How much is a degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s)
 

This gets kinda personal QLC style, but whatever.

How much is a law degree in general worth nowadays? You often read articles that indicate there are too many law students, etc. Is this ever possible?

Now obv a degree from an esteemed university is going to be worth some decent money, but what about a midlevel Uni? And what about a low level uni?

For recent grads (and anyone else): How has the real world been? Do you regret your choice to go to law school? How has the job market been? Did you know what you wanted to pursue beforehand and if not, how satisfied are you with what you are doing now?

Reason for questions: I've been playing poker for a while now, trying out different jobs, trying to find my niche with what I want to do and have been fairly unsuccessful at doing much except getting by, enjoying life. I'm 24, pretty settled with a serious gf and still pretty aimless. I'm very laid back and money is not a priority in my life, however providing for a family, etc is.

In college I kinda skated by with a ~3.3 gpa. I take standardized tests very well and believe I could do well enough on the lsats to get in somewhere, but not the best school I'd imagine. At this point in time I'm wondering if it would be worth it. I would hate to finish up more school and feel as aimless as I am now.

Thoughts, comments, flames appreciated. Any sort of stories, adventures, or cautionary tales about law school or practice encouraged.

thanks.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

tpf,

If you finish near the top of your class, you'll be able to get a very good job. Maybe not (but possibly) a job at a top firm paying 160k or whatever they pay to new grads, but you'll be able to get a good job and if you do well at that, be able to get a better job.

No idea what the outlook is like for grads from lower/mid schools who don't do that well in school.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

el d,
i should have clarified- if i choose to go to school again it will be with every intention to bust my ass and do as well as possible.

i skated by in college mainly because i had no idea what i was really going to class for.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

Also, regarding jobs out of school:

I am of the personality type that thinks
40-50hr weeks for 60-80k >>>>>>>>>>>>&g t;>>>>> 80-100hr weeks for 100-150k

basically time with family & friends is much higher on my priority list than being wealthy. i have no problem putting in 80+hr weeks for, say, the next 5 years. but more than that doesn't make any sense to me. i have NO interest in being 35yo and in the office until 10 while the wife and kids eat dinner alone.

how true is the 80hr+ week for young grads?

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

tpf,

I have friends who worked for smaller law firms or at companies where they worked reasonable hours. At big firms, they all work those type of ridiculous hours.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

[ QUOTE ]
40-50hr weeks for 60-80k >>>>>>>>>>>>&g t;>>>>> 80-100hr weeks for 100-150k

how true is the 80hr+ week for young grads?

[/ QUOTE ]

Commonplace. Remember, though that in big firms, $ goes up 10% a year or more as you move up in seniority. A solid lawyer six years out could hit $350K, and the lowest level of equity partnership was worth $1.1MM. If you can stomach holding the brass ring for a few years (and the job never gets easier), you can jump ship, scale down, and live very well indeed. It is a dangerous strategy, however, if you get addicted to spend.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

at most big firms, the associates aren't going to work 80+ hours a week every week. the number of 80 hour weeks will vary, but will the exception of a couple firms, they shouldn't be the norm. that being said, 60+ hours a week will be the norm at most big places.

many associates will leave after 5 or so years and take jobs in house, in the government, smaller firm etc. big firms push their clients to hire their associates, with the hope that then those former associates will continue to hire the firm for the client's work. these jobs typically involve less hours than working at a firm, at less (but still good) pay.

typical firm will consider people for partnership after 8 years, but its going to be hard at most places. partners of course make the big money, but generally not as much as 1.1 mil for a junior partner. the other perk of being partner is working less hours too. to some extent, the associates do all the work while the partners go home, but of course this will vary too.

to do any of this from a low level law school, you will need to graduate in the top 5% of your class. even then, could be a problem to get hired outside of the area the school is in. a NYC firm isn't going to look to favorably on the top students from a low-level school in the midwest, while they are more likely to consider the top students from the crappy NYC area law schools.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

Joe is correct. If you go to a lower tier school, make sure it's in the metropolitan area that you want to live and settle in. The alumni networks for the local less-prestigious law firms will keep you in business. And even bigger firms are more willing to hire you because of their exposure to people from that school.

Also, in the end it doesn't matter where you went to law school. If you are quality, you'll make a good living. Alot of lawyers run their own small firms and make as much or more as partners in the big firms.

natedogg

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

I'm a 1L right now.

