Many of the most prestigious and highest-paying law firms (with a few exceptions), are searching for only the best graduates from the "Top 15" or "Top 25" law schools in the country.  This can cause considerable stress for an ambitious law student (who attended a lesser known school) hoping to land a job at a prestigious firm.  Fortunately, a law student's law school rank is not always the most important factor when employers are considering who to hire. Here are a few skills and experiences that can give graduates of lesser known law schools an edge in the job market:
•    Law school graduates who have clerkships/internships at a top national law firm or other prestigious organizations will increase their chances for consideration for employment at top national firms.
•    Law school graduates who have special legal work experience that is hard to find; but needed, will be given an edge in the job market.  For example, a firm looking for someone who has experience or knowledge of common law markets in Russia might give a graduate with that skill/knowledge more consideration despite what school he/she attended.
•    Language skills are critical as we move into a global era.  Law school graduates who have fluency in high demand/low supply languages will most likely have an edge over "top law school" graduates who don't have these skills.  Language skills in Chinese and Arabic are predicted to increase in demand as those regions grow.