<p>Those numbers come from a very different economy, and from a time when schools have been caught fudging employment stats. As you point out too, they are statistically unreliable. It is more likely that students who are employed well are going to respond to a survey of this kind. This includes students who get employment with family firms. Does the survey include students who are employed in nonlegal jobs? Numbers alone just don’t tell the whole story.</p>
<p>All anyone has to do is go to visit a law school (any law school under the T14…or to be generous, the T25), and ask the 2L and 3L students what their employment prospects look like. Ask them if they knew anyone in the graduating class, and how they’re employed. (Their 1L students may still be vested in fantasies.) </p>
<p>Before sending in a deposit check, definitely go to the school that you’re considering and interview the students. Ask one of them to show you their “job board” if their placement office has a web site for job postings. It will be an eye-opener.</p>