I really enjoy my coursework and it is not at all overwhelming. I was similar to you in that I did well in college but I could have done better. If you view law school as a full-time job and just commit yourself to law school work from 9am-6pm, Monday through Friday, take Saturday off, and then a few hours on Sunday, you will be able to get everything you need done without need for all-nighters. Things do get hectic when memos or due or come finals, but that is not the norm.

If you have any specific questions about the 1L experience, feel free to post or PM me.

Re: How much is a degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s)
 

This sounds obvious, but WAY too many people don't follow this advice:

Don't go to law school unless you genuinely want to practice law.

If your reason for wanting to go to law school is to make more money than the average soul, you will be miserable in practice. Pick something you really love to do, then find a way to make money doing it.

Re: How much is a degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s)
 

Virtually all of the discussion on this site about jobs for lawyers is focused on big firms in big cities. The people working in those jobs make a lot of money and work a lot of hours. But the vast majority of lawyers don't work in those firms. There are many other options available to lawyers.

Re: How much is a degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s)
 

Some of the numbers here are WAY off and some are accurate. The whole world does not operate like NYC.

At big firms in the Midwest, outside of Chicago, starting pay is $100K/yr right now. For that, you'll be expected to bill 1900 hr/yr. That usally means 50-60 hr weeks, but depending on your area of law, you can get hit with a surge that will take you well over that. But it won't be continuous. And note that in reality, you need to hit 90% of your goal to move up and be there when they need you. Disappear early every day, don't meet deadlines, yet meet your goal, you're in trouble.

The problem with the Midwest is, there's huge salary compression. Top level associates at many firms are only hitting $125K while starting is $100K. Same hour requirements. Partnership is after 7 yrs generally, and a lot of people make it at many firms. At partnership, hour requirements drop to 1800, but you're expected to do more non-billable. Immediately after making partner, your salary really doesn't change that much from associate when you consider all the additional taxes and expenses you have to pay. The real difference is bonus, which you now get as a function of the firms profitibility. So after a few years as a non-equity partner, you'll probably hit $200K total package. Then if you are one of the choosen to make equity, the big dollars will come, where they average about $350-400K total package after a few years at a profitable firm.

To even get in the door, you'll need to be top 20% minimum, 10% if you want a better shot. And here's the real deal, once you get in the door with a position, no one cares about grades and what school you went to. They assume you're smart enough or they wouldn't have hired you. It's all about work ethic, getting the job done on time, client relations, and most important of all, fitting in with the firm culture. They like you, you make it, they don't, you don't.

Re: How much is a degree from a low level law school worth? (and more
 

[ QUOTE ]
The problem with the Midwest is, there's huge salary compression. Top level associates at many firms are only hitting $125K while starting is $100K. Same hour requirements. Partnership is after 7 yrs generally, and a lot of people make it at many firms. At partnership, hour requirements drop to 1800, but you're expected to do more non-billable. Immediately after making partner, your salary really doesn't change that much from associate when you consider all the additional taxes and expenses you have to pay. The real difference is bonus, which you now get as a function of the firms profitibility. So after a few years as a non-equity partner, you'll probably hit $200K total package. Then if you are one of the choosen to make equity, the big dollars will come, where they average about $350-400K total package after a few years at a profitable firm.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm starting in Cleveland in the fall at $115k. When you consider cost of living, that compares well to $160k in NYC. A lot of my future colleagues are from mid-level or worse schools.

A couple tips that might help:
-If you choose a lower-level school, it's really important that you get excellent grades.
-You'll have a much better chance if you're applying to a firm that's near your school. So either focus on law schools in the city you want to live in or focus your job search on your law school city.

Re: How much is a degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s)
 

[ QUOTE ]
And here's the real deal, once you get in the door with a position, no one cares about grades and what school you went to. They assume you're smart enough or they wouldn't have hired you.

[/ QUOTE ]

While true, your grades and what school you went to are still important if you want to lateral to another firm (at least if you're a new attorney, 2-4 years out of law school).

Re: How much is a degree from a low level law school worth? (and more
 

Well what is better A mid level school with avg grades or a low level school with great grades (law review, etc)?

