Which law school?

[Anonymous]

I teach at a top 25 law school, OP. with those choices, take Emory with the $$.

[Anonymous]

So many people HATE law school and/or law practice once they get there, and by hate I mean their lives are absolute misery and real depression sinks in, and by "so many people" I mean ones who thought they 150% wanted to go to law school and be a lawyer. You may not be one of these people, but it is impossible to know in advance. I say this because if you go the Duke route and end up miserable, you cannot change your path until you've paid the loans, and you cannot pay the loans unless you stick out the law job for years to make enough to pay them off. If you go the Emory route and are grossly unhappy during or after law school, you can so easily walk away and start over. The value of that freedom would be higher to me than the value of the Duke name on your diploma.

[Anonymous]

I would guess that sticker at Duke these days has you coming out owing damn near 200k. You better hope you get biglaw. Then you will toil the next few years paying down the debt. By the time you are done with that and have banked a modest amount of money, there is a pretty good chance you will be pushed out of biglaw into a lower-paying job (anywhere from $100-150k).

At least if you go to Emory and don't owe that much, you can bank the fuck out of cash during your time in biglaw.

And if you were offered a 2-year ride at Emory, it would be shocking to me if you weren't near the top of your class and had no trouble scoring a biglaw summer gig. Shit, bank that money and a good % of your debt for your third year is taken care of.

This is a no-brainer. My answer would be different if this were H, Y or S vs Emory.

[Anonymous]

Totally Emory. I think many BigLaw firms recruit there, and if you do really well, they'll be interested. And you can be less of a slave without the debt...

[Anonymous]

I'm a big proponent, generally, of going to a top school, because the legal market SUCKS and law school pedigree matters so much. Also, I think people often have this idea that they'll go to a less prestigious school and do really well, which would put them in a similar place as being in the middle at a better school. But the thing is that all schools have a lot of very bright people, and there are no guarantees on how you'll do, especially since so much of your career options are determined after just the first year.

That said, I don't think there's enough difference between Emory and Duke to justify the cost. This is especially the case if you don't have your heart set on big law, and I'd also factor in how you feel about staying in Atlanta.

Btw, my advice would be different if it was H, Y, S, and probably Columbia and Chicago, and perhaps NYU. And UVA, because everyone I know that went there freaking LOVED it.

-HLS grad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you just name the schools?

Duke vs Emory. Haven't heard from Harvard.

Emory without a doubt. If you get into Harvard, Harvard without hesitation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The correct answer is: do not go to law school.

-Signed,
Woman who chose T5 over full ride, but hated law school/law practice anyway

No shit!

[Anonymous]

If you really must go to law school (which I never advise anyone to do these days) I'd take Emory with less debt. I don't think there is a prestige factor between the two that would make up for the obscene debt.

Now, if you get into Harvard or Yale, go there.

[Anonymous]

Why would anyone want to do this to themselves? (go to law school)

[Anonymous]

don't go to law school probably is the correct answer, but I suspect that OP is going no matter what.

therefore, the most correct answer is emory. the very incorrect answer is paying sticker at duke. DO NOT DO THIS.

honestly, as bad as the legal job market is and as miserable as the profession can be, you won't be too bad off coming out of emory with very little debt.

and you will very likely get biglaw out of emory. if they gave you a 2-year ride, your numbers are such that if you don't slack off, you should be in the top 10% or so and make law review.

but if you bomb at OCI your 2L fall, you can drop out with no debt and cut your losses. pretty good insurance policy.

[Anonymous]

I'm not a lawyer but am always so amazed how many people went through the whole law school bit, only to hate it, and do something else.

http://www.law.utah.edu/faculty/faculty-profile/?id=melissa-bernstein

[Anonymous]

FWIW- since there is so much negativity on the law on this thread, I love being a lawyer. I paid off my 6 figure debt on a govt salary and never regretted going to the top school I got into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you really must go to law school (which I never advise anyone to do these days) I'd take Emory with less debt. I don't think there is a prestige factor between the two that would make up for the obscene debt.
Now, if you get into Harvard or Yale, go there.

This.

[Anonymous]

I work in the government, but not as an attorney. YOu are fortunate that you were able to secure a government job as an attorney. Those jobs are more sane than private law firm jobs where you have to bill hours. Much more flexible. I think a lot of people are commenting negatively with private law firms in mind. Lots of hours, oppressive, demeaning. etc. Unfortunately, getting a federal legal job is difficult because so many people want them for the lifestyle. My FTC attorney neighbor is poolside with her 3 kids in the summer by 2:00 pm every Friday!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a big proponent, generally, of going to a top school, because the legal market SUCKS and law school pedigree matters so much. Also, I think people often have this idea that they'll go to a less prestigious school and do really well, which would put them in a similar place as being in the middle at a better school. But the thing is that all schools have a lot of very bright people, and there are no guarantees on how you'll do, especially since so much of your career options are determined after just the first year.

That said, I don't think there's enough difference between Emory and Duke to justify the cost. This is especially the case if you don't have your heart set on big law, and I'd also factor in how you feel about staying in Atlanta.

Btw, my advice would be different if it was H, Y, S, and probably Columbia and Chicago, and perhaps NYU. And UVA, because everyone I know that went there freaking LOVED it.

-HLS grad

Agree with this completely. -- Michigan grad (and I LOVED it)