Would Attending A Top Law Program Boost my Job Prospects?
We all know the outlook in regards to attaining a job after Law School for a potential lawyer are slim right now. However I was wondering if attending a Top Tier Law School (i.e. Ivies and their Non-Ivy counterparts) would allow for a better chance at becoming a successful lawyer as I hear these schools send students off to the big Law Firms (the ones that make the 6-7 figures for employees). . .
Prospects differ widely from school to school. Yes, your chances of success in the early years of your career are far greater if you can get into the top group of schools.
But, by 'top' program, we really mean right at the top or very close to it. There are, literally, hundreds of law schools, but the graduates of only a few of them have strong employment prospects after they get their degrees. And, by the way, of the so-called T-14, only 5 are Ivies.
No question that pedigree is everything so going to a top school absolutely increases your chances of getting a job with a big law firm. That said, not aware of any that pay in the "7 figures" anytime soon after law school graduation.
I see. Say you are lucky enough to get into Yale Law and do well (Top 20% or so) and even land a job at a big law firm in NY, can it be guaranteed that your job prospects will remain plentiful from there on, or does it get more scarce as the years go by. . .
If you don't make partner, you won't get a 7 figure compensation. Most associates in big law start at $160K and up to $280K around the time they are being considered as partners. The attrition rate is extremely high though within the first 6 years.
