course selection

[Question]

Aside from the 1L courses, what courses should all law students graduate with, regardless of what type of law they go into?  What do the large law firms like to see?

[Boxergirl]

take courses related to what you want to go into...and also, check with whatever state you plan to take the BAR in, and find out what courses they test on...and take classes in those areas. You can always learn the substantive law on any topic in the future on your own...The key is to pass the bar, and to master writing and research.  Though I personally am not going to do this, because I can't imagine any hell worse, it would be VERY impressive for you to take advanced courses in legal research and writing...

[rapunzel]

I agree that bar courses are a good idea.  I want that part of my life to go as smoothly as possible, so seems like the easiest thing to do is hammer out a reasonable number of bar courses.

That being said, professors matter a lot.  My tax prof (a bar course, and required at my school) causes me indigestion if not worse every class.  Also testing methodology.  I'm bad at objective, good at essays.  Knowing that I'll pick classes according to how I will be tested.  Also if you can do an externship for credit that can be a good boost to your resume and teach you how to actually write a memo.

[dcbargirl]

I don't think taking a bunch of bar classes makes any difference, you're certainly not going to remember the black letter from 2 years ago when you're studying for the bar and you don't need to, everyone takes barbri. Take some or all of the basics - evidence, corporations, criminal law/procedure, tax, constitutional law II, and then take things you are interested in. You can learn family law when you're studying for barbri, but you'll likely never have the opportunity to learn Islamic law, literature and the law, film first amendment law, law and national security, history of jurisprudence, animal law, etc again. 

I know plenty of people who didn't take more than 1 or 2 bar classes and got biglaw jobs, clerkships, and passed the bar.

[lincolnsgrandson]

I agree that you don't have to focus on classes that are bar-friendly; most graduates pass the bar regardless.
But avoid softballs like "law and literature" unless you're one of the chosen who finished their first year in the top 10-15%.  Your transcript will not look good under scrutiny if you take crap like that.

Take corporations your second year, and evidence.

[lipper]

corporations, evidence, crim pro, tax, trusts and estates - these are musts by the time u graduate.