How Much Does The Law School You Went To Matter When You Lateral Firms

How Much Does the Law School You Went to Matter When You
Lateral Firms?
By Harrison Barnes from Los Angeles Office Managing Director
Applying as an entry-level associate, your law school will play a greater role in whether or not you are
hired.
The notoriety of your law school only comes into play again if you choose to lateral.
Applicants that go to top-tier law schools are more likely to get an interview regardless of other
credentials.
Summary: Considering a lateral move? Learn how much the quality of the law school you went to matters to
law firms.
Get advice from law students, prelaw students and others at: Top Law Schools
Most attorneys believe that the law school they went to matters a great deal when they are lateralling law
firms. Does it? I decided to find out how much it matters by simply tallying BCG interview and placement data
from attorneys coming from different law schools. This is a very interesting and likely accurate way to assess
how much the law school an attorney attends matters and how seriously the market treats each law school.
This article contains many charts created from BCG interview and placement data. Each chart has a slightly
different focal point or emphasis in regards to the issue of how much law school matters for law firm
interviews and placements. There are 15 charts located throughout the article, so to help orient the reader as
to what can be expected, here is an index of the charts:
OVERVIEW DATA FOR INTERVIEWS AND PLACEMENTS DURING 2015 AND 2016
Chart A. Frequency with Which BCG Candidates from Various Law Schools Received Law Firm Interviews in
2015 and 2016
Chart B. Frequency with Which BCG Candidates from Various Law Schools Received Law Firm Placements
in 2015 and 2016
DATA RELATED TO LAW FIRM INTERVIEWS IN 2016

Chart 1. Percentage of BCG Candidates That Received Law Firm Interviews in 2016 by Law School
Chart 2. Percentage of BCG Candidates That Received Law Firm Interviews in 2016 by Law School, As
Weighted for Class Size
Chart 3. Top 10 Law Schools for BCG Candidates That Received Interviews in 2016, Not Accounting for
Class Size
Chart 4. Top 9 Law Schools for BCG Candidates That Received Interviews in 2016, Accounting for Class
Size
Chart 5. Top 5 Law Schools for Laterals Getting Interviews in 2016 (Accounting for Class Size and Not
Accounting for Class Size and Listed on Charts 3 and 4)
Chart 6. Percentage of BCG Candidates That Received Law Firm Placements in 2016 by Law School
Percentage of BCG Candidates That Received Law Firm Placements in 2016 by Law School, As Weighted
for Class Size
Chart 9. Top 20 Law Schools for BCG Candidates That Received Placements in 2016, Not Accounting for
Class Size
Chart 10. Top 20 Law Schools for BCG Candidates That Received Placements in 2016, Accounting for Class
Size
Page 1 WWW.BCGSEARCH.COM
Chart 11. Top 15 Law Schools for Laterals Getting Placements in 2016 (Accounting for Class Size/Not
Chart 13. Top 6 Law Schools for BCG Candidates That Earned the Most Placements in 2015 and 2016
The lateral market is different from the entry-level market. In the entry-level market, the school that an attorney
attends really does matter, and it is important. There are no other criteria for firms to evaluate candidates by
at such an early stage in their legal careers. This is how law firms separate the "wheat from the chaff."
Do you think it is fair that law firms mainly use an attorney's law school ranking in the selection process?
Share your comments below.
For more information about the current state of the market, by practice area as well as by geographic
region, please see the following:
The BCG Attorney Search 2017 State of the American Lateral Law Firm Legal Market Report
At BCG Attorney Search, we only work with attorneys in the lateral market. The attorneys we work with are
interested in new lateral opportunities.
We find our candidates using a variety of methods, including advertising, our existing databases, networking,
traditional recruiting, and more.
Each year, tens of thousands of attorneys approach us looking for positions. If the attorney is coming out of a
practice setting where he or she is getting good experience and appears to be someone for whom our few
decades of experience indicate a placement is likely, we will try to work with the attorney.
We want to work with anyone we believe is marketable because this is how we get paid.
A good school will bias us in the candidate's favor, of course, but the most important criteria for a law firm
deciding whether or not to hire a particular candidate is whether or not the attorney has the experience that
they are looking for and is coming out of a practice setting that suggests they are going to be able to perform
for the firm's clients.
The fact that an attorney is looking for a position through us may suggest that the attorney is not happy at his
or her existing firm, trying to move to a better firm, not doing well at his or her current firm, or doing well but
simply looking for something better.
Out of all of this information, however, the most important point is that law firms that hire attorneys through
legal recruiters are doing so because they are extremely concerned about whom they hire. They hire and
use legal recruiters to go out into the market seeking talent because they have serious concerns about
quality: They want the absolute best people they can find.
How can you show a law firm that you are the absolute best candidate for them?
See the following articles for more information:

The Only Six Factors Prestigious Law Firms Care about When Hiring Lateral Attorneys
Be the Person You Are Capable of Being
The Importance of High Standards in Your Life and Career: What High Standards Mean
In order to do the study, this is what I did:

I made a spreadsheet by including data from all the interviews and placements made by our firm during the
past two years (2015 and 2016).
I counted the number of interviews that attorneys from each law school received.
I did a separate calculation controlling this information for class size from each school, since this had an
impact on how many attorneys the law school sent into the market each year to compete.
A. OVERVIEW DATA FOR INTERVIEWS AND PLACEMENTS DURING 2015 and 2016
Chart A. Frequency with Which BCG Candidates from Various Law Schools Received Law Firm
Interviews in 2015 and 2016
Rank as
Yearly Year Year Growth or Decline
Law School Weightage per
Class Size 2015(%) 2016(%) Based on 2015
Weightage
University of Chicago Law
206 1.4% 3.9% 170.24% 17.99 1
School
Columbia Law School 388 3.1% 2.1% -32.58% 5.15 30
Albany Law School of Union
121 0.1% 0.1% -12.35% 0.82 108
University
American University 351 0.4% 0.8% 133.72% 2.28 72
Ave Maria School of Law 89 0.1% 0.1% -12.35% 1.12 97
Baylor University School of
131 0.2% 0.5% 119.11% 3.82 49
Law
Boston College Law School 231 1.2% 1.8% 49.00% 7.35 16
University of California 312 1.3% 2.3% 75.29% 7.06 18
Brooklyn Law School 302 0.4% 0.5% 46.08% 1.65 81
Boston University School of
224 1.3% 2.6% 99.19% 11.16 2
Law
Benjamin N. Cardozo School
294 0.7% 0.6% -12.35% 2.04 77
of Law
Chapman University School
145 0.2% 0.1% -56.18% 0.69 114
of Law
Charlotte School of Law 237 0.1% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 124
Thomas M. Cooley Law
58 0.5% 0.4% -12.35% 6.90 20
School
Cleveland State University 93 0.1% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 125
The Catholic University of
94 0.1% 0.4% 250.58% 4.24 39
America
Interamerican University -
255 0.0% 0.1% 100.00% 0.39 123
School of Law
Drexel University School of
129 0.2% 0.2% -12.35% 1.55 85
Law
Fordham Law School 319 2.9% 1.8% -37.92% 5.33 27
University of Southern
199 2.3% 0.5% -76.94% 2.51 67
California, The Law School
George Washington
490 1.9% 1.7% -12.35% 3.27 56
University
Harvard Law School 589 2.2% 1.6% -26.96% 2.55 66
Indiana University McKinney
173 0.2% 0.4% 75.29% 2.31 71
School of Law
John Marshall Law School 248 1.4% 1.4% -5.05% 5.24 29
Chicago-Kent College of Law 212 0.2% 1.6% 557.34% 7.09 17
Arizona State University
208 2.5% 1.0% -62.44% 4.33 38
College of Law
State University of New York 165 94Rank as
Yearly 0.4%Year 0.2%
Year -41.57%
Growth or Decline 1.21
at BuffaloLaw
LawSchool
School Weightage per
Brigham Young University, J. Weightage
131 0.5% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 126
Reuben Clark Law School
Capital University Law
85 0.1% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 127
School
Case Western Reserve
127 1.6% 0.4% -73.03% 3.16 57
University School of Law
De Paul University College of
201 0.2% 0.5% 119.11% 2.49 69
Law
University of Denver, Sturm
234 0.1% 0.2% 75.29% 0.86 107
College of Law
Duke University School of
223 1.4% 1.6% 9.56% 6.74 21
Law
Duquesne School of Law 102 0.2% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 128
Emory University School of
279 1.9% 0.3% -83.57% 1.08 99
Law
Florida International
125 0.0% 0.2% 100.00% 1.60 83
University College of Law
Georgetown University Law
575 6.4% 4.9% -23.93% 8.00 12
Center
George Mason University
110 0.7% 0.1% -85.39% 0.91 104
School of Law
Gonzaga University School
112 0.0% 0.1% 100.00% 0.89 106
of Law
Hofstra University School of
226 0.8% 0.3% -62.44% 1.33 92
Law
Howard University School of
138 0.0% 0.3% 100.00% 2.18 74
Law
University of Illinois College
159 1.2% 1.2% -3.59% 6.92 19
of Law
Indiana University Maurer
179 1.3% 0.2% -84.06% 1.12 98
School of Law
University of Kansas School
121 0.4% 0.5% 46.08% 4.14 44
of Law
Marquette University Law
174 0.1% 0.6% 425.87% 3.45 52
School
University of Miami School of
303 0.2% 0.6% 162.94% 1.98 79
Law
Michigan State College of
236 1.4% 0.5% -63.48% 2.12 76
Law
North Carolina Central
157 0.0% 0.4% 100.00% 2.55 65
University School of Law
University of Notre Dame
194 0.6% 1.0% 57.76% 4.65 34
Law School
Northwestern University
219 0.0% 1.5% 100.00% 6.38 25
School of Law
New York University School
of Law 465 4.5% 4.8% 6.60% 9.68 7 Rank as
University of Oklahoma Class Size 2015(%) 2016(%) Based on 2015
156 0.0% 0.2% 100.00% 1.28 93
Weightage
College of Law
Pace University School of
155 0.0% 0.4% 100.00% 2.58 63
Law
Pepperdine University
199 1.1% 0.5% -51.31% 2.51 68
School of Law
University of Pittsburgh
151 0.6% 0.3% -47.41% 1.99 78
School of Law
University of Richmond
156 0.4% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 129
School of Law
Rutgers School of Law -
298 0.7% 1.0% 31.47% 3.02 59
Newark
University of South Carolina
206 0.0% 0.7% 100.00% 3.40 54
School of Law
Santa Clara University
169 0.5% 0.7% 53.38% 4.15 43
School of Law
Seattle University School of
186 0.4% 1.0% 162.94% 4.85 32
Law
Seton Hall University School
118 1.8% 0.4% -76.63% 3.40 53
of Law
St. Louis University School of
139 0.2% 0.2% -12.35% 1.44 90
Law
Stanford University Law
191 1.6% 0.1% -93.26% 0.52 121
School
Stetson University College of
224 0.2% 0.1% -56.18% 0.45 122
Law
Syracuse University College
168 1.6% 0.5% -66.29% 2.97 61
of Law
Temple University, Beasley
178 0.1% 0.2% 75.29% 1.12 96
School of Law
Texas Tech University
187 0.2% 0.1% -56.18% 0.53 120
School of Law
Tulane University Law
190 1.2% 2.0% 66.53% 10.00 6
School
University of Alabama School
144 0.2% 0.1% -56.18% 0.70 113
of Law
University of Arkansas
117 0.2% 0.3% 31.47% 2.57 64
School of Law
University of Baltimore
165 0.1% 0.7% 513.52% 4.23 40
School of Law
University of Cincinnati
92 0.1% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 130
College of Law
University of California, Davis
165 0.1% 0.1% -12.35% 0.61 116
School of Law
UCLA School of Law 325 1.0% 2.6% 173.89% 7.70 14
The University of Connecticut
109 0.4% 0.6% 75.29% 5.49 26
School of Law Rank as
School of Law, University of Yearly Year Year Growth or Decline
Law School
Detroit Mercy 146 0.0% 0.1% 100.00% Weightage 115 per
0.68
Weightage
University of Florida College
320 0.1% 0.7% 513.52% 2.19 73
of Law
The University of Georgia
192 0.4% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 131
School of Law
University of Houston Law
202 0.8% 0.3% -62.44% 1.49 88
Center
The University of Iowa
129 0.5% 0.2% -56.18% 1.55 86
College of Law
University of Maryland
171 2.0% 1.2% -43.29% 6.42 24
School of Law
The University of Michigan
311 3.9% 3.4% -12.35% 10.30 4
Law School
University of Missouri-
129 0.2% 0.3% 31.47% 2.33 70
Kansas City School of Law
University of Minnesota Law
211 0.6% 0.8% 40.23% 3.80 50
School
University of North Carolina
219 0.4% 0.2% -41.57% 0.91 103
School of Law
Franklin Pierce Law Center 69 0.4% 0.7% 104.51% 10.14 5
University of Nebraska
110 0.0% 0.1% 100.00% 0.91 105
College of Law
William S. Boyd School of
126 0.1% 0.2% 75.29% 1.58 84
Law
University of Oregon Law
122 0.0% 0.2% 100.00% 1.64 82
School
University of Pennsylvania
251 1.1% 2.2% 104.51% 8.37 11
Law School
University of Utah S.J.
107 0.2% 0.2% -12.35% 1.86 80
Quinney College of Law
The University of Texas
316 0.8% 1.5% 75.29% 4.43 37
School of Law
University of Washington
165 1.1% 0.1% -90.26% 0.60 117
School of Law
Vanderbilt University Law
179 0.7% 0.8% 16.86% 4.46 36
School
Villanova University School
164 0.4% 0.5% 46.08% 3.05 58
of Law
The University of Virginia
311 1.2% 3.1% 154.17% 9.31 8
School of Law
Wayne State University Law
122 0.5% 0.1% -78.09% 0.82 109
School
Wake Forest University
164 0.4% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 132
School of Law
Whittier Law School 109 0.0% 0.1% 100.00% 0.92 102
University of Wisconsin Law
School 173 0.1% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 133
Rank as
Washington & Lee
Law SchoolUniversity Weightage per
Class Size 0.6%
105 2015(%) 0.4%
2016(%) -29.88%
Based on 2015 3.82 48
School of Law Weightage
William & Mary School of

