Best regional schools based on job market?

[HemingwaysGhost]

Looking for a little advice on which schools to apply to, with an eye for which markets would be good to enter...

LSAT 159

I calculated my GPA at 3.08.

LSAC hasn't received my transcripts yet so I don't know if they calculate it a little differently. I am planning on adding an addendum noting that I failed a computer science course my sophomore year (taught myself to program in middle school, but the algorithms were out of my league) and received a D in an astronomy course the next semester, but showed an upward grade trend with a 4.0 my final semester. I also will have four years work experience by the time I start school and I'm hoping that is viewed favorably.

Planning on applying to:
University of Houston, South Texas College of Law, University of Texas (very longshot,I figure) Texas Tech, Rutgers-Newark and maybe University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (probably a longshot?)

What I'm wondering is what are some schools that may not be highly regarded on a national level, but that are highly regarded within regions that have a decent market for attorneys right now that I should also consider.

Any advice is highly appreciated,
Thanks!

[vap]

TX resident?  Not much better than UH or Texas Tech.

AZ state might be an option, but non-resident tuition makes this choice worse than UH or Tech, IMO.

[Matthies]

Your best bet for regional schools is to look for a school in a reasonably large city w/o too much competition. This gives you plenty of networking opportunities in the local legal community, chances for you to get involved and chances for you to meet working lawyers and judges who can help you find jobs. If you go to school in BFE you have to rely on OCI or mass mailing. You will also likely have to move over the summers to larger town to get some experience.

My advice choose your school based on the place you want to work and the size of the legal market. Its much easier to get jobs when your local and can intern, clerk or volunteer both over the summers and your third year.

Houston fits the bill. I go to Denver, and while we have CU just up the road that is ranked much higher, DU dominates the Denver market because we are local (thus can get jobs year round while in school w/o the commute) and we have 3x as many students as CU. I’m 5 mins from the county, state and federal courthouses and can be at any networking function from my house in 10 mins from school in 20. I have a weekly breakfast with several judges and lawyers and I go to Bar association lunches, and am a student member of an Inn of the court. Being local means I know more lawyers than law students now, which makes the job search MUCH easier.

When you’re looking local who you know beats where you go.

[nealric]

I think UH fits the bill perfectly. Houston is the largest city in the US without a T20 law school. It's by FAR the largest city without a T50. In fact, if you look at the AMlaw placement ratings, I'm pretty sure it is the top placing T2 in the U.S. for large law firms.

[Matthies]

I think UH fits the bill perfectly. Houston is the largest city in the US without a T20 law school. It's by FAR the largest city without a T50. In fact, if you look at the AMlaw placement ratings, I'm pretty sure it is the top placing T2 in the U.S. for large law firms.

I think ASU in Phoenix is anouther solid bet

[HemingwaysGhost]

I think UH fits the bill perfectly.

That's what I've been thinking. I'm just looking for some alternatives just in case. Do you think my score/gpa/etc. will give me a decent shot at UH?

[Matthies]

I think UH fits the bill perfectly.

That's what I've been thinking. I'm just looking for some alternatives just in case. Do you think my score/gpa/etc. will give me a decent shot at UH?

Maybe, if you have the option apply for both FT and PT to better your odds