Northwestern v. Florida Tax LLM for biglaw Forum

[anon1717]

Hi all,

Recently accepted to both NW and FL for Tax LLM. Wondering if either gives me a realistic shot at biglaw after graduation or if Big4 accounting is the only realistic option. I finished top 1/3 at a T20 but internships weren't great, both were in-house. (I thought that's what I wanted to do after graduation but pivoted to tax in my 3L year). I'm fine with working in either Chicago or Miami after graduation. Would a Tax Court clerkship realistically improve my biglaw chances? Got a partial scholarship from NW so cost of attendance is roughly equal. Thanks in advance

[Mickfromgm]

With your credentials, with a tax LLM from those schools, you would have a very, very good chance of getting a BigLaw job. Heck, you should be able to get such a job in NYC without an LLM.

Are you sure that you really want to practice tax or T&E? Firms would specifically hire you for those practice groups once they see your tax LLM. You could ask for a different departmental assignment, but you wouldn't want to waste a year and tens of thousands of dollars (and lose your competitive advantage) if you are not going to end up using the specialized knowledge you gained.

[anon1717]

Thanks for the response. I found tax really interesting and would definitely be comfortable practicing exclusively in tax. I also want to use the year to build up my network, since I hadn't been positioning myself for a biglaw job through law school

[lavarman84]

I'm surprised that you didn't get into GULC or NYU. I would have said in the past this should definitely be Florida, but there's a lot of upheaval going on with the program right now. I had multiple friends who were set on doing Florida's tax LLM opt to go to NYU/GULC because of everything. Accordingly, I would recommend Northwestern if the cost is about equal. If Florida was significantly cheaper, I might advise otherwise. However, it's not.

If you ultimately choose Florida, I think you'll be okay. Students tend to do well. There's a very strong and loyal network in the Southeast. I'm just hesitant to recommend it right now with everything going on with the Tax program.

[nealric]

I would sit out a year and try for NYU. It's really the only option to consider if you want biglaw.

[Mickfromgm]

Thanks for the response. I found tax really interesting and would definitely be comfortable practicing exclusively in tax. I also want to use the year to build up my network, since I hadn't been positioning myself for a biglaw job through law school

Excellent. Good luck, you have a bright future ahead of you for sure.

[wiz]

I'm surprised that you didn't get into GULC or NYU. I would have said in the past this should definitely be Florida, but there's a lot of upheaval going on with the program right now. I had multiple friends who were set on doing Florida's tax LLM opt to go to NYU/GULC because of everything. Accordingly, I would recommend Northwestern if the cost is about equal. If Florida was significantly cheaper, I might advise otherwise. However, it's not.

If you ultimately choose Florida, I think you'll be okay. Students tend to do well. There's a very strong and loyal network in the Southeast. I'm just hesitant to recommend it right now with everything going on with the Tax program.

What's going on with the Florida tax program?

[wiz]

Also agree with NYU or bust if you're deadset on biglaw and won't be happy with anything else.

[Anonymous User]

I'm surprised that you didn't get into GULC or NYU. I would have said in the past this should definitely be Florida, but there's a lot of upheaval going on with the program right now. I had multiple friends who were set on doing Florida's tax LLM opt to go to NYU/GULC because of everything. Accordingly, I would recommend Northwestern if the cost is about equal. If Florida was significantly cheaper, I might advise otherwise. However, it's not.

If you ultimately choose Florida, I think you'll be okay. Students tend to do well. There's a very strong and loyal network in the Southeast. I'm just hesitant to recommend it right now with everything going on with the Tax program.

What's going on with the Florida tax program?

The dean is pumping and dumping the school's us news numbers to land a better job. To accomplish this goal, she has been dismantling dedicated funding for the tax LLM and law review to redirect it toward scholarships for 1Ls.

See also.

[BenjarvusGreenEllis]

I don't want to hijack, but I think this question could help OP and others.

If someone is going for biglaw from a tax LLM program, how relevant are 2L/3L grades? The advice I've read in other threads has been that it's hard to get biglaw unless you were qualified during law school. By implication does that mean your 1L grades are the only thing firms will look at?

[Johann]

I would sit out a year and try for NYU. It's really the only option to consider if you want biglaw.

[Johann]

I don't want to hijack, but I think this question could help OP and others.

If someone is going for biglaw from a tax LLM program, how relevant are 2L/3L grades? The advice I've read in other threads has been that it's hard to get biglaw unless you were qualified during law school. By implication does that mean your 1L grades are the only thing firms will look at?

Yeah they look at them and heavily consider them along with llm grades.

That not qualified for biglaw in law school means won't be qualified for biglaw after llm is dumb advice. Half the NYu class every years gets biglaw or close to it and half get great experience at big 4 that they can use to get biglaw lateral or big 4 partner. Yet only like 10% of the NYu class had a chance at biglaw before coming in.

[Anonymous User]

I don't want to hijack, but I think this question could help OP and others.

If someone is going for biglaw from a tax LLM program, how relevant are 2L/3L grades? The advice I've read in other threads has been that it's hard to get biglaw unless you were qualified during law school. By implication does that mean your 1L grades are the only thing firms will look at?

Yeah they look at them and heavily consider them along with llm grades.

That not qualified for biglaw in law school means won't be qualified for biglaw after llm is dumb advice. Half the NYu class every years gets biglaw or close to it and half get great experience at big 4 that they can use to get biglaw lateral or big 4 partner. Yet only like 10% of the NYu class had a chance at biglaw before coming in.

That's interesting/encouraging, I haven't read that before. Thanks for your reply.

[Anonymous User]

[quote="Johann"][quote="BenjarvusGreenEllis"]I don't want to hijack, but I think this question could help OP and others.

If someone is going for biglaw from a tax LLM program, how relevant are 2L/3L grades? The advice I've read in other threads has been that it's hard to get biglaw unless you were qualified during law school. By implication does that mean your 1L grades are the only thing firms will look at?[/quote]
Yeah they look at them and heavily consider them along with llm grades.

That not qualified for biglaw in law school means won't be qualified for biglaw after llm is dumb advice. Half the NYu class every years gets biglaw or close to it and half get great experience at big 4 that they can use to get biglaw lateral or big 4 partner. Yet only like 10% of the NYu class had a chance at biglaw before coming in.[/quote]


Half of NYU's Tax LLMs do not get biglaw. Although encouraging, it may be misleading. Heres NYU Tax LLMs statistics for hiring. Not even they claim half. They said 22-28% get big law depending on the year.

http://www.law.nyu.edu/sites/default/fi ... tics_0.pdf