St. Thomas vs Hamline

[0LinMN]

I'm trying to decide between Hamline and St. Thomas in MN for law school next year. I've receiveed full scholarships to both school and don't know which is better.  I'm thinking of studying intellectual property or health law, I know that Hamline has a health law institute, but does not have a good intellectual property program.  I just found out about UST and don't know much about the school. (I've also been accepted to WM, but didn't receive a scholarship.

[Ninja1]

Other options?

[MSP1]

So Hamline and St. Thomas both gave you full scholarships, but you got nothing from William Mitchell?     What happened there?

Two things:

1.  Tell William Mitchell about your offer from UST.  See if they're willing to offer something.
2.  William Mitchell does great work in IP.

The U.S. Patent & Tradmemark Office chose William Mitchell--based upon the strength of its IP curriculum--as one of six schools to participate in its pilot program allowing law students to practice before the agency.

http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/speeches/08-28.htm

You'd be working primarily with Ken Port and Jay Erstling.  Port is a two-time Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Tokyo University, a consultant to the Jordanian government on unfair competition and trade secret legislation, and a winner of the Ladas Memorial Award (given in recognition of the best scholarly article on IP in the world).  Erstling is a former advisor to the Director General of the UN's World Intellectual Property Organization and the former Director of the Patent Cooperation Treaty, both in Geneva. 

There's a lot more, but it'd be easier for you to just read about it yourself.  Check it out on William Mitchell's website:

http://wmitchell.edu/intellectual-property/

Hope that helps.

[NMUZ]

MSP1 will tell you to choose WM at full price over both St. Thomas or Hamline because he goes there.  I will vote for St. Thomas, because I also had to choose between Hamline and St. Thomas, I visited and made an easy decision

[NMUZ]

http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,4017970.0.html

This is a link to a thread that I started a while back contemplating the same issue at hand

[JurisdDoctor33]

MSP1 will tell you to choose WM at full price over both St. Thomas or Hamline because he goes there.  I will vote for St. Thomas, because I also had to choose between Hamline and St. Thomas, I visited and made an easy decision

If you want to do IP, you need to look at nalpdirectory.com at check which IP firms recruit at the two schools you are looking at.  There are about 7 more firms that recruit at Mitchell for IP as opposed to either Hamline or UST.  Something to consider, but if you really want to do IP, then check with all the schools.  NMUZ will tell you to choose UST, because he is going there...but he's not from around the metro area and he's never applied for a legal job yet.  I do go to Mitchell, but I am a 2L who is headed to BigLaw, and I have a lot of experience.  With that being said, I would place very little stock in my opinion as well.  Instead call the schools, ask for a list of IP firms that actively recruit from there, ask about their IP classes, and choose the one you are most comfortable with.  However, just to clarify, if you are set on either UST or Hamline, hands down you need to go to UST!!!! 

[MSP1]

It's good to see that this new thread is bringing some old friends back together. 

Despite what NMUZ says, I won't demand that you go to William Mitchell at sticker when your other options are UST or Hamline for free (and I'm an alumnus, not a current student).  Having been a practicing lawyer in the real world for a couple years, I understand that getting a full scholarship is a significant inducement.  However, based upon your preference for practice area, I think William Mitchell deserves consideration.  Everything I said earlier about the school's IP program is true--the Intellectual Property Institute is a serious initiative designed to attract the best and brightest.  They established an IP clinic last year and will have an IP LL.M. by the time you graduate.  I just don't think the subject is as much on the radar of the other two schools. 

       

[NMUZ]

If the leaked rankings are true, and I believe them to be, congrats to WM for getting into the 3rd tier.  Sorry to Hamline for dropping to the 4th tier (even though I don't think anyone cares), and UST stays put in the 3rd tier.

The way I see this dilemna for the OP is that between Hamline and UST I would choose UST (bias aside, I made the decision a month ago).  But then can the WM people actually recommend going to WM at sticker price over going to UST for free?

[JurisdDoctor33]

If the leaked rankings are true, and I believe them to be, congrats to WM for getting into the 3rd tier.  Sorry to Hamline for dropping to the 4th tier (even though I don't think anyone cares), and UST stays put in the 3rd tier.

The way I see this dilemna for the OP is that between Hamline and UST I would choose UST (bias aside, I made the decision a month ago).  But then can the WM people actually recommend going to WM at sticker price over going to UST for free?

You are right, it is almost a no brainer to choose UST for free as opposed to Mitchell at sticker.  But with this being said, the area of IP is highly specialized, and several of the IP firms only recruit at the U and WM, so this might be something to consider if the OP truly wants to do IP.  However, if the OP wants to do health law, or anything else, then again, UST is the right choice with a full ride! 

Also, I knew WM would move into third tier , but where did you find the leaked rankings for third and fourth tiers?

[NMUZ]

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=69258&start=575