Do law firms care where you went to law school?

Asked by: Virgil Bechtelar  |  Last update: June 11, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (17 votes)

The ranking of a law school may affect job opportunities. This is because the higher the rank of a law school, the easier it is to be recruited by bigger firms. However, once you're established as a lawyer, job opportunities will depend on how well you are.

Does it actually matter where you go to law school?

School rankings matter because they matter to employers. There are always exceptions to the rule, but generally, students at higher-ranked schools have better post-graduate outcomes.

Do law firms care what college you went to?

NO ONE CARES! Just because you went to a good school does not mean you are going to fit into the law firm, do the work, stay around, contribute more than you take, and be fun to work with. Work ethic, commitment, and other factors are far more important than other things that you may think are important.

Do law schools care where you went to school?

Top Law Schools are unlikely to admit people who attended less impressive undergraduate schools, especially if there were opportunities you did not pursue (such as independent academic research, challenging courses, and intellectual pursuits outside of the classroom.)

Does location matter for law school?

Choosing a law school located in the state where you want to work after graduation is a strategic decision that should not be underestimated. The connections you build, the knowledge you gain, and the exposure to the local legal market can significantly impact your legal career's trajectory.

yes, where you go to law school matters.

20 related questions found

Should you tell other law schools where you are applying?

You do not need to list any other schools specifically. Instead, provide an honest but vague response that indicates you are applying to other graduate schools and highlight the reasons you are applying to this particular program.

Does it matter what state I go to law school in?

In-State: An in-state school may limit you to job opportunities close to home. That's great if you call a place like New York City home, but not so great if you're from a rural area. On the other hand, if you go to the best law school in a smaller job market, you will be the most attractive hire with less competition.

Is 174 a good LSAT?

So, a great score on the LSAT is a 172, but more than 100,000 people take the LSAT every year and only 1% score 172 or higher. For the top 50 law schools, the median LSAT score is between 164 and 174. A good LSAT score for top tier(defined by T14 schools for this article) law schools is between 171 and 174.

Can you get into Harvard law with a 3.5 GPA?

The most recent Harvard Law entering class had a median GPA of 3.92; the lowest GPA accepted was 3.82. As such, Harvard does not consider a 3.0 GPA competitive, so it's very unlikely you will get into it if you have this GPA.

Is it rare to get an A in law school?

Note that because the first year of law school is graded on a curve, very few students receive A's. So, it is a bit of a different story than undergrad, where professors are not limited in how many A's they can give. The key to getting all A's in law school is not to be the smartest. Nor is it to study 24 hours a day.

What college do most lawyers go to?

15 top law schools
  • University of Virginia. ...
  • Northwestern University. ...
  • University of California, Berkeley. ...
  • University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. ...
  • Duke University. ...
  • Cornell University. ...
  • Georgetown University. ...
  • University of California, Los Angeles.

Where is it hardest to become a lawyer?

1. California

Law students across the US may be familiar with the famed “impossible” California bar exam. But why is the California bar exam so hard? For starters, the cut score (the score needed to pass the test) of the California bar is 1390 out of 2000, which is 40 points above the national average.

Will law firms pay for you to go to law school?

Many firms also offer tuition reimbursement programs, with the expectation that the funded paralegals will become their next practicing attorneys after graduation. However, not all firms will have the capacity to fund your studies.

Do law firms care what law school you go to?

Does It Matter Where You Go to Law School? Law school rankings do matter to employers. Typically, the higher your school is ranked, the greater your chances of securing a post-graduation career—especially when it comes to prestigious large law firms.

Does going to a top 14 law school matter?

Graduates of T14 law schools have excellent employment prospects, often securing positions at top law firms, corporations, and government agencies. The strong job placement rates at T14 schools are a significant factor in their rankings and reputation.

Do law schools care more about GPA or LSAT?

There are two major reasons that law schools prioritize the LSAT. The first is arguably for legitimate educational purposes. Not all undergraduate majors feature the same level of intellectual rigor, and undergraduate institutions also offer a wide variety of instructional quality.

What is the hardest law school in the USA?

1. Yale University. With an acceptance rate of just 6.9%, it's no wonder that Yale is the hardest law school to get into. Only around 1 in 15 of their highly qualified applicants makes it through.

Is 3.1 GPA too low for law school?

So generally, if you're trying to get into the top schools, a GPA below 3.6 will be considered low. But to answer the question what GPA do you need to get into law school, any law school, then the answer is at least a 2.5. That is realistically the lowest GPA you can have to get into law school.

How hard is the LSAT?

This process is not only time-consuming but can be very expensive as well. So yes, the LSAT is hard, and it is designed that way. It's not so much a test that requires a student to remember random facts, but instead, it is a test that showcases a student's thought process.

What was Obama's LSAT score?

The easiest to predict, by far, is Barack Obama's score, mostly because we have some data. Based on admissions records, we can deduce — somewhat reliably — that Barry-O scored between the 94th and 98th percentile on his LSAT. Using today's grading system, that would place him somewhere around a 170.

How rare is a 180 LSAT?

How Hard Is It To Get A Perfect Score On The LSAT? According to LSAC, only 119 test-takers out of nearly 60,000 achieved this in 2022. So when you ask, “How many people get a 180 on the LSAT?” the answer highlights the rarity and difficulty of this achievement.

What did Elle Woods get on her LSAT?

Elle Woods, a fictional character portrayed by Reese Witherspoon in the movie Legally Blonde, is known for her remarkable LSAT score—179 out of 180. Portrayed as a stereotypical "valley girl," she embarks on a journey to Harvard Law School in the movie that has since become a cult favorite.

What 4 states do not require law school?

Before you can practice law, you will need to choose a state that will allow you to take the bar exam without completing law school. Currently, Washington, Vermont, California and Virginia are the only four states that allow this process.

What is the hardest state to become a lawyer?

Florida and California are the most challenging states to become a lawyer in terms of passing the bar exam. Their bar exams are considered the most difficult to pass. Those two states do not have reciprocity with other states regarding honoring those who have passed the bar exam in other states.

Does location of law school matter?

The location of a law school can impact everything from your day-to-day routine to your long-term career trajectory. Though the location is not the only consideration to weigh in your decision-making process, below are additional factors detailing how the location of a law school should impact your decision to attend.