Hi all,

I just stumbled on this great site. Is anyone up for giving me some advice?

I'm an Australian law student in my final semester. Next year I am going to work for a top-tier Australian firm, Allens Arthur Robinson. I would like to do a US LLM perhaps in a few years. But I know almost nothing about the required standards. I would like to get into the best possible law school but I want my expectations to be realistic.

My biggest liability is that I will be graduating with a 2:1. For the last four years of my (seven year!) degree my grades have easily been sufficient for First Class Honours. But some dodgy grades earlier in my degree made that impossible. As it stands, I am on about 73% (a first requires 75% at my university).

As I said, next year I am going to work at a top-tier Australian law firm. And I hope to do undertake a one year Judge's Associateship in the next few of years. I also plan to start an economics degree and study part time while I work. I feel fairly confident I could maintain a GPA of 7.0 (the highest in Australia) if I do one subject a semester while working.

I've been heavily involved in extra-curricular activities in school and at university. For example, I ran a legal philosophy students' society. I've also won a number of national mooting competitions and did well in Jessup.

I've worked quite a lot while I've been at university - at a law firm, in the legal department of an Australian bank, for a Magistrate, for the Department of Public Prosecutions etc.

My apologies for boring you with my CV. Here's my question: what universities might I have a chance of getting into? Is a dream of getting into Harvard, Yale or Stanford completely unrealistic given my 2:1?

And what can I do from here to increase my chances of getting into the best possible law school? Get articles published? Do an LLM in Australia and do really well (or would doing an Australian LLM prevent me from doing a US LLM?).

I would really appreciate any pearls of wisdom. Thanks!