U of Minnesota vs. UC Hastings

[Tintan]

Which law school has a better reputation in Los Angeles?

[reez]

I know nothing about LA, but I know the answer to your question is Hastings.  As a general rule: if you're outside the top 10, the local school is always going to have the better rep.  I know Hastings is in SF, but I think the rule still applies.

Advice you didn't ask for: Minnesota's higher ranking gives you a better shot at Biglaw.  But it's incredibly marginal.  So if you want to work in LA, you need to go to a California school so you'll be nearer the relevant small- and midlaw firms.  (Ideally, you should pick an LA school.  I'd try to talk you into it, but it's 2010 and you're considering going to a T40 law school, so I assume that you're impervious to sound logic and rational thought.)

[Tintan]

Great answer!

How about U of Minnesota with a $15,000 scholarship vs. Loyola (LA) with no scholarship?...assuming I'd like to end up in LA.

[mbw]

I had to make this decision last year.  Wasn't an easy one.  Good luck!

[reez]

Great answer!

How about U of Minnesota with a $15,000 scholarship vs. Loyola (LA) with no scholarship?...assuming I'd like to end up in LA.

I don't know the answer to that one.  I think your goal should be to minimize your debt as much as possible--the job market sucks and will continue to suck, and the paying back 150k of loans on a 60k salary sounds terrible.  But at the same time, Minnesota really does handicap your ability to get back to LA.  Then again, Loyola's job prospects are (reportedly) truly terrible.

I don't know, man.  Your options aren't terrific, to be honest.

[bigs5068]

Oh my GOD! Loyola's job prospects are not terrible, you are an idiot for even saying that. People baffle me on this website by talking trash about schools they know nothing about, people get jobs from any ABA school. I worked for Cooley Grads who were doing quite well for themselves.

To the OP if you want to end up in L.A. then go to school in L.A. and don't get caught up in the rankings. The rankings are total B.S. law school is what you make of it.  It sounds like you want to end up in L.A. so go to school in L.A. it as simple as that. Even if you don't get into USC or UCLA there are some really good schools such as Loyola, or Pepperdine which is honestly the most gorgeous campus of all time that you get inot. You could even get a full ride at Southwestern or Chapman. Honestly if your goal is to be an attorney in L.A. then go to school in L.A.

[reez]

Honestly if your goal is to be an attorney in L.A. then go to school in L.A.

If his goal is to be an attorney in LA, he could probably get a degree online.

If his goal is to have a lucrative legal career reflective of the terrific amounts of time & money he'll invest in a JD, then he should choose a law school at which his probability of securing a high-paying associateship is maximized.  This requires a more nuanced approach than, "I know guys who went to Cooley and got rich!"  I assume I don't need to explain how absurd that sort of reasoning is.

[petermharrington]

I don't doubt that there are successful Cooley grads out there.  But they entered a much different job market than at present.  It's a saturated market with a never ending supply of new JDs. 

No offense but you need to withhold your opinion until you test the waters yourself in the real world.  You may find that it's not as promising as you may have hoped.

[Jamie Stringer]

Great answer!

How about U of Minnesota with a $15,000 scholarship vs. Loyola (LA) with no scholarship?...assuming I'd like to end up in LA.

The answer is: use the U of M scholarship as leverage with Loyola to get some money.

[bigs5068]

Certain it is a tougher market, but people make it. My point about the Cooley grads was to not worry about rankings, they are just U.S. News subjective opinon of schools based on god knows what. If this person wants to live in L.A. then they should go to school in L.A.  I was born and raised in L.A. and worked for O'Melveny & Myers a huge international firm headquartered in L.A. Guess what geographical location most of the lawyers that work in the L.A. office went to school in.  BIG SHCOCKER L.A. most of the lawyers at the L.A. office went Pepperdine, Loyola, Chapman, UCLA, USC, and actually a lot went to Southwestern.

Maybe I was to harsh by calling someone an idiot I apologize for that, but my point is if you want to live in a certain location then go to school there. Think of it this way if this person goes to Minnesota or Hastings and they want to work in L.A. for their 1L or 2L summer to make a connections, how are they are going to interview? It will be a pain in the ass particuarly if they are in Minnesota. With 10 law schools in L.A. and 20 in California do you really think L.A. firms are looking to the midwest for graduates? The person will have to fly out on their own dime for interview pay for a hotel room and even if they get hired find a new place in L.A. under time pressure which is pretty difficult to do on a month to month basis, because most landlords want years leases out there. Then YOU MUST HAVE A CAR TO LIVE IN LA so they have to drive cross country if they even have a car, or buy one in L.A. then what do they do with it after the summer is over? Then god forbid before they get hired the firms wants them to have a second or third interview three country trips will hit your wallet pretty hard. 

Hastings is closer, but Hastings Grads work in San Francisco. Obviously, some leave, but the point is firms in L.A. are not going to scour the country when they have multiple law schools at their doorstep.  If this person really desires to live and work in L.A. then they should go to school in L.A. On top of that if they want to live in is L.A. then live there now, why wait three years to move to the city you want to live in.

As a sidenote about Hastings it is kind of in the Ghetto I actually just picked up my girlfriend from the BART last night and Hastings was right next to it, it is shocking how shady it is just two blocks from the school. It is a GREAT SCHOOL though I am not taking anything away from it, just in a bad neighborhood.