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this is mainly a response to a recent thread. That thread was talking about going to law school with a btl, I’m currently in 1st year beis medrash and I am interested in going into the field of law as a career one day. What is the best path to take to get the best job possible as a lawyer while going to “kosher” institutes. Things like which programs and which yeshivos are the best way to get there with a shot at the top job for a frum jew.(I’m not looking to be a lawyer just to get rich, I know the market has been going down, the field of law has always interested me for as long as i can remember)
The advice to you is the same as the advice has been in all the threads on the CR about law school. If you can get in to Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Chicago, Columbia or NYU, or maybe, maybe, a substantial scholarship to Penn, then go. Otherwise don’t, regardless of how interested you are in law. Interest in law will not help you make coffee faster when you work in Starbucks after graduating with tens of thousands in debt and no job.
What is it you need help with? You need to have a bachelors and take the lsat. The higher your score, the better. As for law schools differentiating which Beis Medrash is better than another, I doubt that they do that, mostly because it is hard to measure. My two cents is that it would be best to go to a mainstream college and get a top GPA to go with a top LSAT score. But if you have other reasons for not doing that, well, its your life, more power to you. Go to the best law school you possibly can. If you don’t get into a T-14, and have to take on debt to go, think long and hard. And it doesn’t matter how much law interests you if it doesn’t put food on the table. I’m not talking about getting rich, I’m talking about being able to get any job at all. Google “bi-modal salary distribution.”
Decide what sort of career you want? “Big law” – that means an elite law school which requires excellent academics and big tuition money. Aiming for a middle class salaried job (e.g. civil service), a less fancy law school will do. Do you want to be a self-employed local lawyer in the frum community – then a fancy law school might even be a disadvantage? Are you able to toss a quarter of million into an education for a career?
Have you ever read literature about lawyers or seen movies about lawyers? What type appeals to you? You have a lot of homework before deciding.
As for law schools differentiating which Beis Medrash is better than another, I doubt that they do that, mostly because it is hard to measure.
Why? They could have a professor in the school who learned in yeshiva and knows the difference. Why would they not ask him to look at the transcripts and see if he can stereotype what kind of learner you are?
As for law schools differentiating which Beis Medrash is better than another, I doubt that they do that, mostly because it is hard to measure.
“Why? They could have a professor in the school who learned in yeshiva and knows the difference. Why would they not ask him to look at the transcripts and see if he can stereotype what kind of learner you are?”
If you have any reason to believe that law school admissions committees actually function that way, then that is good for applicants from Yeshivas. I don’t have any evidence of that kind of conduct though.
Yes, I do
As a BTL attorney, allow me to add my two cents. Assuming you really want to go into law (and make sure you really do), you have two practical options. Either you go to a top school (Columbia and NYU if you insist on NYC) or you get a full scholarship to a lower school, no strings attached. Otherwise, it’s a very dangerous investment. That’s not to say that there are no jobs for people in lower schools, but they’re hard to come by. If you graduate at the top 5% or so of your class and make law review in Fordham, Cardozo, and probably even St. Johns and Brooklyn you will in all likelihood find some very lucrative opportunities. Of course, there are no guarantees either way and you may be #1 in your class and still not find a job or be at the bottom and catch a lucky break. For now, the best thing you can do is ace the LSATS. Get the best course (ask around, the yeshiva guys know) and study hard. Then work really hard on your application and personal statement. Then when you get in work really really hard in school. Remember, 95% of your class won’t be in the top 5% (I know, that’s redundant). So when you see classmates taking a more laid back approach, don’t think that’s acceptable. Hope this helps.
“Yes, I do”
Then why don’t you just say that instead of asking questions?
I’m doing the socratic method. Because I need you to understand–not to just spit information at you.
^ lol chukas hagoyim.
Don’t worry about Columbia/NYU until you have your 170 LSAT score.
Beis medrash now offers more and better employment opportunities than most law schools. Especially if you wear a kippah.
lawdude- Columbia has a few BTLs but as far as I know you’re right about NYU. The question you have to ask yourself is if it’s worth all the hours and money to get a real college degree. You will clearly be at a disadvantage if you have a BTL, but if you get a 177 on your lsat a college degree will probably have been a complete waste of time. If you, however, get say a 171 then a college degree with a good gpa may make all the difference. This is not an exact science but the general idea is the better your degree is, the lower your lsat will have to be. Of course, every school has their own policies, and that is something you have to consider. Also, if you’re willing to go to school in DC, I would say drop the college idea. Both Georgetown and GW don’t seem to have any problem with BTLs, so if your score is good enough with a college degree, it’ll probably be good enough with a BTL. My last point is to seek out real live human beings who can properly advise you, don’t just rely on the wisdom coming out of the coffee room.
Popa- He will be taking the LSATs in a few years, while he needs to make a decision about college much sooner. So your advice doesn’t work.
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