Baltimore Law is not the same school at Maryland Law which is in Baltimore.

William & Mary is milking their relationship with Sandy Baby for all it's worth. She was the commencement speaker in 2006. LAME!

I can't believe how many of these speakers are terrible, even at the top schools.

Hah, 10:13, I was just going to point that out. Watching Sandra Day and Desmond Tutu stroll around the auditorium in those regal robes was pretty amusing. I wonder if she'll reuse her joke about how her commencement robe is "much fancier" than the robe she is used to wearing.

So are there going to be riots or what?

Yale = Yale professor. Awesome. That must be thrilling.

Maybe next year they could have their own dean. Then maybe a student. That is funny, although somewhat appropriate for a school full of nerds who will never be attorneys anyway, might as well have a professor.

Ted Turner should not be in the top 10. He spoke at my undergrad commencement and was terrible. He had no prepared remarks -- just put his watch on the podium and talked until his 10 minutes was up. At least it was relatively short.

"UPenn State: Michael Apfelbaum (Partner, Apfelbaum, Apfelbaum & Apfelbaum)"

I wonder how that guy got the job. No wonder U Penn Philly is going down the toilet.

Great moments in cheapskate commencement speakers: I graduated from a state university's law school in the same class with the governor's son. Somebody in the administration actually had the balls to suggest the governor as a commencement speaker because "he's going to be there anyway."

To 10:23: Penn State is not the same school as U Penn. No connection whatsoever.

Justice Thomas will be the commencement speaker for the University of Georgia's undergrads.

10:26 - you're new here, huh?

You forgot one:

http://insidehighered.com/news/2008/04/23/thomas

Mayor Booker is also the speaker for Rutgers-Newark Law

Boston College should be ashamed over the Founder's Medal nonsense.

And Lat, you need to stop making us click on a link to comment as a guest. I like the new format otherwise.

Is #10 a joke? I mean the school is

man, these speakers blow.

This one wins: last year at Richmond Law they had a woman who ran a dog shelter. She was a Richmond Law alum but she ran a friggin dog shelter. Why in the WORLD would you select someone who didn't even do legal work unless they were some sort of celebrity?

"Yes come to Richmond where you can spend $120,000 on a law degree so you can help 3 legged mutts find a home!"

The Penn Law speaker is Bill Richardson.

What about the UPenn campus of Penn State Law?

10:33 - Check your reading comp.

Thomas is at the undergrad graduation. He did the law school at UGA in 2003.

Doesn't matter, 10:57. You didn't get in to either.

Now there are two flashing recruiter ads? Lat not listening to readers. Lat getting paid.

Scott Turrow spoke at Michigan law graduation in 2005. If you think it is interesting watching a self-absorbed individual recap the reasons he has been so successful in his life, you will enjoy watching Scott Turrow. If you want a person who will have something interesting and/or important to say, I suggest you retain someone else.

Scott Turow's speech in '05 at U. Mich was horrible. Basically he started out by talking about how fabulous his career is, and instead of weaving that into some kind of "follow your dreams" narrative, he told the assembled crowd that none of us would ever be so lucky as to be as happy and professionally satisfied as he is.

how come the "high school" person hasn't made his comment yet??

"Guys in my high school used to speak at commencement speeches all the time. Its no big deal"

enjoy

You know, THE Loyola2L (where has he/she been?) is likely graduating in the coming weeks. He/she would make an interesting surprise speaker.

Oh UC Hastings, I'm so glad to be getting a degree from you in a few weeks. Not even the TaxProf can remember to include you in a list that has all the other UC law schools.

For the record, Willie Brown is our commencement speaker.

Turow's speech is exactly the type I hate. "You MIGHT be as wonderful as I am...but likely not."

William and Mary is a joke. The students at that school are about as much fun as Sumerian Face Aids.

Maryland is a much better school than Baltimore, but we got a far more boring speaker. An executive from Fannie Mae? What's she going to say? "We didn't really cook the books--it was just good lawyering on our part!" I'd take freewheelin' Ted Turner any day over that.

I think the Frat Stud attempt needs a little more pizzazz, something like:

Guys at my high school used to ignore lame commencement speakers while sucking back on one-hit pot pipes all the time. It was no big deal.

Wow, American got Breyer? How did that happen? Does he know of their new Anti-Porn Policy?

Diane Wood is speaking at Texas.

http://www.utexas.edu/law/depts/sao/graduation/sunflower_keynote_082.html

penn = bill richardson

Baltimore > UMD IMHO

These are the two worst Frat Stud impersonations I've ever seen. You people suck. Learn how to not dilute the humor in a funny premise.

