Columbia is among the top five law schools in the nation, and is arguably considered the best law school in New York City because of its ranking. NYU is the second most prestigious school in New York, and it receives 8,000 applications per year. Fordham University Law School is located in the west side of Manhattan, at the university's Lincoln Center campus. New York Law School is located in Tribeca, and has notable centers for different law specializations, including Center for New York City Law.
Yeshiva Cardozo is in the top 50 law schools in the nation, and the school has a Jewish tradition. Brooklyn Law is within the top 60 law schools. St. John's Law School and the City University of New York (CUNY Law) are both in Queens. CUNY Law School is considered to be one of the least expensive law schools.
Tuition at law schools are expensive, ranging from $33,000-$50,000 at private schools. Some law schools have less expensive tuition, such as CUNY Law School, where tuition costs $6,000-10,000 per semester, about $16,000-20,000 per year. Living in New York can also be costly, and law school is very expensive. Many students share apartments with each other or with friends to cut the cost of rent.
While law firms place a huge emphasis on where a candidate graduated from, it is important to note that employers also look for the reputation of specialty programs. Choosing a law school also depends on where you want to practice. If you want to practice in New York city, going to a local school will serve you better, than going to a school outside of the state.
Graduates of higher-ranking law schools like Columbia and NYU usually work in big New York law firms. Many corporate law firms hire at these two schools. Other schools emphasize more exposure to courts and clinics, and graduates tend to work in New York courts.