Rutgers $$$$ vs. Seton Hall $$$ (vs Cardozo $$$) Forum

[nixy]

I think the above is correct, but where the cliff falls depends more on your market and what schools are local than rankings per se. Overall though I agree that people can move up postgrad a bit more than this board generally suggests. (Possibly a bit more on the margins - you’re not likely to go from a PI mill to Skadden [insert other top firm of choice here] - but careers are long and varied.)

This may not be as helpful for the OP since Seton Hall and Rutgers are have a LOT of higher ranked schools locally, although it’s also a huge legal market. Although my impression has been that the local NJ state clerkships that Seton Hall dominates are not bad stepping stones to local New Jersey mid/small firms (not a biglaw outcome but not unemployed either).

[objctnyrhnr]

I think the above is correct, but where the cliff falls depends more on your market and what schools are local than rankings per se. Overall though I agree that people can move up postgrad a bit more than this board generally suggests. (Possibly a bit more on the margins - you’re not likely to go from a PI mill to Skadden [insert other top firm of choice here] - but careers are long and varied.)

This may not be as helpful for the OP since Seton Hall and Rutgers are have a LOT of higher ranked schools locally, although it’s also a huge legal market. Although my impression has been that the local NJ state clerkships that Seton Hall dominates are not bad stepping stones to local New Jersey mid/small firms (not a biglaw outcome but not unemployed either).

Anecdotally I’ve heard that the market is inundated with state clerkship finishers to the point that a legitimate legal job is very far from guaranteed even after finishing one of those post-Rutgers state clerkships.

[nixy]

I think the above is correct, but where the cliff falls depends more on your market and what schools are local than rankings per se. Overall though I agree that people can move up postgrad a bit more than this board generally suggests. (Possibly a bit more on the margins - you’re not likely to go from a PI mill to Skadden [insert other top firm of choice here] - but careers are long and varied.)

This may not be as helpful for the OP since Seton Hall and Rutgers are have a LOT of higher ranked schools locally, although it’s also a huge legal market. Although my impression has been that the local NJ state clerkships that Seton Hall dominates are not bad stepping stones to local New Jersey mid/small firms (not a biglaw outcome but not unemployed either).

Anecdotally I’ve heard that the market is inundated with state clerkship finishers to the point that a legitimate legal job is very far from guaranteed even after finishing one of those post-Rutgers state clerkships.

That's entirely possible - my evidence is anecdotal as well. It probably depends a lot on the individual situation (the applicant's qualifications besides the clerkship, the judge they clerked for, etc).