Last year the UIUC had Samantha Power as its convocation speaker. A lot of it was about her involvement in the Obama campaign. Very partisan, not very inspirational.

Seton Hall: Judge Chagares (3rd Cir.)

http://law.shu.edu/administration/student_services/commencement/commencement_home08.html

Isn't Dennis Jacobs (Cardozo) the chief judge of the Second Circuit, not the NY (State) Court of Appeals?

Kenji Yoshino is speaking at the YLS commencement, but I don't think he's the official commencement speaker. Every year, the 3L class nominates then votes on which professor we'd like to have address us. This year, we voted for Kenji. I expect that this year, as in years past, there will be a "big name" commencement speaker in addition to the faculty speaker.
-YLS 3L
(Sorry if there's a duplicate post; I tried to hit Stop to sign the post, but it may not have stopped in time to prevent a double post.)

Minnesota = Gov. Tim Pawlenty

Um, I've heard Scott Turow speak to a law school before, and if the choice was between hear him again and kill myself, it would be a tossup. It was basically 1 hr of how great he is. I'm not kidding. Pure torture.

Yale = NYU Professor Kenji Yoshino

Turow spoke at my graduation (Loyola Chicago 96) and he was awful. Read his books, but don't go hear him speak.

11:34,

Your humble opinion must suck. Glad you aren't my attorney.

Fordham Law = Rich Ross, a 1986 graduate of the Law School and president of Disney Channels Worldwide

Cory Booker spoke at NYU last year and he was just amazing...

SMU = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Garza

University of Penn (State) Law (Philadelphia) will have coach Joe Paterno.

12:02 -

Just trying to rufflfe some UMD feathers. UMD is superior. However, Ubalt has somewhat of a reputation within Baltimore, and is moving up in the rankings. And Scalia visited yesterday.

11:34 (a MD native who graduated from niether school)

11:34 - Unemployed graduate of the University of Baltimore. UB is laughable in comparision to the University of the Maryland.

Baltimore smells and is full of poor people and crack dens. But I guess if you can get used to that its a nice place to live.

Thanks, Georgetown, for waiting until the day before graduation to announce that the graduation speaker is Dick Cheney. If you had already made it public GULC would be getting made fun of on ATL today.

Thanks, Georgetown, for waiting until the day before graduation to announce that the graduation speaker is Dick Cheney. If you had already made it public GULC would be getting made fun of on ATL today.

12:02, I'm glad I'm not your attorney, too. I don't like clients who are both unable to pay their bills AND completely unable to construct a funny Frat Stud comment.

- 11:34

Is Georgetown really getting Dick Cheany?

Which is worse? Baltimore or Newark?

Penn Law has Gov Bill Richardson. Add that to your list.

Baltimore hands down. Not only are there crack addicts on every other corner, half of them cross dress and ask for money in not so subtle terms. Then if they think you are not taking them seriously, they stab you. True Story

Baltimore is a true hell hole. In NYC, bums will ask you for money, and then move along if you say no or ignore them. In Baltimore, the bums are very agressive and they stalk you angrily if you do not give them a handout.

I love me some good bum fights.

UC Davis' commencement speaker is Mayor Gavin Newsom. The Yolo County judge spoke at the special public interest graduation.

*poof*

FART STUD

*poof*

FART STUD

NYU Tax LLM commencement speaker = Wesley Snipes. You heard it here first.

Comedians make the only interesting speakers, and law schools would never have a comedian as a speaker. They think that by getting the most "prestigous" person, e.g. SCOTUS, that they somehow have gotten the best speaker. Problem is that these people are some of the most boring people you would ever care to listen to. I have been unlucky enough to listen to Breyer speak before. I would rather listen that Miss America pagent retard speak than Breyer..."like, such as, U.S. Americans..."

We TOTALLY should have gotten Snipes. Class of 2008: I present the daywalker!

Eliot Spitzer spoke at Cardozo '05's graduation. He spoke about the need to be an ethical attorney. Oops.

Ted Turner blows. He spoke at the University of Georgia undergraduate commencement in 1999, and he just rambled on for 30 minutes with absolutely no coherency. It was pure torture.

I too wonder when GULC is going to announce a graduation speaker. I mean, come on!

-GULC 3L

American holds great symposiums and always gets good speakers. If the law school would shift away from its public interest focus it would be a top 30 school.

ROGER PHIPPS is commencement speaker at Loyola.

See page 14 and n.4 of: http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/unpub/07/07-30506.0.wpd.pdf

ROGER PHIPPS is commencement speaker at Loyola.

