二流美国法学院JD毕业就业前景

polyester

well, opinions may differ on who are the best representatives of law school graduates, and I hold deep respect for people who succeed as legal practitioners. However, it troubles me when people blindly believe that law schools are equivalent with lawyer factories and they just follow the herd to become some grumpy lawyers.

Having said that, I acknowledge that the vast majority of law school graduates do become lawyers, and more so in less prestigious schools. Nevertheless, having limited options does not mean that you should not try to think about other options. Adversity is not an excuse for mental sloth.

Lilac29

well written.

I agree with you completely.

limpidlyric

以下是引用polyester在2007-3-27 10:44:00的发言：
well, opinions may differ on who are the best representatives of law school graduates, and I hold deep respect for people who succeed as legal practitioners. However, it troubles me when people blindly believe that law schools are equivalent with lawyer factories and they just follow the herd to become some grumpy lawyers.

Having said that, I acknowledge that the vast majority of law school graduates do become lawyers, and more so in less prestigious schools. Nevertheless, having limited options does not mean that you should not try to think about other options. Adversity is not an excuse for mental sloth.

"Nevertheless, having limited options does not mean that you should not try to think about other options. Adversity is not an excuse for mental sloth."

----This is exactly why we discuss this question in this bbs: for seeking other options within limited ranges.

polyester

I do not think it is possible to chart a career path for anyone on the BBS. You should probably ask yourself a few questions before seeking advice on the internet. Are you willing to go back to China? What is the miminal  income you would accept in US? In China? What are you interested in? Human right? Environment? Are you interested in any particular area of law? Have you got any technical background? Do you have Chinese bar? Do you have any experience with international organizations? Any interest in NGOs? Any previous internship? Any connections with the government? Are you a Party member? Are you American citizen? Are you willing to work as an immigrant lawyer? Are you interested in the academia? Have you published any papers? Have you worked with professors here? What are there subjects of interests? Can they give you exceptional recommendations? Is your law school prestigious in your local area? etc...

Of course there are other options. But do these options suit you? Only yourself can answer these questions.

honna

以下是引用snowheat在2007-3-26 7:52:00的发言：
看第一年SALARY, 基本TOP 20 后就属于二流了. 

国际学生想进大所的, TOP20 后还是别读了.    要么, 回中国开律师事务所, 但是中国法本是必须的.    美国律师在中国是无法执业的.

估计中国的法律界会慢慢好起来! 

Ridiculous,  32的FORDHAM,进BIGLAW相当容易,BC和BU也是,而T20的UMN,进大所并不容易

honna

以下是引用funnytiger在2007-3-27 6:12:00的发言：

对于中国人来说， 语言能力和身份问题永远不能让你跟美国学生公平竞争的?NY的BAR很多人能考过，对你来说产生不了优势。既然你已经上了贼船了， 那只好进全力找工作， 希望老天祝福你了。 很可能你要从中国所里开始熬起， 另外看看一些公司的IN-HOUSE工作。

中国的情况我不是权威， 你也可以考量。

可惜你当初没申请top14, 几乎所有的TOP14都有不需要CO-SIGNER的INTERNATIONAL LOAN。钱根本就不是问题。 不过既然已经过去了， 也没什么好提了。

不少学校还是没有不需要CO-SIGNER的贷款的,比如CORNELL,NW和GEORGETOWN

所以经济压力还是的确很重要的因素

honna

以下是引用snowheat在2007-3-27 10:22:00的发言：
How's going, Poly?   Great points; you revealed the essence of true legal education.

Law school stands out as the ivory tower leading to fullest spectrum of life career, not the money-making machine in many people's mind!  $$$$$$ is merely the byproduct of legal profession, and really great legal professional donot care about $$$$; they devote to the value system of legal beliefs.

It's no surprise to see that so many law school applicants misunderstand the meaning of legal education. If any chance, they can ask the very question to the majority of congressmen and senators,and they are the best representives of law school graduates.

When you borrow 120k$, you will not say this

chinesecheese

    有offer to cover ur student loan的firm吗？

neohawk

以下是引用polyester在2007-3-27 9:24:00的发言：
I am surprised that your Harvard trained teacher thought there was little difference between law schools. Sure, most law schools offer similar curriculums, but in the quality of scholarship, schools do differ. Whether the law school professor has the practical skills as a lawyer is the least important thing to me. I care much more about the professor's insights and his/her influence on the legal community. Knowing what law is may help you in your summer internship, but all the details you learn in the law school will probably be obsolete in five years.

I know it may sound too idealistic, but very few people can plan their career as lawyers at the beginning. Why limit your options at the time when you enter law schools? Why choose such a narrow scope when you know nothing about law or the legal practice? When you spend so much time arguing about the costs and benefits of being a patent lawyer, why not talk to more people who have different career paths? Even if you graduate from a tier-2 law school, is practicing law in US your only option?

谢谢poly大侠的指点

呵呵,我知道在我的帖子里面流露出太多的功利的想法,钱啊,cost/benefit什么的,我也不是说要盯住patent而关上别的门,我何尝不知道做patent 比较枯燥而做别的可能更有意思更让人感兴趣呢.但是象我这种出身中部农村,小时候挨过饿,大学靠奖学金和打工度过, 上有在家乡的父母,中有妻子,下有未来的孩子的人,当这么多人指着你的时候, 就不能不把生存放在兴趣前面. 这就是为什么我反反复复问有关patent方面问题的原因. 无非就是我觉得以我的背景patent可能对于我来说相对容易找工作一点,在以后要是找不到别的方面工作的时候想确认一下是不是比较有可能把patent作为一个保底来付清债务和承担起对家庭的责任. 呵呵,这里城市孩子居多,可能很难理解我的想法.

千寻的神隐

to neohawk:
"出身中部农村,小时候挨过饿,大学靠奖学金和打工度过, 上有在家乡的父母,中有妻子,下有未来的孩子的人,当这么多人指着你的时候, 就不能不把生存放在兴趣前面."
i empathiized with you. it's not easy and definitely tells a lot about your personality.
i don't know much about law but as to your third option of studying a master's degree in finance and then work in investment banking, my opinion is that it'd probably be the last resort. you have no comparative advantage in this field (excuse me for my straightforwardness) and have to take out loans - not as much as law school but not a small amount - plus greater uncertainty in landing a well-paid job afterwards.
wish you luck. it will be hard either way you choose but have faith that the future will be better.