Re: How much is a degree from a low level law school worth? (and more
 

"If your reason for wanting to go to law school is to make more money than the average soul, you will be miserable in practice. Pick something you really love to do, then find a way to make money doing it. "

EB,
this is at the crux of question- money is not the most important thing to me but i have always found law somewhat intriguing. it's always felt like i had it backwards and so during college i kind of shut the door on law school (why would i want to put in that kinda of time only to earn the $ that im not really chasing?).

now, a few years removed, having tried a bit of teaching, writing, poker, and general business but i find myself thinking about law school over grad school/any other real world job that has popped up.

all,
what are the options for those who don't jump immediately into a big firm? also, it has been mentioned "grad in the top 5% and youll be great, etc". im sure most people going into school have this intention but things dont always work out that way. what about the people who do well, but not THE best at their uni?

Re: How much is a degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s)
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
And here's the real deal, once you get in the door with a position, no one cares about grades and what school you went to. They assume you're smart enough or they wouldn't have hired you.

[/ QUOTE ]

While true, your grades and what school you went to are still important if you want to lateral to another firm (at least if you're a new attorney, 2-4 years out of law school).

[/ QUOTE ]

They're less important than you might think. The law firm you are currently at is often the biggest factor, plus if you've developed expertise in an unusual area they need. When my wife switched at the 4 year point, grades were never mentioned, but the fact she had worked in a contract position (non-partnership track) for one of the top law firms in the region was all important. That and her specialty area. She interviews very well too. Grades and school may only come into it in a close situation. I've never heard her say any lateral they were considering was dependent on school or grades. Prior big firm experience is usually the big factor.

Re: How much is a degree from a low level law school worth? (and more
 

I'd say that most larger law firms don't look at anyone from outisde the 100 of the US News rankings. Outside the top 20 or so, you'll more likely to get jobs in the metropolitan area of the school than be able to go to NY, DC, Chicago, etc. That said, a large LA law firm will hire top students from local schools like Pepperdine (#88) and Loyola (#65). And SF Bay Area firms hire students from local schools like Santa Clara (#87).

So it depends on what you mean by "mid-level" and "low-level". E.g., to Stanford grads, schools outside the top 10 are "mid-level". (As an aside, I know a guy who transfered from Columbia Law (#4) to go to Yale Law (#1), because he didn't think Columbia was ranked high enough.)

Re: How much is a degree from a low level law school worth? (and more
 

[ QUOTE ]
Well what is better A mid level school with avg grades or a low level school with great grades (law review, etc)?

[/ QUOTE ]

I can only tell you that Wash U. is a pretty good mid-level school and the cut line for them at my wife's firm isn't any lower than any other school. Once you get to an acceptable law school for the firm in question, I think grades are a pretty solid requirement. The only thing going to a better school will get you is more opportunities at bigger national firms. But not having the grades won't be made up for by the higher reputation, unless you're talking Harvard or Yale, where they might cut you a little slack.

Re: How much is a degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s)
 

[ QUOTE ]
This sounds obvious, but WAY too many people don't follow this advice:

Don't go to law school unless you genuinely want to practice law.

If your reason for wanting to go to law school is to make more money than the average soul, you will be miserable in practice. Pick something you really love to do, then find a way to make money doing it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bingo.

I started law school at Wisconsin this year. I actually like it a lot but I know that I am in the right place. I can't imagine someone putting in all that work to become a lawyer and then not want to practice law a year or two down the road.

Have you looked at any clinical programs that law schools offer? I was really pumped about some of the clinical programs that Wisconsin offers so I knew that it was the proper place for me to go. If you aren't interested in lawyer-type work, then I would say do not invest all of the time and money in going to law school.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

[ QUOTE ]
tpf,

If you finish near the top of your class, you'll be able to get a very good job. Maybe not (but possibly) a job at a top firm paying 160k or whatever they pay to new grads, but you'll be able to get a good job and if you do well at that, be able to get a better job.

No idea what the outlook is like for grads from lower/mid schools who don't do that well in school.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you go to one of the mediocre law schools in new york like Fordham, Cardozo, Brooklyn College of Law, and are near the top of your class, you'll have no problem at all getting a standard $160k starting job. I worked at one of those biglaw firms last summer and the summer associate class was full of idiots from those schools. Also a 3.3 gpa with a very good LSAT wouldn't necessarily be fatal at NYU, which would virtually guarantee you one of those gigs. Outside New York is a different story, and you're pretty screwed if you don't go to a top law school. Even people from like UVA have difficulty finding good jobs sometimes (although obv the top of their class does fine).