215 1.3% 1.2% -12.35% 5.12 31
Law
Washington University
109 1.9% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 134
School of Law
Yale Law School 205 0.8% 2.3% 175.46% 10.75 3
Cornell Law School 196 1.3% 1.4% 3.58% 6.63 23
Lewis & Clark 138 0.2% 0.1% -56.18% 0.72 112
Loyola Law School 267 0.7% 2.5% 250.58% 9.00 10
University of Louisville Louis
101 0.0% 0.3% 100.00% 2.98 60
D. Brandeis School
Loyola University Chicago
194 1.3% 1.0% -28.29% 4.64 35
School of Law
McGeorge School of Law 119 0.2% 0.5% 119.11% 4.21 41
William Mitchell College of
125 0.0% 0.1% 100.00% 0.80 110
Law
The Ohio State University
174 1.1% 0.7% -31.83% 4.02 45
Moritz College of Law
Northeastern University
151 3.5% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 135
School of Law
University of Mississippi 126 0.0% 0.1% 100.00% 0.79 111
Ohio State University 174 0.0% 0.1% 100.00% 0.57 119
Quinnipiac University School
69 0.0% 0.1% 100.00% 1.44 89
of Law
University of San Diego
211 1.1% 0.7% -31.83% 3.31 55
School of Law
Southern Methodist
187 0.0% 0.4% 100.00% 2.14 75
University
South Texas College of Law 265 0.2% 0.3% 31.47% 1.13 95
St. John's University School
201 1.2% 1.7% 40.23% 7.95 13
of Law
University of St. Thomas Law
210 0.0% 0.2% 100.00% 0.95 101
School
St. Thomas University School
113 0.5% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 136
of Law
Suffolk University Law
263 1.4% 0.4% -70.78% 1.52 87
School
Southwestern Law School 220 0.0% 0.8% 100.00% 3.64 51
Thurgood Marshall School of
169 0.1% 0.1% -12.35% 0.59 118
Law
Texas Wesleyan University
132 0.2% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 137
School of Law
University of California,
301 1.0% 2.1% 119.11% 6.64 22
Hastings
University of Dayton School
of Law 85 1.9% 0.4% -78.09% 4.69 33Rank as
UniversityLaw
of Kentucky
School 125 0.0% 0.5% 100.00% 4.01
Weightage 46 per
University of North Dakota 75 0.1% 0.2% 75.29% 2.68 Weightage
62
University of New Hampshire 72 0.0% 0.1% 100.00% 1.40 91
University of San Francisco 144 0.4% 0.6% 75.29% 4.18 42
University of Toledo College
65 0.0% 0.6% 100.00% 9.18 9
of Law
Valparaiso University School
40 0.0% 0.3% 100.00% 7.44 15
of Law
Vermont Law School 125 0.0% 0.5% 100.00% 4.00 47
Widener University School of
106 0.4% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 138
Law
Willamette University College
100 0.0% 0.1% 100.00% 1.00 100
of Law
Washington University 228 0.0% 1.3% 100.00% 5.26 28
Chart B. Frequency with Which BCG Candidates from Various Law Schools Received Law Firm
Placements in 2015 and 2016
Yearly Growth or Rank as
Year Year
Law School Class Decline Based Weightage per
2015(%) 2016(%)
Size on 2015 Weightage
University of Arizona 120 0.7% 0.9% 40.74% 0.84 27
American University Washington
351 2.0% 1.9% -6.17% 0.57 39
College of Law
Baylor University 131 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 57
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law 294 1.3% 0.9% -29.63% 0.34 54
Boston College Law School 231 3.3% 1.9% -43.70% 0.86 23
Boston University School of Law 224 0.7% 2.8% 322.22% 1.34 9
Brooklyn Law School 302 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 58
Case Western Reserve University
127 2.0% 0.9% -53.09% 0.79 29
School of Law
The Catholic University of America 94 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 59
Charlotte School of Law 237 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 60
Chicago Kent College of Law 212 0.7% 0.9% 40.74% 0.47 49
Columbia University School of Law 388 2.6% 7.4% 181.48% 2.06 2
Cornell Law School 196 0.7% 2.8% 322.22% 1.53 6
Dayton University School of Law 85 0.7% 0.9% 40.74% 1.17 14
DePaul University School of Law 201 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 61
Duke Law School 223 1.3% 0.9% -29.63% 0.45 51
Emory University 279 1.3% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 62
Fordham University School of Law 319 3.3% 0.9% -71.85% 0.31 56
George Mason University School of
110 2.6% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 63
Law
George Washington University Law
490 3.9% 2.8% -29.63% 0.61 36
School
Georgetown University Law Center 575
Yearly 2.6% 3.7% 40.74% or
Growth 0.70 Rank as 33
Year Year
Georgia
Law School
State University College of Class Decline Based Weightage per
152 0.7%
2015(%) 0.0%
2016(%) -100.00% 0.00 64
Law Size on 2015 Weightage
Gould School of Law 199 4.6% 0.9% -79.89% 0.50 42
Harvard Law School 589 4.6% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 65
Howard University School of Law 138 1.3% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 66
Indiana University Maurer School of
179 0.7% 0.9% 40.74% 0.56 40
Law
Indiana University Mckinney School
173 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 67
of Law
Loyola Law School 267 0.7% 2.8% 322.22% 1.13 16
Loyola University Chicago School of
194 1.3% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 68
Law
Michigan State College of Law 236 0.7% 0.9% 40.74% 0.42 53
New York University School of Law 465 3.9% 3.7% -6.17% 0.86 24
Northeastern University School of
151 1.3% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 69
Law
Northwestern University School of
219 2.6% 2.8% 5.56% 1.37 8
Law
Notre Dame School of Law 194 0.7% 1.9% 181.48% 1.03 18
Pennsylvania State University 118 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 70
Seton Hall University School of Law 118 2.0% 0.9% -53.09% 0.85 26
Southern Methodist University
187 0.7% 0.9% 40.74% 0.54 41
Dedman School of Law
Stanford Law School 191 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 71
Suffolk University Law School 263 0.7% 1.9% 181.48% 0.76 32
The Ohio State University Moritz
174 0.7% 1.9% 181.48% 1.15 15
College of Law
The University of Chicago Law
206 3.9% 1.9% -53.09% 0.97 20
School
The University of Kansas School of
121 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 72
Law
The University of Texas School of
316 2.6% 3.7% 40.74% 1.26 12
Law
The University of Virginia School of
311 2.0% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 73
Law
Thomas M. Cooley Law School 58 0.7% 0.9% 40.74% 1.72 5
Tulane University Law School 190 1.3% 1.9% 40.74% 1.05 17
UC Berkeley School of Law 312 3.3% 5.6% 68.89% 1.93 3
UCLA School of Law 325 1.3% 1.9% 40.74% 0.62 35
University at Buffalo Law School 165 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 74
