Top Law Schools - Is There Any Such Thing?

I hear the term "top law schools" bandied about all the time.  But what does it really mean?  To tell you the truth, I don't really know.

I do know that when I was applying to law school I wanted to go to a top law school.  I mean, who wouldn't want to go to a top law school?  It's the "top."  It's got to be good, right?

Sure, you can check the latest law school rankings to see which law schools some arbitrary panel evaluating some set of unknown statistics has determined are the top law schools.  But does that really mean they are the top law schools?

No, it doesn't.

I went to a very well-respected law school, one that some might even describe as a top law school, and I can assure you that it's not really any better or worse than most of the other ABA approved law schools out there.  The truth is, once you get past the geography and reputation (which is something law schools have very little independent control over), most law schools are pretty much the same when it comes to the content and quality of the education.

So, in my opinion, a law school becomes a top law school only when it is a good fit for you.  Is it in the right place?  Will it help you get the kind of job you want?  Can you afford it?  If the answers to these questions are yes, it's a top law school for you.