Re: How much is a degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s)
 

[ QUOTE ]
They're less important than you might think. The law firm you are currently at is often the biggest factor, plus if you've developed expertise in an unusual area they need. When my wife switched at the 4 year point, grades were never mentioned, but the fact she had worked in a contract position (non-partnership track) for one of the top law firms in the region was all important. That and her specialty area. She interviews very well too. Grades and school may only come into it in a close situation. I've never heard her say any lateral they were considering was dependent on school or grades. Prior big firm experience is usually the big factor.

[/ QUOTE ]

It depends on your year. After 5th year or so, no one even asks about grades. But I know a 3rd year who's trying to lateral and she's being rejected from some firms because of grades.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

80 hours a week would be a slow week.

Re: How much is a degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s)
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
They're less important than you might think. The law firm you are currently at is often the biggest factor, plus if you've developed expertise in an unusual area they need. When my wife switched at the 4 year point, grades were never mentioned, but the fact she had worked in a contract position (non-partnership track) for one of the top law firms in the region was all important. That and her specialty area. She interviews very well too. Grades and school may only come into it in a close situation. I've never heard her say any lateral they were considering was dependent on school or grades. Prior big firm experience is usually the big factor.

[/ QUOTE ]

It depends on your year. After 5th year or so, no one even asks about grades. But I know a 3rd year who's trying to lateral and she's being rejected from some firms because of grades.

[/ QUOTE ]

Grades can often be an excuse for other, less PC reasons. Like they checked around her current firm doesn't like her. Actually saying that can get you a libel suit, blaming it on grades is bulletproof. Then there are the usual illegal excuses like sex, weight, age, pregnancy, etc. Again, grades are bulletproof.

Any firm that looks at your grades after you doing three years of real work is probably not a firm you want to work at anyway.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

[ QUOTE ]
Also a 3.3 gpa with a very good LSAT wouldn't necessarily be fatal at NYU

[/ QUOTE ]

IMO it pretty much is fatal (unless you mean like 178+ on LSAT.

With a 3.3 he should focus on killing the LSAT and heading to a good school (BC, Fordham, etc.) Even there it won't be too easy, even with great LSAT.

go to lawschoolnumbers.com....its a site where applicants put in tons of info about their gpa, lsat, etc. and then the results of the application process.


you can put in a bunch of filters to figure out what you need to get on LSAT for a shot at these schools.


Also, check out LSAC's website for another measure.


(WARNING: Don't be encouraged when you see last year 12 people with 3.3 and 170 got into Harvard or something. They are minorities. SO unless you are a minority or know Bush personally, don't plan on getting in.)


EDIT: For NYU, from 05-06 cycle for people with 3.25-3.35 GPA, it says 5 accepted and 28 rejected/waitlisted. Of the 5 accepted, only two specify race and both are minorities. Of those rejected or waitlisted, there are LSAT scores of 179, 174, etc.

I'm not saying don't apply, but don't expect too much.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

the best schools i would probably ever apply to are USD (my under grad) or something Bay Area based. my intial thoughts were just something cheap(er) and easy to get into- Thomas Jefferson (in SD) or National. these were just my initial thoughts.

leaving the west coast is just not happening.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

Whether or not it's worth it for you to go to a lower-level law school really depends on what your goals are. If you want to work at a big firm making 6 figures, like everyone said, it will be an uphill climb. If you're super money-driven, there are probably better ways to go.

I go to a tiny not-well-known law school in Texas. I am near the top of my class, and plan on staying there. I don't really care about money that much though, and will probably work towards being a prosecutor for the state just because it's something I think I would enjoy doing.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Also a 3.3 gpa with a very good LSAT wouldn't necessarily be fatal at NYU

[/ QUOTE ]

IMO it pretty much is fatal (unless you mean like 178+ on LSAT.

With a 3.3 he should focus on killing the LSAT and heading to a good school (BC, Fordham, etc.) Even there it won't be too easy, even with great LSAT.

go to lawschoolnumbers.com....its a site where applicants put in tons of info about their gpa, lsat, etc. and then the results of the application process.


you can put in a bunch of filters to figure out what you need to get on LSAT for a shot at these schools.


Also, check out LSAC's website for another measure.