University of Connecticut School of
109 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 75
Law
University of Iowa College of Law 129 0.7% 0.9% 40.74% 0.78 31
University of Maryland School of
171 1.3% 0.9% -29.63% 0.58 38
Law
University of Michigan Law School 311 0.7% 3.7% 462.96% 1.29 11
University of North Carolina School Yearly Growth or Rank as
219 Year
1.3% Year
0.9% -29.63% 0.46 50
of
LawLaw
School Class Decline Based Weightage per
2015(%) 2016(%)
University of Pennsylvania Law
251 1.3% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 76
School
University of Pittsburgh School of
151 2.0% 1.9% -6.17% 1.32 10
Law
University of Richmond School of
156 1.3% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 77
Law
University of San Diego School of
211 1.3% 0.9% -29.63% 0.47 48
Law
University of San Francisco Law
144 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 78
School
University of Wisconsin Law School 173 1.3% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 79
Utah University School of Law 107 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 80
Vanderbilt University Law School 179 1.3% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 81
Vermont Law School 125 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 82
Villanova University School of Law 164 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 83
Washington and Lee University,
105 0.7% 0.9% 40.74% 0.96 21
School of Law
Washington University School of
109 2.0% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 84
Law
William S. Richardson, University of
77 0.7% 0.0% -100.00% 0.00 85
Hawaii
Yale Law School 205 0.7% 0.9% 40.74% 0.49 45
Drexel University School of Law 129 0.0% 0.9% 100.00% 0.78 30
Franklin Pierce Law Center 69 1.3% 1.9% 40.74% 2.90 1
Hastings College of the Law 301 0.0% 2.8% 100.00% 1.00 19
John Marshall Law School 248 0.0% 2.8% 100.00% 1.21 13
Pepperdine University School of
199 0.0% 0.9% 100.00% 0.50 43
Law
Santa Clara University School of
169 0.0% 0.9% 100.00% 0.59 37
Law
St John's School of Law 201 0.0% 2.8% 100.00% 1.49 7
University of Arkansas School of
117 0.0% 0.9% 100.00% 0.86 25
Law
University of Denver Sturm College
234 0.0% 0.9% 100.00% 0.43 52
of Law
University of Florida Levin College
320 0.7% 1.9% 181.48% 0.62 34
of Law
University of Houston Law Center 202 0.0% 0.9% 100.00% 0.50 44
University of Miami School of Law 303 0.0% 0.9% 100.00% 0.33 55
University of Minnesota 211 0.0% 0.9% 100.00% 0.47 47
University of Missouri 108 0.0% 1.9% 100.00% 1.85 4
University of South Carolina School
206 0.0% 0.9% 100.00% 0.49 46
of Law
Wayne State University Law School 122 0.0% 0.9% 100.00% 0.82 28
Whittier Law School 109
Yearly 0.0% 0.9% 100.00%
Growth or 0.92 Rank as 22
Year Year
Law School Class Decline Based Weightage per
2015(%) 2016(%)
B. DATA RELATED TO LAW FIRM INTERVIEWS IN 2016
Here are the results regarding law schools from which our candidates received interviews in 2016:
CHART 1
Percentage of BCG Candidates That Received Law Firm Interviews in 2016 by Law School
Georgetown University Law Center 4.90%
New York University School of Law 4.80%
University of Chicago Law School 3.90%
The University of Michigan Law School 3.40%
The University of Virginia School of Law 3.10%
UCLA School of Law 2.60%
Boston University School of Law 2.60%
Loyola Law School 2.50%
University of California 2.30%
Yale Law School 2.30%
University of Pennsylvania Law School 2.20%
Columbia Law School 2.10%
University of California, Hastings 2.10%
Tulane University Law School 2.00%
Fordham Law School 1.80%
Boston College Law School 1.80%
George Washington University 1.70%
St. John's University School of Law 1.70%
Harvard Law School 1.60%
Duke University School of Law 1.60%
Chicago-Kent College of Law 1.60%
The University of Texas School of Law 1.50%
Northwestern University School of Law 1.50%
John Marshall Law School 1.40%
Cornell Law School 1.40%
Washington University 1.30%
William & Mary School of Law 1.20%
University of Maryland School of Law 1.20%
University of Illinois College of Law 1.20%
Rutgers School of Law - Newark 1.00%
Arizona State University College of Law 1.00%
Loyola University Chicago School of Law 1.00%
University of Notre Dame Law School 1.00%
Seattle University School of Law 1.00%
American University 0.80%
Southwestern Law School 0.80%
University of Minnesota Law School 0.80%
Vanderbilt University Law School 0.80%
University of Florida College of Law 0.70%
University of San Diego School of Law 0.70%
University of South Carolina School of Law 0.70%
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law 0.70%
Santa Clara University School of Law 0.70%
University of Baltimore School of Law 0.70%
Franklin Pierce Law Center 0.70%
University of Miami School of Law 0.60%
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law 0.60%
Marquette University Law School 0.60%
University of San Francisco 0.60%
The University of Connecticut School of Law 0.60%
University of Toledo College of Law 0.60%
Brooklyn Law School 0.50%
Michigan State College of Law 0.50%
De Paul University College of Law 0.50%
Pepperdine University School of Law 0.50%
University of Southern California, The Law School 0.50%
Syracuse University College of Law 0.50%
Villanova University School of Law 0.50%
Baylor University School of Law 0.50%
Vermont Law School 0.50%
University of Kentucky 0.50%
University of Kansas School of Law 0.50%
McGeorge School of Law 0.50%
Suffolk University Law School 0.40%
Southern Methodist University 0.40%
Indiana University McKinney School of Law 0.40%
North Carolina Central University School of Law 0.40%
Pace University School of Law 0.40%
Case Western Reserve University School of Law 0.40%
Seton Hall University School of Law 0.40%
Washington & Lee University School of Law 0.40%
The Catholic University of America 0.40%
University of Dayton School of Law 0.40%
Thomas M. Cooley Law School 0.40%
Emory University School of Law 0.30%
South Texas College of Law 0.30%
Hofstra University School of Law 0.30%
University of Houston Law Center 0.30%
University of Pittsburgh School of Law 0.30%
Howard University School of Law 0.30%
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law 0.30%
University of Arkansas School of Law 0.30%
University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School 0.30%

