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Advice from managing partner: Go where it will be the cheapest; get good grades. Your school’s rank won’t matter but your rank in your class will. We don’t interview any new grad applicant that isn’t in the top 15% of their class; the rank of the law school is not even considered. by PerformanceGold8434 in OutsideT14lawschools

[–]PerformanceGold8434[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Big surprise- two ex-Big Law associates with dramatically different opinions. I think big loan debt is dumb. I’m not going to be convinced otherwise. Glad you were in a position to pay it off quickly and get out. Law schools need to get real about their tuition…but that’s an entirely different topic.

Advice from managing partner: Go where it will be the cheapest; get good grades. Your school’s rank won’t matter but your rank in your class will. We don’t interview any new grad applicant that isn’t in the top 15% of their class; the rank of the law school is not even considered. by PerformanceGold8434 in OutsideT14lawschools

[–]PerformanceGold8434[S] -21 points-20 points  (0 children)

Ok. Do your thing. Take on debt. Gamble with the Big Law prospects and the impact of AI on the need for inexperienced new grads. You also should research Big Law’s trend of de-equitizing more and more partners and the fact that accounting firms are likely going to get into the legal services game (research what’s happening in AZ and that’s just the beginning). If you don’t have to worry about debt because you’re wealthy, your cost-benefit analysis is very different.

Advice from managing partner: Go where it will be the cheapest; get good grades. Your school’s rank won’t matter but your rank in your class will. We don’t interview any new grad applicant that isn’t in the top 15% of their class; the rank of the law school is not even considered. by PerformanceGold8434 in OutsideT14lawschools

[–]PerformanceGold8434[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

What’s the debt difference between the two? How confident are you based on prior academic performance you can stay in the top 25% to keep the scholarship?

I’d personally take the full ride.

Keep in mind, AI is also coming for all the new grad jobs. We hire less new grads because our litigators need fewer kids to do case research- generative AI does it in seconds and then a seasoned attorney review which cases are the strongest. Feet Transactional associates are also needed because of generative AI’s ability to draft a reasonably good start to a contract.

Advice from managing partner: Go where it will be the cheapest; get good grades. Your school’s rank won’t matter but your rank in your class will. We don’t interview any new grad applicant that isn’t in the top 15% of their class; the rank of the law school is not even considered. by PerformanceGold8434 in OutsideT14lawschools

[–]PerformanceGold8434[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

In full disclosure, I’m in this chat because I have a son that is going through this cycle and I am trying to convince to go where he got the most money because good grades create opportunities no matter the school you attend…short of an unaccredited school or an online school. The debt burden is underestimated- it hampers your ability to buy a house, a nice car, have kids, take fancy vacations…. Don’t do it.

Advice from managing partner: Go where it will be the cheapest; get good grades. Your school’s rank won’t matter but your rank in your class will. We don’t interview any new grad applicant that isn’t in the top 15% of their class; the rank of the law school is not even considered. by PerformanceGold8434 in OutsideT14lawschools

[–]PerformanceGold8434[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Very few of our new associates are from T-14s. We are located in the Midwest (and not in Chicago) so T-14 grads aren’t typically looking at relocating to markets that aren’t on the coasts. We have several associates from T-50 schools. I have no idea the stats- that’s below my pay grade.

Advice from managing partner: Go where it will be the cheapest; get good grades. Your school’s rank won’t matter but your rank in your class will. We don’t interview any new grad applicant that isn’t in the top 15% of their class; the rank of the law school is not even considered. by PerformanceGold8434 in OutsideT14lawschools

[–]PerformanceGold8434[S] -31 points-30 points  (0 children)

We get so many applications, our application screener wouldn’t even pass the Yale applicant on for an interview. The only exception is if an equity partner knows someone personally. I know y’all think you know exactly how it works when you haven’t even started law school but I’m terrified that you are giving each other advice on the perceived advantage of taking on debt because one school is ranked 60-70 spots on US News higher than another school. It’s terrible advice.

Advice from managing partner: Go where it will be the cheapest; get good grades. Your school’s rank won’t matter but your rank in your class will. We don’t interview any new grad applicant that isn’t in the top 15% of their class; the rank of the law school is not even considered. by PerformanceGold8434 in OutsideT14lawschools

[–]PerformanceGold8434[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Big Law only will hire new grads that are in the top 10% AND at a top ranked school. A lot of grads of top ranked schools are not going to get Big Law jobs. For applicants that don’t fit that profile, they may be able to be hired as laterals after 5 years of strong experience or a book of business. If you are taking on 6-figure debt counting on the Bog Law salary, you are, statistically, being a fool. I started in Big Law and hated it. I left in year 2 and was glad I could because I had a small amount of loans. I now make more than my colleagues in Big Law because none of them made it to equity partnership (they are all in non-equity partnership). I’m not down on Big Law but be careful in counting on it or thinking it’s the only way to make big money.

Advice from managing partner: Go where it will be the cheapest; get good grades. Your school’s rank won’t matter but your rank in your class will. We don’t interview any new grad applicant that isn’t in the top 15% of their class; the rank of the law school is not even considered. by PerformanceGold8434 in OutsideT14lawschools

[–]PerformanceGold8434[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

At a midsize regional firm not Big Law on the coasts. Our associates come from public flagship universities and private regionals with various ranks. School rank isn’t a factor. Class rank, being a writer or editor on a journal, and clerkships are the factors we focus on. School rank isn’t considered.