UNLV vs Rutgers-Camden vs LSU?

[1Lin09hopeful]

Hi All,

Been accepted to Rutgers-Camden, LSU, and UNLV, each with a scholarship so that tuition costs are practically the same across all. For background, I'm an east coaster, but could see myself living in Vegas for quite a while post-graduation, and potentially Baton Rouge too. Would definitely live in the schools location for at least a few years post-grad, but probably coming back to the east coast/mid-atlantic/new england area eventually.

I have my own list of pros and cons for each school, but would love to hear what you guys think of these three choices. Where would you pick and why?

Thanks!

...no longer a "hopeful"...I'll be a 1L somewhere in 09!

[Matthies]

Just something to consider a law degree is not that portable. You will either need to take the bar in that new state or practice for seven years or so in another state with reprcority. What I mean is if you work 10 years in one state most of your connections are going to be in that state, meaning your much more valuable in that state than in one where you have no connections.

Does that mean you’re forever stuck in Las Vegas, no, but it means starting over from scratch in a new city. You won’t be as valuable to a firm there as someone who has connections already. There are plenty of lawyers with ten years of experience, but those with experience AND connections in the local state will get the jobs. Of course you could start your own practice too. So go to school where you see yourself settling down for the long haul. Preferably in a city with a decent sized legal market so you can make connections while in school.

[Ninja1]

UNLV or LSU, depending on where you'd rather work.

[1Lin09hopeful]

Thanks for the opinions! Matthies, good points. I knew I would need to stay in the schools area for a while to work, but hadn't thought about the difficulty of moving after that. Good things to think about.

Ninjal, what made you rule out Rutgers-Camden?

Thanks!

[horang]

If you're a east coaster and will most likely be back there.. I'd say Rutgers-Camden.

[Matthies]

Thanks for the opinions! Matthies, good points. I knew I would need to stay in the schools area for a while to work, but hadn't thought about the difficulty of moving after that. Good things to think about.

Ninjal, what made you rule out Rutgers-Camden?

Thanks!

It’s a big issue, and one I did not realize until I started meeting working lawyers and judges. The legal community is very tight nit, everyone knows everyone else. Your rep is key, and will be why clients come to you. You will need to know the judges and what arguments work in front of them and what don’t. You’ll learn about the other people who practice the same law as you and might be opposing council, like if lawyer X says this is a firm offer he means it, or if he usually bluffs on settlement price. Clients will come to you because you know people, your connections will be key. If you do regulatory law and you know everyone in agency Y what makes them tick your extremely valuable to a client going in front of that board.

Moving away you lose all those connections that make you more valuable than just knowing what the law is in state Z. This is also KEY to be successful law students, if you understand that connections mean everything in law you can start making connection while in law school by joining the local bar association and an Inn of the court and getting involved outside of school.  I’m in my final year of law school now, and I now have more friends who are lawyers and judges who can help me land jobs than I do fellow law students. Getting involved in the legal community from day one is key, most law students won’t do this, but if you do you will have a huge advantage over them come job search time. This is hands down the BEST way to find a job coming out of a none top 25 school. Get and read Guerilla Tactics to Getting the Law Job of your Dreams by Kim Walton, it will give you a good head start on what I am talking about.

[Ninja1]

Thanks for the opinions! Matthies, good points. I knew I would need to stay in the schools area for a while to work, but hadn't thought about the difficulty of moving after that. Good things to think about.

Ninjal, what made you rule out Rutgers-Camden?

Thanks!

I have a strong anti-NJ bias (though the Devils are my favorite hockey team... oddly).

Plus, as a more rational point, Rutgers is in the most competitive market on Earth saturated with grads from the best schools and the best grads from other schools. LSU and UNLV, on the other hand, are in substantially less competitive markets.

[remiz22]

Hi All,

Been accepted to Rutgers-Camden, LSU, and UNLV, each with a scholarship so that tuition costs are practically the same across all. For background, I'm an east coaster, but could see myself living in Vegas for quite a while post-graduation, and potentially Baton Rouge too. Would definitely live in the schools location for at least a few years post-grad, but probably coming back to the east coast/mid-atlantic/new england area eventually.

I have my own list of pros and cons for each school, but would love to hear what you guys think of these three choices. Where would you pick and why?

Thanks!

...no longer a "hopeful"...I'll be a 1L somewhere in 09!

If you want to position yourself with a decent chance to work on the East Coast, you should go to Rutgers.

[botbot]

Has to be Rutgers-C given your East Coast goals.


Although if early career placement ($$$) was a priority - UNLV.

[dagreat1]

come on your east coast, stay with rutgers.