Valparaiso University School of Law 0.30%
University of Denver, Sturm College of Law 0.20%
University of North Carolina School of Law 0.20%
University of St. Thomas Law School 0.20%
Indiana University Maurer School of Law 0.20%
Temple University, Beasley School of Law 0.20%
State University of New York at Buffalo Law School 0.20%
University of Oklahoma College of Law 0.20%
St. Louis University School of Law 0.20%
The University of Iowa College of Law 0.20%
Drexel University School of Law 0.20%
William S. Boyd School of Law 0.20%
Florida International University College of Law 0.20%
University of Oregon Law School 0.20%
University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law 0.20%
University of North Dakota 0.20%
Interamerican University - School of Law 0.10%
Stetson University College of Law 0.10%
Stanford University Law School 0.10%
Texas Tech University School of Law 0.10%
Ohio State University 0.10%
Thurgood Marshall School of Law 0.10%
University of Washington School of Law 0.10%
University of California, Davis School of Law 0.10%
School of Law, University of Detroit Mercy 0.10%
Chapman University School of Law 0.10%
University of Alabama School of Law 0.10%
Lewis & Clark 0.10%
University of Mississippi 0.10%
William Mitchell College of Law 0.10%
Wayne State University Law School 0.10%
Albany Law School of Union University 0.10%
Gonzaga University School of Law 0.10%
University of Nebraska College of Law 0.10%
George Mason University School of Law 0.10%
Whittier Law School 0.10%
Willamette University College of Law 0.10%
Ave Maria School of Law 0.10%
University of New Hampshire 0.10%
Quinnipiac University School of Law 0.10%
This information is useful and interesting because it certainly does demonstrate what most people already
understand: You are generally better off going to a better school.
How much has the law school you attended affected your legal career?
See the following articles for more information:

