Law School

[Anonymous]

DC (at GMU) wants to go to GMU Law School. I have zero knowledge about Law School and the only discussions I have seen are on DCUM (about top law schools). All discussions seem to imply that it is 'top school or bust'. Is GMU Law worth it? Where do GMU Law students end up? What kid of jobs do they get?

[Anonymous]

Some people cannot comprehend that 99% of people are not in the top 1%.

[Anonymous]

Ignore the “top or bust” people. GMU is fine and your kid will get a job.

[Anonymous]

It is all related to your child's professional ambitions. Law encompasses many types of opportunities, and some require certain academic credentials while others do not.

GMU is not a top-tier law school, the type largely required for students who would like to have federal clerkships, want to work for very large and prestigious law firms, who want to work for the DOJ, or in-house in large companies, or who want to be law professors. It is fine for students who want to aim for employment at smaller firms, in local or state government, or for "law-adjacent" roles such as in law enforcement, where graduation from a top law school is not a prerequisite for consideration.

Of course, even at a mid-level institution, the better the student's academic performance, the more and relatively better professional opportunities will be potentially available upon graduation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is all related to your child's professional ambitions. Law encompasses many types of opportunities, and some require certain academic credentials while others do not.

GMU is not a top-tier law school, the type largely required for students who would like to have federal clerkships, want to work for very large and prestigious law firms, who want to work for the DOJ, or in-house in large companies, or who want to be law professors. It is fine for students who want to aim for employment at smaller firms, in local or state government, or for "law-adjacent" roles such as in law enforcement, where graduation from a top law school is not a prerequisite for consideration.

Of course, even at a mid-level institution, the better the student's academic performance, the more and relatively better professional opportunities will be potentially available upon graduation.

This is key to understand. Law schools normally grade on a curve, which can be more severe at lower-ranking schools. Many lower-ranking schools entice high LSAT/GPA students with scholarships that have a GPA requirement. Thus, even at lower ranking schools, it may not be so easy to finish near the top of your class. Finishing in the middle of the pack or lower at a lower-ranking school may mean that you are never able to find a job as a practicing lawyer - or at least it may take you many years to network into one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is all related to your child's professional ambitions. Law encompasses many types of opportunities, and some require certain academic credentials while others do not.

GMU is not a top-tier law school, the type largely required for students who would like to have federal clerkships, want to work for very large and prestigious law firms, who want to work for the DOJ, or in-house in large companies, or who want to be law professors. It is fine for students who want to aim for employment at smaller firms, in local or state government, or for "law-adjacent" roles such as in law enforcement, where graduation from a top law school is not a prerequisite for consideration.

Of course, even at a mid-level institution, the better the student's academic performance, the more and relatively better professional opportunities will be potentially available upon graduation.

You are wrong. Scalia Law is now ranked 28 out of 196 law schools reviewed. It gives merit. Also four grads have clerked on scotus

[Anonymous]

It has risen through the ranks, but it’s far from top tier. If your kid finishes in the top 10% there, they’ll do fine. Four is not a lot of clerks.

[Anonymous]

Is your child very conservative and looking to thrive in conservative legal circles? Then Scalia is not a bad place. And four clerks is a lot. Some very extablished law schools that produce a lot of BigLaw partners and place a lot of students at the District Court and Circuit Court have fewer than four over much longer periods of time. But its four clerks who are presumably active in the Federalist Society and looking to clerk for a conservative Judge or Justice. Again, if that what sonone is looking for, it has really strengthened its brand in that area.

[Anonymous]

GMU has risen a lot in the rankings recently. Also have DC look into their 3+3 law school program. Seems like a great idea if attending undergrad there plus you end up within their zone stats-wise. If DC ends up with super high undergrad GPA/LSAT then should probably aim higher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It has risen through the ranks, but it’s far from top tier. If your kid finishes in the top 10% there, they’ll do fine. Four is not a lot of clerks.

Four Supreme court clerks. 51 federal clerks a year. That's very impressive. https://www.law.gmu.edu/news/2024/third_scalia_law_graduate_since_2021_selected_as_scotus_clerk

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It has risen through the ranks, but it’s far from top tier. If your kid finishes in the top 10% there, they’ll do fine. Four is not a lot of clerks.

Four Supreme court clerks. 51 federal clerks a year. That's very impressive. https://www.law.gmu.edu/news/2024/third_scalia_law_graduate_since_2021_selected_as_scotus_clerk

No, not impressive at all. It's more indicative of the politicization of the judiciary that so many are coming from a non-top tier school. It's the same reason that Liberty and Regent suddenly became so successful at placing graduates in DC during the Trump years...

[Anonymous]

GMU law is a perfectly fine law school. In fact, ANY law school can lead to a pretty decent career. The vast majority of lawyers will not be big law.

I know plenty of attys who have gone to "no name" schools that have either established their own firms or landed great jobs. You can get out of it wha you put in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It has risen through the ranks, but it’s far from top tier. If your kid finishes in the top 10% there, they’ll do fine. Four is not a lot of clerks.

Four Supreme court clerks. 51 federal clerks a year. That's very impressive. https://www.law.gmu.edu/news/2024/third_scalia_law_graduate_since_2021_selected_as_scotus_clerk

No, not impressive at all. It's more indicative of the politicization of the judiciary that so many are coming from a non-top tier school. It's the same reason that Liberty and Regent suddenly became so successful at placing graduates in DC during the Trump years...

Sad but true.

[Anonymous]

I worked in a Biglaw firm in DC after law school. I went to Penn but my starting class at my law firm included a student from GW, American and Catholic Law (in addition to Georgetown, Michigan and ivy leagues). There may be slightly more pressure to get high grades at GW law to get a good placement, but I recall our firm in DC recruited from all the local law schools in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I worked in a Biglaw firm in DC after law school. I went to Penn but my starting class at my law firm included a student from GW, American and Catholic Law (in addition to Georgetown, Michigan and ivy leagues). There may be slightly more pressure to get high grades at GW law to get a good placement, but I recall our firm in DC recruited from all the local law schools in DC.

Same. It clearly helps to attend the highest-ranked law school possible, but the “T-14 or bust” crowd here is over the top.