See page 14 and n.4 of: http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/unpub/07/07-30506.0.wpd.pdf

ROGER PHIPPS is commencement speaker at Loyola.

See page 14 and n.4 of: http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/unpub/07/07-30506.0.wpd.pdf

Guys at my high school used to make shitty Frat Stud jokes all the time; it was no big deal.

A cross dressing crack stud from Baltimore is going to be the commencement speaker at GULC. The school promised him 5 mins alone with the valedictorian in a windowless room. It was the valedictorians idea. Point being -- GULC students are fags.

American Law is Baltimore Law's safety school.

"American holds great symposiums and always gets good speakers. If the law school would shift away from its public interest focus it would be a top 30 school."

All American is good at is filling the halls of my law firm with contract attorneys !!!

1:48 - It's always a good sign when you have to explain your punch-line to people.

Get it? It's not a good sign, which is funny because I said the opposite of what I meant!

NU knows what's up! Jerry Springer is going to be an awesome speaker. For proof, see This American Life episode 258.

Love that a GW Prof. is a commencement speaker somewhere.

1:41 PM: Are you kidding? American doesn't have a law school.

Baltimore wishes it was even somewhere in American's league. Shitty law school, shittier city. Get real.

1:58 - if that is a joke it falls pretty flat.

My eyes have never glanced low enough on the page to contribute to the Baltimore vs. Maryland conversation.

You forgot Hofstra has Adam Liptak, who is your idol Nina Tottenberg's successor at the NYTimes.

1:54 -- are you the valedictorian in question? If so, way to be, fella! Have at it!

Which is worse -- Baltimore or Detroit?

Actually, GULC really was going to get Cheney, but he backed out because Baltimore got Ted Turner for the same day and Cheney wants to go listen to him.

I overheard the dean tell this story to an alumnus in a bar two nights ago. The alum's a big donor and had demanded an explanation for why GULC was getting Rumsfeld to speak. (Rummy dropped out of the GULC night program to run for Congress.)

Baltimore!!

Baltimore is the underbelly of the US. It edges out Detroit, Camden, Newark and East Orange. Funny how NJ claims 3 out of 5 of the most disgusting places in our great nation.

Has anyone ever been to Roanoke VA? I swear I saw a one eyed mullet monster lurking in one of the alleyways.

I was in Baltimore, down by the harbor, and saw a crackhead approach a family and ask the father for some money. The mother gathered her two small children up and walked in the opposite direction, leaving the husband to fend off the crack head which drew the attention of another crack head in the area over. I observed all of this from the comfort of my seat at an out door bar. Good times.

***********************************************************

CAST YOUR VOTE FOR THE MOST TTT LAW SCHOOL:

(a) UDC - David A. Clark School of Law
(b) University of Baltimore School of Law
(c) Thomas M. Cooley Law School
(d) American University - Washington College of Law
(e) Texas Southern University College of Law

***********************************************************

Hey, 2:49: Homo says what?

2:49 here. What?

Wow, the DC metro area is killing the TTT list.

I vote for (d), American.

They pioneered the now standard TTT technique of usurping the name of a famous person with whom they have no connection (Washington) to sound legitimate.

When you add that to their using the name "American" when they have no affiliation whatsoever with the United States (more with PRC/Cuba ideologically) you get one desperate grab for prestige by a school that has none.

Their approach has since been mimicked by other TTTs, including John Marshall and Thomas Jefferson.

Posted by guest | Permalink
Friday, April 25, 2008 9:54 AM

Lat, you're slipping. A certain Firm paid out a certain bonus extra today.

Jerry! Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!

2:49:

You are obviously a troll or a GULC alum. Otherwise, GULC would be on the list. Its a safety school for UVA, Harvard, American, and Stanford.

I am a 2L at American--our school's ABA accreditation was suspended this week !!!

REPORT ON THIS. Please.

I second the comments re Turow (Michigan 2005 speech). HORRIBLE speech. The only thing he said that I thought was interesting at all was that he gets to spend 50% of his time writing, 25% working for paying clients, and 25% doing pro bono.

On the other hand, the student speaker that year was phenomenal, and probably the best graduation speech I've ever seen.

3:09 PM --- You are an idiot (both for attending American and for posting your comment). American hasn't been an ABA-accredited law school since 1998!

I take offense at the GULC comment. I was at UVA once and it was all I could do to prevent myself from urinating on everything and everyone.

3:11 --- Good point. Touro Law Center (not "Turow") is a TTT school as well. I has 3 locations: NY or NJ and Guam.

