Transferring down

[jrm_30]

Greetings forum members.  I am for financial reasons considering transferring from a school ranked in the 80's in upstate NY to a state school out west that is not ranked.
Is the tuition savings (100k for two years vs. 30k for two years) worth any loss of networking, employment prospects after graduation?  I had originally come to law school with illusions of a future in international law, but I see now that neither school offers great potential for that type of career.  I also have an interest in environmental law and the state school supposedly has a well known (regionally?) program in natural resources.  I am scared to death of the possibility that employment prospects will be unimproved in the next two years and multiplying my debt by two or three makes me want to run from NY and/or law school all together.
Any thoughts?

Thanks.

[FalconJimmy]

Is the school out West in an area where you might like to live/practice after graduation?

[jrm_30]

Not necessarily, though I would prefer it to upstate NY.  Here's another question if you have time, I'm doing a public interest internship and am wondering if I chose a career on that path would my school's ranking matter as much.  If decided to come back to the NE as a public interest lawyer, would it matter that I finished at a state school in the Rocky Mtns?

[kjw5029]

I think outside of the top law schools, you are much more likely to be hired regionally.  I have no experience with this, but I've heard it just about everywhere I've asked.  Outside the T14, location should be the number one priority I think (and not ranking).