There are all kinds of anomalies. For example: one of the top Environmental Law schools ranks at 89th overall. I've seen someone at a similarly ranked school ge

There are all kinds of anomalies. For example: one of the top Environmental Law schools ranks at 89th overall. I've seen someone at a similarly ranked school get a solid biglaw job, then be the one to choose which Ivy/Chicago applicants make the cut for a quarter-size associate class in a downturn. I saw a 'success' story, a young NYC couple where one worked at Wachtell, the other at Latham. They were often at work outside of sleeping hours. They had two nannies that worked on two different shifts to take care of their two toddlers. I don't think they liked the situation, but they knew that if they just hung in there long enough, they'd have a huge opportunity. Plenty of people break before that comes, though.