Guam University Law Center to TTT

I am a 2004 graduate of Harvard Law who is a contract attorney at WEMED (Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP). One of my classmates works here as a k attorney as well. Any school that sends two 2004 grads to work as CONTRACT ATTORNEYS at WEMED is obviously more TTT than American (even if American is not ABA-accredited).

Touro Law Center to 190k

why is everyone so obsessed with the fact that american law lost its ABA accredidation? lets talk about important things like bonuses and how hot kash is.

Let's get back on topic here. Which city is more TTT -- B-more or D-town?

3:22--

Baltimore is TTT. Detroit is TTT. American's Washington College of Law is (a) unaccredidted; and (b) TTT.

Thanks for playing.

"I am a 2L at American--our school's ABA accreditation was suspended this week !!! REPORT ON THIS. Please."

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY FALSE. I go to American Law school, am sitting in class now, and can assure this board that my law school is in good shape. Whoever is posting this is wrong or a GULC troll who is jelous that s/he got rejected from American.

Sincerely,
AU Law, 1L

UChicago = Barack Obama?

Whats ABA accreditation? Do I need it? Is it something I can purchase with my trust fund allowance?

Those of you who believe American is unaccredited are truly pathetic lawyers who I would never waste $10 on. If you are that gullible I would not want you closing deals for me. I'd get fleeced every time. Of course American is accredited.

Just look at the ABA's website - www.abanet.org.

ITS TRUE... AMERICAN IS NO LONGER ACCREDITED !!!

3:48... look at the specific hyperlink, moron!

www.abanet.org/ABA_Suspends_Accreditation_of_American_University_Washington_College_Of_Law.htm

3:52 - wow false links, so creative and intelligent. Were you born this smart, witty and funny or did it cost over $250k to reach this level of stupidity?

Oh my, it is true. Thomas M. Cooley Law School, GULC, and American University's Washington College of Law have each had their accred. suspended !!!

I guess the ABA is cracking down on TTT schools.

America has lost Credit!

Some of the Nation's finest jurists attended American Law.

Learned Hand, c/o '47
Nino Scalia, c/o '68
Henry Friendly, c/o '32
Elizabeth Halverson, c/o '89
John Marshall, c/o '(17)88

THIS SITE IS DUMB.

2 diamond.

I love this site. It is a welcome escape from ugly people who graduated from GULC, American and UVA.

What is Pirro going to tell the Albany grads? How to ruin your career, marriage and reputation in less than a year? That woman makes me gag. Nothing like a cautionary tale as you head out the door saddled with debt.

I'm surprised that the AU-Wcl administration did not arrange for a "representative from a jungle village in Belize" to come speak at graduation about the intersection of human rights and gender issues in Central and South America.

Solid work, 4:05. Marshall graduated the last year GULC took someone who was rejected by American, so there's a nexus between your comment and the American troll at 3:39.

AU 1L, stop trying to pick a fight with GULC. That right's reserved for GW and George Mason grads. Aim your insults at a peer school, like your fellow unaccredited hippy school UDC.

Thanks.

Yale ALWAYS has one of its professors, voted by the students. Yoshino is hugely popular, which is why I guess he was asked back this year. Additionally, often recipients of an honorary degree will give a speech as well (in2006, it was O'Connor).

-'06 YLS grad

American > Mason. Mason is only good for IP.

Dearest ATL Blowgers.

My name is Nukiamori and me come from a land in a far away land. Me right to explain to all of the readers of this blowg why me coming to America law.

Me come to the U.S. of A. to gain an education from a superior legal institutioin, and so me decided to goto the school with the international representaion of the U.S. of A. --- the AMERICAN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF THE LAW. In me mother country, we learn alot of the American legal system that was developed at the AMERICAN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW. Me is bothered, though, with all of this talk that me law school has lossed its accredition by the BAR ASSOCIATION OF THE AMERICAS. Please confirm if me law school is really in trouble.

2 Ls -- AMERICAN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW

You know why Breyer is coming to WCL? Because we all aren't total and utter arrogant, soul selling assholes that's why. He actually is not horrified by being in the presence of 500 of us.

I mean dear god every time I get into a room full of the GW's and GULC's, I want to freaking kill myself or at least slap some sense into them. Omg my bonus is only going to be 25k omg, what what do you mean I'll have to pay for my own lunch omg. And I swear all that selfish whining makes them ugly too.

At WCL people worry about getting people out of prison, getting them asylum, you know something other than whining and going to firm cocktail hours. So yeah of course Breyer would rather come to our graduation, who wouldn't?

