Is there a significant difference in prestige between the law schools of George Mason and American?

Unless you are looking to be in a MAJOR law firm, it really doesn’t matter. George Mason has more prestige I would say, but prestige doesn’t matter a whole lot unless you are looking at the top firms of the country. If you want to work on your own, or smaller firms, or PD or DA….it won’t matter a lick. I have been a defense attorney for 15 years. I work with the public defender, alternative defense counsel, the office of child representatives, and have my own office. I have never been asked what rank I was in school, what I got on the bar (top 5% of the country by the way) or any question of that type. They often ask where I went to school which was University of Colorado…but I’ve never been asked why I didn’t go to Harvard or Wm and Mary. So don’t sweat it too much. As for your concern it’s off the main campus…you aren’t in college any more, you are in law school. You don’t need, nor will you have time for the rest of the campus. Make sure whatever school you go to has a good library, access to computers with Westlaw for free, a cafeteria in which to eat, and a place to work in the library. (my school only had enough places to work for 1/2 the student body..it was a pain). Depending upon what kind of law you are looking for, make sure that there are clinics in which you can work and practice before you actually get your license. CU has Indian law, criminal defense, water law, domenstic law. I found it most valuable to have a professor with me at my first trial, which I had as a 3rd year student. Clinics are THE way to go.