Ann Israel is the legal profession's Dear Abby. A New York legal recruiter since 1979, Ann is a past president of the National Association of Legal Search Consultants. Advice for the Lawlorn is updated every Tuesday.

Q:I'm in the process of choosing a law school, and I'm between Fordham and UPenn.

My problem is that my ultimate goal is to practice in New York City -- preferably Biglaw -- and I'm worried that if I choose Penn and move there for the next three years that I won't be able to get a summer job in New York City because I won't be able to commute from Philly to NYC every day and that this will hurt my chances of working in NYC.

Do you think I should pick the better school, Penn, or do you think I should go with the school in the location I'd prefer?

Thanks!

Regards,
J

Dear J: And you wonder why I question the veracity of some of the questions I receive?

But just in case this individual is truly in need of an explanation, this would then be an indication that there might be other people who don't understand how the summer programs work. So, let me take a moment of your time to help J understand that she couldn't be in a better position to achieve her ultimate goal.

If J has read any of my past columns then she knows I am going to strongly recommend she choose the University of Pennsylvania over Fordham. Not that Fordham isn't a great regional law school but U Penn is a top 10 national law school, one of the very best in the country. I know that I will probably receive some letters from Fordham alum, but I do think this is a no-brainer.

So, what happens when it comes time to start your 2L summer job and the firm happens to be in New York? Here's the good news: During that summer you will actually be living in New York. You will be making enough money to afford New York City housing, and the firm that employs you will be happy to help you find a nice place to live for the summer. The solution to your dilemma is that simple!

Let's think about this logically -- if you attend Harvard that doesn't mean you can only work at firms in the Boston area. If you are a law student at Boalt Hall, you aren't limited to law firms in the Bay Area. I think you see where I am going with this. The law firms will be more than happy to welcome you to New York and to assist you in finding appropriate housing.

But let's say for one reason or another you simply cannot leave your apartment in Philadelphia, even for the summer. Believe it or not, there are many people who do that commute every day. It's only an hour on the train each way, and you would be surprised how many people working in New York actually live in the Philadelphia area.

And worst case, there are some pretty wonderful Biglaw firms in Philadelphia that, should you decide upon graduation you still want to live in New York, will have offices in New York where you can transfer or you can simply apply to New York Biglaw firms at that time.

Trust me when I tell you that the New York Biglaw firms will all be lined up at the University of Pennsylvania when it is time for you to start your interviews for your 2L summer; they love law students from U Penn, and they love bringing them to New York. You have nothing to worry about on that front in terms of achieving your ultimate goal. Just be the best you can be and you will certainly end up with what you want. Best wishes!

And speaking of wishes, I send the best to all of you for a wonderful holiday season and a very happy new year! I look forward to hearing from you in 2007!

Sincerely,
Ann Israel
President, Ann Israel & Associates