-WCL 3L

Got me there, WCL 3L, as long I can come to the graduation as a spectator after picking up my JD somewhere better (like Breyer).

5:49 PM -- All good points. I applied to 5 law schools: GULC, GW, American, Maryland, and Mason. I got into all 5 and gladly accepted at American, primarily for the reasons described in your post. American's WCL offers a top-tier education, top-tier placements, and a top-tier reputation.

Dear 6:06 PM,

You sound like you havea small prick.

Sincerely,
5:49 PM

6:07

I call lie. If you were concerned with top-tier reputation, placement, and education you would have chosen GULC, and GW if given lots of money. Even if your intent was public interest, and you cared little about reputation, GULC and GW would still be vastly superior to help you achieve your goals.

I don't disagree that American is a great school, but unless you got a ton of money, I don't see anyone going there over at least GW or GULC (GM I could understand).

6:07 - I call bull. Those are the comments of somebody unfamiliar with WCL. This school is tailored towards public interest. From being U.S. News #5 for international law to the vast array of clinical programs anybody wanting to go into public interest has made a good decision going to WCL. That is not to take anything away from GULC and GW, very good schools in their own right, although neither can deny that American can more then hold its own.

Woops, meant 6:28. Dyslexic from studying too much.

THAT'S RIGHT! None of you cake boys have what it takes to make in Baltimore. Step off you fancy New Yorkers, Bay Areans, Chicagoans. Take your car service home to the Upper East Side, Evanston, or Nob Hill. Leave real life to those of us who live in real places like B'Mo; Death'troit, Camden NJ -- Home of the Body Bag.

5:49, you got me there, too. But it gets bigger when I call the WCL a TTT, so I do what I gotta do.

6:06

I second (er- hundredth?) that Cory Booker is a great speaker. He spoke at the Annual Sadie T.M. Alexander Conference for Penn Law BLSA [insert Joe Pa jokes] last year. This year Ted Shaw, past president of NAACP spoke and was a good speaker. A couple of year ago BLSA Kathleen Cleaver spoke (former wife of BPP party leader, Columbia or Harvard Law grad I beleive and former Cravath associate). Why did I say all this, who knows ... :) Go Quakers (or Nittany Lions ;)

As for the the guy that said his firm's hallways are filled with "[TTT] contract attorneys," I have a feeling their work product quality is a bit higher since you're sitting on your ass reading this website and they're in the hallway going from Point A to Point B on client matters. See who's made Partner in a few years. P.S. Should I put the ethics complaint is in the mail for the 0.1 hr. you billed your client while reading the other posts? As a fellow TTT-grad reading this stuff, you can guarantee I'm "gunning" for elitist pricks like you. Best friends? I'll even be invited to your son's bar mitzvah. But just wait. When senior associate layoffs come, you'll see that working twice as hard all these years not being from a T14 makes me "fight" twice as dirty (and keeping my nose clean to see scumbags like you disbarred).

2:09 -

I'm sure your a really fun guy to be with.

Honestly, I don't know which set of people are more insufferable: Snobby T14 kids who call decent schools like American TTT, or bitter grads of schools like American who wear their insecurity and jealousy on their sleave. I would suggest the latter. And, 2:19 AM!!!! poster above, the snobby T14 grads will have chance to make partner, as will graduates of lesser schools with good personalities (and there are many of them) who don't act like bitter-Bobs. You need to lighten up.

9:50 - who said anything about insecurity and jealousy? Its called pride. I am a WCL grad and I work at a T20 in New York. I work with diligence and pride but without the sense of entitlement some of my peers have. I donate 10k a year to charities and I love doing pro bono. These were all values WCL fostered in me.

All in all I am happy, succesful and lead a well-balanced life. I cannot say the same for some of my peers who are money-grubbing intellectually dishonest weasels who would sell their own mothers for a buckofive. If I had to pick between doing it all over again I wouldn't do it any differently.

Dudes, how can we be letting this thread on TTT schools get less than half the posts on the SAB thread?

Would trashing Fordham for being the "also ran" (or "GW") of NYC generate some comments?

There's a

Washington University in St. Louis got Hardball's Chris Mathews, the first row audience will be provided with ponchos and umbrellas.

Um hello, Penn Law (AKA the University of Pennsylvania Law School, i.e. the one in Philly) has Bill Richardson. BILL RICHARDSON! Governor of New Mexico, former presidential candidate, international diplomat extraordinaire, former cabinet secretary, former Ambassador to the United Nations, possible future Vice President, etc, etc. I think he should rank SOMEWHERE on your top ten list...