(WARNING: Don't be encouraged when you see last year 12 people with 3.3 and 170 got into Harvard or something. They are minorities. SO unless you are a minority or know Bush personally, don't plan on getting in.)


EDIT: For NYU, from 05-06 cycle for people with 3.25-3.35 GPA, it says 5 accepted and 28 rejected/waitlisted. Of the 5 accepted, only two specify race and both are minorities. Of those rejected or waitlisted, there are LSAT scores of 179, 174, etc.

I'm not saying don't apply, but don't expect too much.

[/ QUOTE ]

A lot of this depends on where you went to undergrad as well. There are tons of kids from Yale with 174 LSAT's and 3.3 gpa's who get in to all but the top law schools (and if you get even higher than that on the LSAT, all kinds of crazy [censored] starts happening). But if you went to Wake Forest or something, you're pretty [censored] if you don't have a 3.9.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

TPF:

I graduated from USD Law last Spring so I can tell you exactly what to expect if you graduate from there and have a pretty good idea about what you would get from Cal Western and TJ as well.

Some background on my experience at USD. I graduated in top 20%, amjured a couple classes, was on law review, mock trial, moot court, and externed with a bankruptcy judge, district court judge, court of appeal, and the u.s. attorney's office. I was also a research assistant for a professor. All in all I had a pretty solid resume.

Despite my resume, it was a bitch to get interviews at the big firms. Coming from USD you basically need to be in the top 10% if you want a legitimate shot at a big firm, many the top 5%. This is obviously a generalization, but typically true. I actually did get an offer from a 500+ attorney firm in SD - but this was in large part because my mom was friends with one of the partners in the LA office who pushed hard to get me through the door.

The bottom line is that these firms are all about prestige and they care a ton about being able to say where their attorneys went to school and where they were ranked. Rightfully so too, as this profession is much to do with your clout as it does to do with your ability to work - reputation is everything.

With that said, it appears that you are much like me in that you would rather work less hours even if that means less pay. I turned down the big firm and went to a decent sized firm (50 attorneys) where I work way less hours than my counterparts at the big firms. I do make a good sized less money, but I live well and I am very happy. It is also much easier to make partner at these firms and move through the ranks to equity partner for some solid cash. Several people have been made partner within 4-5 years, 7 tops and 2 have been made equity partner in under 9 years.

So that's my story. So here's what I would say to expect going to USD (obviously some of this will change in 3-4 years when you graduate, but probably not too dramatically).

My story is much more fortunate than my fellow classmates who were ranked in the top 30% and below. I think most of my class ranked in about the top 25% or above either had a job before graduation or at least shortly after the bar. Of the remaining 70-75% of my classmates, I would estimate that less than half and maybe as low as 25% of them had jobs immediately after graduation.

And if you don't have a job after graduation it is basically a pain to get a job until you get bar results back. That means you don't even get looked at for jobs until late November. It is now March and I would say that about 35-45% of my friends not in the top 25% of my class still don't have jobs. It may even be higher. And many who do have jobs are doing crap doc review for firms and have no job security at all. Or they are working at small mom and pop shops or nonprofits not making much at all.

If you went to Cal Western or TJ then you can probably double to quadruple the difficulty for getting jobs. It is proabably actually worse as I think the BAR passage rate is like 35-40%. USD's bar passage rate is around 80%.

In short, getting a job from the middle or low tiered schools can be a bitch unless you do pretty darn well. This doesn't mean that these people won't get jobs, but it is much harder, you have to wait much longer, and you have very limited choices.

The bottom line is that the legal market is getting more and more competitive as there are more and more people becoming lawyers. I think it is a teriffic field and abosolutely loved law school and love my job, but it is not getting any easier.

USD was a great place to go to school as far as professors, fellow classmates, and location go. But it requires you to do really well if you want to have some say in where you work.

This post is super long as is, pm me if you have any questions relating the application process, getting in to the school, or any other thoughts on law school and getting jobs afterwards.

good luck!

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

[ QUOTE ]
the best schools i would probably ever apply to are USD (my under grad) or something Bay Area based. my intial thoughts were just something cheap(er) and easy to get into- Thomas Jefferson (in SD) or National. these were just my initial thoughts.

leaving the west coast is just not happening.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you go to TJ or Cooley, gl getting a job.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
the best schools i would probably ever apply to are USD (my under grad) or something Bay Area based. my intial thoughts were just something cheap(er) and easy to get into- Thomas Jefferson (in SD) or National. these were just my initial thoughts.

leaving the west coast is just not happening.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you go to TJ or Cooley, gl getting a job.

