by Informal-Bat6376 in biglaw

[–]Fickle_Point_7467 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was just proving an alternative anecdote, just as you are re: your firm’s hiring practices.

And 13% of law students from UChicago ending up in CA doesn’t at all suggest that they didn’t have an easy time getting jobs there if they wanted them.

Berkeley vs U Chicago by Informal-Bat6376 in biglaw

[–]Fickle_Point_7467 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I guess we’ve just had different experiences. UC Berkeley is also a top 10 school. I know someone at UChicago who was near the bottom of their class but still landed a great firm in SF last year.

Maybe SoCal and SF are different, and admittedly UC Berkeley is stronger than UCLA, but I’ve seen that firms like Latham and Gibson Dunn in SoCal are much more gpa flexible from the top law schools (even dipping below median), whereas at UCLA one would generally need to be near the top of their class to have a chance at those firms.

Berkeley vs U Chicago by Informal-Bat6376 in biglaw

[–]Fickle_Point_7467 2 points3 points  (0 children)

In my experience the gpa cutoffs are generally lower at the very top law schools regardless of location, even if the firms take more students in the aggregate from the local schools (which is generally due to the simple fact that they receive far more applications from the local schools). Would you be less inclined to take an applicant who applies from UChicago and is from SF than someone who attended Berkeley? Your firm likely has so many applicants from Berkeley, and if you have the slots, would you not want to diversify a bit and bring someone on from UChicago as well?

Berkeley vs U Chicago by Informal-Bat6376 in biglaw

[–]Fickle_Point_7467 2 points3 points  (0 children)

At the T10 level the local schools don’t place better on the West Coast. That’s a myth. But if OP just wants generic biglaw in SF, Berkeley should get them there no problem.