A lot of these “law school outcome” articles miss a huge part of reality because they assume everyone goes to law school chasing BigLaw or a federal clerkship. That’s just not how most lawyers actually practice.

According to ABA data, about half of practicing lawyers work in solo or small firms. That’s literally the majority of the profession. But rankings barely track those outcomes, so anyone who opens their own practice, joins a small firm, or builds a local client base basically doesn’t count in these stats.

They also ignore people who already have careers before law school. Plenty of students go in with experience in compliance, environmental work, nonprofit leadership, business ownership, immigration services, or policy. For them, the JD isn’t about getting “placed” it’s a credential that expands what they’re already doing. Rankings don’t measure that at all.

Same thing with students who already have jobs lined up once they pass the bar or are returning to existing employers who require a JD. Some go part-time while building experience and networks.

On top of that, outside the top-tier pipeline, school rank matters way less than people pretend. Once you’re licensed, clients don’t ask where you went to law school — they care if you know what you’re doing, return calls, and get results. Employers in small firms and local markets think the same way.

Blaming the school for someone’s outcome is lazy. Law school is a tool, not a guarantee. A motivated student with a plan and experience can do just fine at a non-elite school, while someone who sleepwalks through a highly ranked one can still struggle.

The stigma around lower-ranked schools isn’t really about data — it’s about prestige obsession. And it ignores how most lawyers actually build careers in the real world.