Do Grades and School Rankings Matter If Aiming for a Big-Law Job?
How Easy Is It to Relocate If You Went to a Second-Tier Law School?
I also believe it is important to control for the size of the school, as schools should be weighted according to
the number of people they send out into the market. When this is done you get different results:
CHART 2
Percentage of BCG Candidates That Received Law Firm Interviews in 2016 by Law School, As Weighted
for Class Size
Rank as
School Year
Size 2016(%)
Weightage
University of Chicago Law School 617 3.90% 6 1
Boston University School of Law 672 2.60% 3.72 2
Yale Law School 614 2.30% 3.58 3
The University of Michigan Law School 932 3.40% 3.43 4
Franklin Pierce Law Center 207 0.70% 3.38 5
Tulane University Law School 570 2.00% 3.33 6
New York University School of Law 1,395 4.80% 3.23 7
The University of Virginia School of Law 934 3.10% 3.1 8
University of Toledo College of Law 196 0.60% 3.06 9
Loyola Law School 800 2.50% 3 10
University of Pennsylvania Law School 753 2.20% 2.79 11
Georgetown University Law Center 1,725 4.90% 2.67 12
St. John's University School of Law 604 1.70% 2.65 13
UCLA School of Law 974 2.60% 2.57 14
Valparaiso University School of Law 121 0.30% 2.48 15
Boston College Law School 694 1.80% 2.45 16
Chicago-Kent College of Law 635 1.60% 2.36 17
University of California 935 2.30% 2.35 18
University of Illinois College of Law 477 1.20% 2.31 19
Thomas M. Cooley Law School 174 0.40% 2.3 20
Duke University School of Law 668 1.60% 2.25 21
University of California, Hastings 903 2.10% 2.21 22
Cornell Law School 588 1.40% 2.21 23
University of Maryland School of Law 514 1.20% 2.14 24
Northwestern University School of Law 658 1.50% 2.13 25
The University of Connecticut School of Law 328 0.60% 1.83 26
Fordham Law School 956 1.80% 1.78 27
Washington University 684 1.30% 1.75 28
Rank as
School Year
JohnSchool
Law Marshall Law School 744 1.40% 1.75
Weightage 29
per
Size 2016(%)
Columbia Law School 1,165 2.10% 1.72 Weightage
30
William & Mary School of Law 645 1.20% 1.71 31
Seattle University School of Law 557 1.00% 1.62 32
University of Dayton School of Law 256 0.40% 1.56 33
University of Notre Dame Law School 581 1.00% 1.55 34
Loyola University Chicago School of Law 582 1.00% 1.55 35
Vanderbilt University Law School 538 0.80% 1.49 36
The University of Texas School of Law 949 1.50% 1.48 37
Arizona State University College of Law 623 1.00% 1.44 38
The Catholic University of America 283 0.40% 1.41 39
University of Baltimore School of Law 496 0.70% 1.41 40
McGeorge School of Law 356 0.50% 1.4 41
University of San Francisco 431 0.60% 1.39 42
Santa Clara University School of Law 506 0.70% 1.38 43
University of Kansas School of Law 362 0.50% 1.38 44
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law 523 0.70% 1.34 45
University of Kentucky 374 0.50% 1.34 46
Vermont Law School 375 0.50% 1.33 47
Washington & Lee University School of Law 314 0.40% 1.27 48
Baylor University School of Law 393 0.50% 1.27 49
University of Minnesota Law School 632 0.80% 1.27 50
Southwestern Law School 659 0.80% 1.21 51
Marquette University Law School 521 0.60% 1.15 52
Seton Hall University School of Law 353 0.40% 1.13 53
University of South Carolina School of Law 618 0.70% 1.13 54
University of San Diego School of Law 634 0.70% 1.1 55
George Washington University 1,469 1.70% 1.09 56
Case Western Reserve University School of Law 380 0.40% 1.05 57
Villanova University School of Law 491 0.50% 1.02 58
Rutgers School of Law - Newark 893 1.00% 1.01 59
University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School 302 0.30% 0.99 60
Syracuse University College of Law 505 0.50% 0.99 61
University of North Dakota 224 0.20% 0.89 62
Pace University School of Law 466 0.40% 0.86 63
University of Arkansas School of Law 350 0.30% 0.86 64
North Carolina Central University School of Law 470 0.40% 0.85 65
Harvard Law School 1,767 1.60% 0.85 66
University of Southern California, The Law School 598 0.50% 0.84 67
Pepperdine University School of Law 598 0.50% 0.84 68
De Paul University College of Law 602 0.50% 0.83 69
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law 387 0.30% 0.78 70
Indiana University McKinney School of Law 519 0.40% 0.77 71
American University 1,052 0.80% 0.76 72
University of Florida College of Law 961 0.70% 0.73 73
Rank as
School Year
Law School
Howard University School of Law 413 0.30% Weightage
0.73 per
74
Size 2016(%)
Weightage
Southern Methodist University 560 0.40% 0.71 75
Michigan State College of Law 709 0.50% 0.71 76
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law 881 0.60% 0.68 77
University of Pittsburgh School of Law 453 0.30% 0.66 78
University of Miami School of Law 909 0.60% 0.66 79
University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law 322 0.20% 0.62 80
Brooklyn Law School 907 0.50% 0.55 81
University of Oregon Law School 366 0.20% 0.55 82
Florida International University College of Law 374 0.20% 0.53 83
William S. Boyd School of Law 379 0.20% 0.53 84
Drexel University School of Law 386 0.20% 0.52 85
The University of Iowa College of Law 387 0.20% 0.52 86
Suffolk University Law School 788 0.40% 0.51 87
University of Houston Law Center 605 0.30% 0.5 88
Quinnipiac University School of Law 208 0.10% 0.48 89
St. Louis University School of Law 418 0.20% 0.48 90
University of New Hampshire 215 0.10% 0.47 91
Hofstra University School of Law 679 0.30% 0.44 92
University of Oklahoma College of Law 467 0.20% 0.43 93
State University of New York at Buffalo Law School 494 0.20% 0.4 94
South Texas College of Law 794 0.30% 0.38 95
Temple University, Beasley School of Law 534 0.20% 0.37 96
Ave Maria School of Law 268 0.10% 0.37 97
Indiana University Maurer School of Law 538 0.20% 0.37 98
Emory University School of Law 836 0.30% 0.36 99
Willamette University College of Law 301 0.10% 0.33 100
University of St. Thomas Law School 630 0.20% 0.32 101
Whittier Law School 326 0.10% 0.31 102
University of North Carolina School of Law 657 0.20% 0.3 103
George Mason University School of Law 329 0.10% 0.3 104
University of Nebraska College of Law 330 0.10% 0.3 105
Gonzaga University School of Law 336 0.10% 0.3 106
University of Denver, Sturm College of Law 701 0.20% 0.29 107
Albany Law School of Union University 364 0.10% 0.27 108
Wayne State University Law School 365 0.10% 0.27 109
William Mitchell College of Law 375 0.10% 0.27 110
University of Mississippi 379 0.10% 0.26 111
Lewis & Clark 414 0.10% 0.24 112
University of Alabama School of Law 431 0.10% 0.23 113
Chapman University School of Law 436 0.10% 0.23 114
School of Law, University of Detroit Mercy 438 0.10% 0.23 115
University of California, Davis School of Law 494 0.10% 0.2 116
University of Washington School of Law 496 0.10% 0.2 117
Thurgood Marshall School of Law 508 0.10% 0.2 118 as
Rank
School Year
Size 2016(%)
Ohio State University 523 0.10% 0.19 119
Weightage
Texas Tech University School of Law 561 0.10% 0.18 120
Stanford University Law School 572 0.10% 0.17 121
Stetson University College of Law 672 0.10% 0.15 122
Interamerican University - School of Law 766 0.10% 0.13 123
CHART 3
Top 10 Law Schools for BCG Candidates That Received Interviews in 2016, Not Accounting for Class
Size
Georgetown University Law Center
New York University School of Law
University of Chicago Law School
The University of Michigan Law School
The University of Virginia School of Law
UCLA School of Law
Boston University School of Law
Loyola Law School
University of California
Yale Law School
CHART 4
Top 9 Law Schools for BCG Candidates That Received Interviews in 2016, Accounting for Class Size
Yale Law School
Franklin Pierce Law Center
Tulane University Law School
University of Toledo College of Law
What is interesting about this is that certain schools simply get "blown out of the water" when you consider
them based on class size. For example, Georgetown Law Center has close to 1,800 students and like three
different schools in one when you when you compare it to the University of Chicago Law School or Yale Law
School. There are fewer graduates from Yale and the University of Chicago to compete with graduates from
Georgetown.
The most meaningful numbers to me seem to be the schools that make both lists.
Why do you think some of the smaller schools received more interviews from big law firms in 2016?
CHART 5
Top 5 Law Schools for Laterals Getting Interviews in 2016 (Accounting for Class Size and Not
Yale Law School
This data correlates with what I have observed in my practice as a legal recruiter. These five schools are the
schools that the market (and not US News and World Report) seem to indicate most consistently pique the
interest of most law firms. These law schools consistently send people into large law firms. They have
excellent reputations and their graduates do well in the market generally.
However, it is important to note that these schools may not be the ones from which people get the most jobs.
For example, I have found students from Yale Law School often go into interviews with a sense of
entitlement, which turns off law firms. I have found University of Virginia Law School students earnest and
hungry for positions, but not nearly as academic as Yale Law School students. I have found New York
University Law School students motivated, direct, and willing to work hard.
For more observations about the top law schools, see the following article:
Top Law Schools Analyzed and Ranked By America's Top Legal Recruiter Harrison Barnes
Each law school has its pluses and minuses. In general, the real test of what happens is when these students
show up for interviews: Getting an interview is not the same thing as getting a job. Law firms will hire the very
best people they can find in the market for their jobs. Hiring decisions are based on "fit," the quality of the
attorney, and whether or not the law firm believes the attorney has the personality characteristics to perform
in their firm, will stay, and will work hard.
What other factors have you seen law firms look for when hiring attorneys?
See the following article for more information:

10 Factors That Matter to Big Firms More Than Where You Went to Law School: Why the Law School You
Went to Ultimately Does Not Matter as Much as You Think It Does to Major Law Firms
C. Data Related to Law Firm Placements in 2016
These are the schools that yielded the most placements in 2016:
CHART 6
Percentage of BCG Candidates That Received Law Firm Placements in 2016 by Law School
Columbia University School of Law 7.40%
UC Berkeley School of Law 5.60%
University of Michigan Law School 3.70%
George Washington University Law School 2.80%
St John's School of Law 2.80%
Hastings College of the Law 2.80%
The University of Chicago Law School 1.90%
American University Washington College of Law 1.90%
Notre Dame School of Law 1.90%
University of Florida Levin College of Law 1.90%
University of Missouri 1.90%
Gould School of Law 0.90%
Fordham University School of Law 0.90%
Duke Law School 0.90%
Dayton University School of Law 0.90%
Washington and Lee University, School of Law 0.90%
University of Arizona 0.90%
University of Iowa College of Law 0.90%
Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law 0.90%
Chicago Kent College of Law 0.90%
Whittier Law School 0.90%

University of South Carolina School of Law 0.90%
University of Minnesota 0.90%
University of Denver Sturm College of Law 0.90%
Weighted for class size, these are the schools that yielded the most placements in 2016:
CHART 7
Percentage of BCG Candidates That Received Law Firm Placements in 2016 by Law School, As
Weighted for Class Size
Franklin Pierce Law Center 207 1.90% 0.97 1
Columbia University School of Law 1,165 7.40% 0.69 2
UC Berkeley School of Law 935 5.60% 0.64 3
University of Missouri 324 1.90% 0.62 4
Thomas M. Cooley Law School 174 0.90% 0.57 5
Cornell Law School 588 2.80% 0.51 6
St John's School of Law 604 2.80% 0.5 7
Northwestern University School of Law 658 2.80% 0.46 8
Boston University School of Law 672 2.80% 0.45 9
University of Pittsburgh School of Law 453 1.90% 0.44 10
University of Michigan Law School 932 3.70% 0.43 11
The University of Texas School of Law 949 3.70% 0.42 12
John Marshall Law School 744 2.80% 0.4 13
Dayton University School of Law 256 0.90% 0.39 14
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law 523 1.90% 0.38 15
Loyola Law School 800 2.80% 0.38 16
Tulane University Law School 570 1.90% 0.35 17
Notre Dame School of Law 581 1.90% 0.34 18
Hastings College of the Law 903 2.80% 0.33 19
The University of Chicago Law School 617 1.90% 0.32 20
Washington and Lee University, School of Law 314 0.90% 0.32 21
Whittier Law School 326 0.90% 0.31 22
Boston College Law School 694 1.90% 0.29 23
New York University School of Law 1395 3.70% 0.29 24
University of Arkansas School of Law 350 0.90% 0.29 25
Seton Hall University School of Law 353 0.90% 0.28 26
University of Arizona 359 0.90% 0.28 27
Wayne State University Law School 365 0.90% 0.27 28
Case Western Reserve University School of Law 380 0.90% 0.26 29
Drexel University School of Law 386 0.90% 0.26 30
University of Iowa College of Law 387 0.90% 0.26 31
Suffolk University Law School 788 1.90% 0.25 32
Georgetown University Law Center 1725 3.70% 0.23 33
University of Florida Levin College of Law 961 1.90% 0.21 34
UCLA School of Law 974 1.90% 0.21 35
George Washington University Law School 1,469 2.80% 0.2 36
Santa Clara University School of Law 506 0.90% 0.2 37
University of Maryland School of Law 514 0.90% 0.19 38
American University Washington College of Law 1,052 1.90% 0.19 39
Indiana University Maurer School of Law 538 0.90% 0.19 40
Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law 560 0.90% 0.18 41
Gould School of Law 598 0.90% 0.17 42
Pepperdine University School of Law 598 0.90% 0.17 43
University of Houston Law Center 605 0.90% 0.17 44
Yale Law School 614 0.90% 0.16 45
University of South Carolina School of Law 618 0.90% 0.16 46
University of Minnesota 632 0.90% 0.16 47
University of San Diego School of Law 634 0.90% 0.16 48
Chicago Kent College of Law 635 0.90% 0.16 49
University of North Carolina School of Law 657 0.90% 0.15 50
Duke Law School 668 0.90% 0.15 51
University of Denver Sturm College of Law 701 0.90% 0.14 52
Michigan State College of Law 709 0.90% 0.14 53
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law 881 0.90% 0.11 54
University of Miami School of Law 909 0.90% 0.11 55
Fordham University School of Law 956 0.90% 0.1 56
When you do the same thing for the 2015 year, this is what you get.
Here are the results for the law schools from which our law firm clients hired attorneys in 2015:
CHART 8
The University of Michigan Law School 3.90%
Northeastern University School of Law 3.50%
Columbia Law School 3.10%
Fordham Law School 2.90%
Arizona State University College of Law 2.50%
University of Southern California, The Law School 2.30%
George Washington University 1.90%
University of Dayton School of Law 1.90%
Emory University School of Law 1.90%
Washington University School of Law 1.90%
Syracuse University College of Law 1.60%
Stanford University Law School 1.60%
University of Chicago Law School 1.40%
Duke University School of Law 1.40%
University of California 1.30%
William & Mary School of Law 1.30%
St. John's University School of Law 1.20%
University of Illinois College of Law 1.20%
University of Washington School of Law 1.10%
University of California, Hastings 1.00%
Hofstra University School of Law 0.80%
Rutgers School of Law - Newark 0.70%
University of Notre Dame Law School 0.60%
University of Minnesota Law School 0.60%
Washington & Lee University School of Law 0.60%
The University of Iowa College of Law 0.50%
Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School 0.50%
St. Thomas University School of Law 0.50%
Seattle University School of Law 0.40%
American University 0.40%
The University of Connecticut School of Law 0.40%
University of San Francisco 0.40%
University of Kansas School of Law 0.40%
State University of New York at Buffalo Law School 0.40%
University of Richmond School of Law 0.40%
The University of Georgia School of Law 0.40%
Wake Forest University School of Law 0.40%
Widener University School of Law 0.40%
Chicago-Kent College of Law 0.20%
Baylor University School of Law 0.20%
De Paul University College of Law 0.20%
McGeorge School of Law 0.20%
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law 0.20%
South Texas College of Law 0.20%
St. Louis University School of Law 0.20%
University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law 0.20%
Chapman University School of Law 0.20%
Stetson University College of Law 0.20%
Texas Tech University School of Law 0.20%
University of Alabama School of Law 0.20%
Lewis & Clark 0.20%
Duquesne School of Law 0.20%
Texas Wesleyan University School of Law 0.20%
University of Baltimore School of Law 0.10%
University of Florida College of Law 0.10%
Marquette University Law School 0.10%
The Catholic University of America 0.10%
University of Denver, Sturm College of Law 0.10%
Temple University, Beasley School of Law 0.10%
William S. Boyd School of Law 0.10%
University of North Dakota 0.10%
Albany Law School of Union University 0.10%
Ave Maria School of Law 0.10%
University of California, Davis School of Law 0.10%

