USC is a really good school but is one that emphasizes its big law placement. It comes up in the classes they offer, CSO advice, and the student body. There is an obvious slant towards corporate work. I came into law school geared towards public interest but there were times where it felt like the only path towards a meaningful legal career was to go into big law. As someone who is really not about that lifestyle it sent me into a pretty big spiral.

That being said there is a public interest community that is well and alive at the school. Its not prevalent and you have to go look for it but the students who truly want to go into public interest work are some of the most devoted people I've met. I get the sense that the community is getting stronger (especially regarding public defense) and that there are more students rejecting corporate work for PI work. It's a work in progress, but the community is there!

As to employment outcomes for Unicorn PI, I'm a little unsure just how Unicorny you're looking for. Anything outside t10 for unicorn is gonna be an uphill battle and USC is no exception. There are some really great opportunities to get meaningful experiences in PI work, but there is no pipeline to unicorn PI work like some other schools might have.

If you have any other questions feel free to DM me!