How important is a law school when a firm decides to hire a lawyer. Is it as important as just real well in the school you attend? For example would getting a 3.0 in a top twenty school be better than a 3.5 at a 40-50th school?

I do not think I will be able to get into a top notch school because back then I screwed around and did not consider wanting to become a lawyer. ANy ideas, thoughts, and inputs are welcome. Thanks in advance.

 

I think both the school and the GPA are pretty important. Law firms want to see that you went to a reputable school and did well. Of course, there is going to be some middle ground, as in your example. It may be better to go to a slightly lower ranked school and graduate at the top of your class, as opposed to going to a higher ranked school and graduating at the bottom of your class.

The good news is that the LSAT score also carries a lot of weight when applying for law school. Do well on the LSAT and you can make up for your undergrad grades. It's supposedly one of the easier grad school admissions tests, particularly if your English is good.

IMO, if you can't get into your desired school, then I'd say your best bet is to figure out where you want to work, and then try to get into a school there that has a good regional reputation. Such schools might not be ranked all that high nationally, but they will have plenty of alumni-friendly firms in the area.

Good luck! Btw, the disclaimer here is that I'm not a lawyer, but a bunch of my close friends are. I considered law school, but ended up doing a MBA instead, and much of the above applies there as well.

 

Depends.

If you want your own shop, then look for a law school that can turn out lawyers ready to practice. Law school is a lot of theory and black letter law. Not every school prepares you for the actual practice of law. If you're looking for a position in a large firm, then get into the best ranked school you can.

Don't forget to check out bar pass rates of the schools and ask what major firms recruit at that school. A good placement office should be willing to talk with you and tell you where their grads go.

 

of course, 99% of English speaking people think their English is good

 

Luckily, 99% of those 99% actually speak horrible English, thus boosting the standardized test scores of those peoples who talks the goodest American.

 

yea, gotta love them. My standardized test score on the GMAT opened just about every door for me.

 

Of course 99% of Americans think that they can speak English properly

 

It all depends on who you know.

 

Which is quite unfortunate, but true.

 

Also, when going for a job as a lawyer, isnt there more "leniency" as far as schools go?

Because I see that typically schools only admit several hundred students a year so the number of lawyers coming out of these schools is limited. On the other hand, since it so limited that would make one's profile even better when coming out of a more prestigious college.