Depends on what position. My mom was a lawyer in three top corporate lawfirms in the world....

To get hired as a lawyer, they are very lenient as to what schools they accept. To become a partner, there are very few schools that they consider.

What kind of lawyer are you trying to become and where?

 

I am interested in intellectual property and litigation, although strongly prefer intellectual property. I dont mind if it's a partnership or a company as long as I enjoy the work primarily and of course pay .

Whereever school I go I would most likely like to settle there. My top choices are Cali, Texas, Florida, Hawaii, and VA if it comes down to it. I am also considering Arizona and Nevada. As you can see I despise cold weather more than anything else on this planet.

 

^^ If you're looking at IP, definitely consider Santa Clara University. The law school itself isn't ranked all that high, but the IP program has an excellent reputation and is ranked pretty high. Not to mention that the area is ripe with IP opportunities.

 

When you're looking for a job after you graduate, (most) firms will heavily consider your summer work experience and class rank. Generally speaking, the job/internship/clerkship you get during the summers is a big deal and can "make up" for going to a lesser known or ranked school. To clerk for a judge you'll need to be ranked at the top of your class. Ditto to be a research assistant for a professor. A classmate of mine had a great summer gig with the US Attorney's Office. I worked with the DA's office. Another classmate got an internship with a large firm that eventually offered her a very lucrative position after graduation.

I wouldn't use school ranking as the driving consideration in school choice. It's just one of many things you need to consider such as costs, faculty, location, size, emphasis, and culture.

If you're looking at out-of-state schools and you plan to return to your home state to practice, then you will end up taking the Bar exam for a state whose laws you haven't studied (in school). That can be a problem for some people.