Thurgood Marshall School of Law 0.10%
Charlotte School of Law 0.10%
Cleveland State University 0.10%
Capital University Law School 0.10%
University of Cincinnati College of Law 0.10%
University of Wisconsin Law School 0.10%
CHART 9
Top 20 Law Schools for BCG Candidates That Received Placements in 2016, Not Accounting for Class
Size
Columbia University School of Law
UC Berkeley School of Law
The University of Texas School of Law
University of Michigan Law School
George Washington University Law School
Northwestern University School of Law
Cornell Law School
Loyola Law School
St John's School of Law
John Marshall Law School
Hastings College of the Law
The University of Chicago Law School
Boston College Law School
University of Pittsburgh School of Law
American University Washington College of Law
Franklin Pierce Law
CHART 10
Top 20 Law Schools for BCG Candidates That Received Placements in 2016, Accounting for Class Size
Franklin Pierce Law Center
University of Missouri
Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Cornell Law School
John Marshall Law School
Dayton University School of Law
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
Loyola Law School
Notre Dame School of Law
CHART 11
Top 15 Law Schools for Laterals Getting Placements in 2016 (Accounting for Class Size/Not Accounting
for Class Size and Listed on Charts 9 and 10)
Cornell Law School
Loyola Law School
American University Washington College of Law
Because this information did not "seem quite right" to me, I ran the statistics for 2015 as well to see what the
top schools were for that year. In 2015 we saw the following:
CHART 12
Gould School of Law 4.60%
George Washington University Law School 3.90%
The University of Chicago Law School 3.90%
Fordham University School of Law 3.30%
UC Berkeley School of Law 3.30%
Columbia University School of Law 2.60%
American University Washington College of Law 2.00%
Washington University School of Law 2.00%
Duke Law School 1.30%
Emory University 1.30%
Howard University School of Law 1.30%
Northeastern University School of Law 1.30%
University of Richmond School of Law 1.30%
University of Wisconsin Law School 1.30%
University of Arizona 0.70%
Baylor University 0.70%
The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law 0.70%
Charlotte School of Law 0.70%
Chicago Kent College of Law 0.70%
Dayton University School of Law 0.70%
DePaul University School of Law 0.70%
Georgia State University College of Law 0.70%

Notre Dame School of Law 0.70%
Pennsylvania State University 0.70%
Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law 0.70%
Stanford Law School 0.70%
The University of Kansas School of Law 0.70%
University At Buffalo Law School 0.70%
University of Connecticut School of Law 0.70%
University of Iowa College of Law 0.70%
University of Michigan Law School 0.70%
University of San Francisco Law School 0.70%
Utah University School of Law 0.70%
Vermont Law School 0.70%
Washington and Lee University, School of Law 0.70%
William S. Richardson, University of Hawaii 0.70%
University of Florida Levin College of Law 0.70%
What is so fascinating about this data is that in 2015 we placed 10+ attorneys from both the University of
Southern California Law School and Harvard Law School. In 2016, those schools were almost completely
absent from the list of schools from which we made placements. Why? Obviously, USC Gould School of Law
did not suddenly jump up in the rankings in 2015 and Harvard did not take a fall in 2016. What this suggests
is that what happens in the market--and, yes, at BCG Attorney Search as well--is somewhat random. It also
should be quite clear that we are happy to work with people from a wide variety of schools and that it is not
extremely important where you went to school when looking for a job--but it does matter.
Do you think law firms should place more or less emphasis on law school for lateral attorneys? Why?
CHART 13
Top 6 Law Schools for BCG Candidates That Earned the Most Placements in 2015 and 2016
Conclusions
In the lateral market, the quality of the law school you went to matters, of course, but it is not as important as
attorneys think it is. While not the focus of this article, the real motivating factor for most law firms is often the
law firm that the attorney is coming from. While I did not share this data (for obvious reasons we do not want
law firms to know where our candidates are coming from), the law firm an attorney is coming from has the
most significant impact on whether or not the attorney will be interviewed and hired. The practice area the
attorney is in also is extremely important.
See the following articles for more information about law schools and law school grades:
Are Law School Transcripts Necessary When Applying for Jobs?
Law School for Mature Students
How Can I Find a Job When I Didn't Graduate at the Top of My Class?
I've Heard that [X Law Firm] Only Accepts Top 10 Law Schools/Laterals from Amlaw100 Firms/Top
Gpas. Should I Still Submit My Materials?
Do I Need to Submit my Transcript When Applying for Jobs Years After Law School?
Are Law School Transcripts Necessary When Applying for Jobs?
Do Grades Matter If You Have Good Litigation Experience?
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Grades vs. Experience
What Yale Law School Teaches about How to Approach Your Legal Career That No Other Law School
Does
The 2016 BCG Attorney Search Guide to America's Top 50 Law Schools
Share Your Thoughts
How does knowing the information in this article affect your career?
Do you think the current way law firms evaluate lateral attorneys is fair? Why or why not?
Why do you think the law school you went to matters less to firms later in your career?
Share your answers to the questions above and any other comments you have in the comments below
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How Much Does The Law School You Went To Matter When You Lateral Firms

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How Much Does The Law School You Went To Matter When You Lateral Firms

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How Much Does the Law School You Went to Matter When You

DATA RELATED TO LAW FIRM INTERVIEWS IN 2016

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William & Mary School of

University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School 0.30%

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C. Data Related to Law Firm Placements in 2016

University of Houston Law Center 0.90%

University of California, Davis School of Law 0.10%

Michigan State College of Law 0.70%

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