[/ QUOTE ]

hence the thread title?

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
the best schools i would probably ever apply to are USD (my under grad) or something Bay Area based. my intial thoughts were just something cheap(er) and easy to get into- Thomas Jefferson (in SD) or National. these were just my initial thoughts.

leaving the west coast is just not happening.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you go to TJ or Cooley, gl getting a job.

[/ QUOTE ]

hence the thread title?

[/ QUOTE ]


well you are being so useful, like 10 people have said that your GPA needs to be viewed in light of your undergrad, and you still havent said where you went.

Here is the straight answer on what you are looking for

Top 25 Law School: Definitely worth it, you'll make a ton and have choices come job time as long as you are in top half.

25-100: If you want to go to law school and work hard, definitely worth it. You have a shot at big law and can get a great job if you do well.

Tier 2/3: Be prepared to not get a big paying job and have some struggles in the job market. Don't even think about leaving the area where your school is located. Only go if you are sure you want to be a lawyer and are willing to accept struggle.

Bottom of the Barrel (Cooley, Roger Williams): Unless your uncle is partner at a firm, don't waste your money going to a diploma factory. You will end up $100K in debt and be worse off for having attended law school. Unless you finish #1 in your class, google "how to file for bankruptcy" immediately.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

im not sure why youre being such a [censored] all of the sudden but, uh, my undergrad is right there in what you responded to.

the best schools i would probably ever apply to are USD (my under grad)

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

[ QUOTE ]
im not sure why youre being such a [censored] all of the sudden but, uh, my undergrad is right there in what you responded to.

the best schools i would probably ever apply to are USD (my under grad)

[/ QUOTE ]

ummmm....uhhhh.....must have been the space between under and grad that confused me. lol.

my apologies.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

[ QUOTE ]
typical firm will consider people for partnership after 8 years, but its going to be hard at most places. partners of course make the big money, but generally not as much as 1.1 mil for a junior partner. the other perk of being partner is working less hours too. to some extent, the associates do all the work while the partners go home , but of course this will vary too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Quite frankly, this is one of the silliest statements in this thread. Trust me, as a partner in a law firm, you work exponentially harder compared to when you were an associate.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

TPF:

I graduated with SackUp in the Spring but had a somewhat different experience. After a tough first semester, I graduated exactly in the middle of the class. I didn't get on a journal, and I didn't do mock trial or moot court because I have no desire to do litigation. I had jobs at small time law offices through most of school but am now having a hell of a time finding anything permanent.

Part of this is because the only type of law i've ever wanted to practice is transactional entertainment law, which as you can imagine is pretty hard to get your foot in the door with. But part of my trouble has been that the job market is pretty lousy, especially in san diego, unless you went to a great school or performed pretty damn well where you went.

I would say that even now, 9 months after graduation and 6 months after getting bar results back, about half of my friends don't have full time jobs that they are happy with and aren't actively looking for something else/better. Right now i'm doing document review and playing poker just to pay the bills. I'm moving to (hopefully) greener pastures up in LA in the next couple months when my wife is done with school. The market, especially for what i want to do, is much better in LA.

The best advise i could give someone in my situation would be to have a good amount of savings before ever starting school because unless your grades rock the house big time, there is a good chance that you won't find anything for a while and will have to take the first thing that comes along whether or not it makes you miserable.

All that being said, i'm very glad that I went, just wish that I would have known to do a few things different along the way. If you have any more specific questions pm me.

Good Luck.

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

You can go to a bad school and then transfer to a good school if you excel. I met a couple of people who transfered in from bad schools to my school (they all went to Teir 4s)

Re: How much is degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s
 

tier 4's?

IT CAN BE WORTH $17 MILLION
 

JUST UNFREEZE THE NETELLER MONEY FOR US, WE'LL GIVE YOU A THIRD.

Re: How much is a degree from a low level law school worth? (and more ?s)
 

Anyone,

Let's say someone wanted to just start a private practice (be an ambulance chaser, do wills, etc..) Forget the amount of hours per week or pay level. Does anything matter other than being admitted to the bar?