There is no way to tell for sure, as it is entirely possible (although very unlikely) that enough people got straight A's and enough people got straight C's to make 3.89 outside the top 10%, however I think this is pretty unlikely. As far as jobs you are not allowed to say you are in the top 10% until you get the GPA cutoff's for this semester from your school, however you can look your school up on http://www.nalplawschoolsonline.org/ and then look under the "MINIMUM GRADE REQUIRED TO ATTAIN (Based on May 2006 graduation class)" section on the profile in order to find out what the cutoff for graduation in a certain percentile was last year. It is my understanding that law school curves 'loosen up' at alot of schools after 1L, as people figure out what test format they are good at, some people give up, others take classes known to be easier, etc... Having said this I think you can discount the "top 10% gpa cutoff for graduation" a little and your semester cutoff is likely to be slightly lower then that.
Congratulations on the excellent grades and the start on a successful path through school. Care to share what you think made the difference for you?
A couple of things I did this semester that i think helped:
-I attended every class and never missed a reading (pretty straightforward, but you'll be amazed how people put themselves behind the eight-ball by falling behind.)
-I took notes on every reading assignment on my laptop and briefed every case (people often tell 1L's not to brief cases, but it was helpful to me.)
-A big factor for me was that was happy in the environment I was in and was cool with all of my classmates. The environment was surprisingly relaxed and laid back, even during exams (some people experiences differed)
-I made sure to go out on weekends and maintain a healthy balance of fun and work.
-I actively participated in class discussions.
-I formed a study group with people that were not only smart but that I enjoyed being around.
-Flashcards, flashcards, flashcards
-I took lots of practice tests
-I did a vast majority of my studying at home rather than at the library.
-Whatever you do, don't get caught up in the petty law school drama that tends to flare up (DO NOT HOOK UP WITH YOUR CLASSMATES UNLESS YOU GENUINELY WANT TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM)
These things worked for me, and may not work for everyone. Also, I may have gotten lucky this semester so don't take my advice as gospel.