Randy, is your dad paying for school?
If you want to stay where you are, I would try to milk a full ride or close to it out of the tier 4. Tell them you're thinking of transferring and that money is an issue. See what they say.
Biglaw is no guarantee if you move to WashU, but I'm sure you already know that. Clerking probably depends a lot on how well you do at WashU or if you stay, how well you continue to do at your current school. Not being on law review at the tier 4 will probably hurt a bit for clerking prospects if you stay there.
No matter what you do, working for your dad is a nice backup to have. The job market is really bad and it's nice to have that option open.
Are you considering any other schools? Is your GF in law school. If so, she might be able to move closer to you if you go to WashU as a visiting student in your third year. Making friends as a transfer isn't a big deal, but your friends will likely be other transfers b/c you don't have a 1L section bond when you come in as a transfer.
While what your dad said about no one caring where you went to school after a few years is true to an extent, having a name brand school on your resume has benefits even when you have established yourself as an atty. Particularly if you want to move into certain types of jobs down the line, like federal government.
I am in a similar situation minus law review/top 15%. The T4 school recently awarded me with a 5k scholarship. I got into Washington University in St. Louis and WASH U will cost about 10k more.
(1) I like the T4's city; (2) I made a few good friends/plus a GF; (3) I could live in the T4 city for a couple years. I don't really care for big law but I hate having to explain my current school and am interested in clerking. I went to a unknown name school for undergrad.
My dad is an attorney and I could work for him as a backup plan. My dad thinks I should stay at the T4 because "[your] doing so well there and you have good friends." He also said that "after a couple years, no one cares what law school you went to." I would have to agree that your performance is what matters. My dad went to a different T4 school and he has hired people from T1s.
I just visited Wash U and I like it, but I am torn between the two. Any suggestions?