How different are corporate laws between states-stupid to intern in 1 state with intent of working in another?

[jung-hwa75]

I am writing on behalf of my fiancé.

I will be going to grad school in DC next year. He is probably going to delay law school for a year to hopefully work as a paralegal/legal assistant (<-- are those the same thing?).

He is interested in international corporate law. My question is... he would like to work one day as an attorney in New York City. Since I will be in DC, he would like to work as a paralegal in DC before law school to live with me.

Is this a bad idea to work in DC if he eventually wants to work in NYC? I have heard that the incorporation laws are very different between states. Would learning a different set of laws than those of NY state be a detriment to his future career?

(also, my fiancé is a genius, perfect lawyer material (not just me saying that), just participated in the Vis Moot in Vienna, and already has a masters degree in globalized law from Paris, (he's French-American) but his LSAT scores are low - he would like to go to Columbia law school- He has applied this year to law schools; he is still waiting on a few including Columbia, but has been rejected from all of the ones he has heard back from so far (because he insists on going to a top school). Do you have any tips (or connections with Columbia :) to help him get in?)

[tredway]

Law students study the same law; they even use the same books by and large regardless of where they go to law school. The only difference is certain states require you to study two or three courses respective to that state. For instance, California will require you to study community property; Texas has a requirement of Gas and Oil. These are all minor differences.

Once a student graduates and pass the State Bar, they go into practice of their preference and this is where the learning begins. Most law students will take only one course in corporations (there is usually only one offered), it does not matter which state he goes to school in.

He will not get into Columbia or anything similar with an average LSAT score; he would have to be in the top 90% and even than it is competitive.

Most students who go to law school are smart, particularly if they graduate and pass the Bar. He has a long way to go and needs a does of reality.

After one becomes a lawyer and gains significant experience and takes additional law courses for usually about two years, one can chose from the following specialty. Probably about 2% of lawyers specialize, most just limit their practice to a certain field. Unless you are planning to teach, real specialization comes with experience.

* Admiralty and Maritime Law
* Appellate Law
* Bankruptcy Law
* Criminal Law
* Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law
* Family Law
* Franchise and Distribution Law
* Immigration and Nationality Law
* Legal Malpractice Law
* Taxation Law
* Workers' Compensation Law

There are also certain certification by accredited organizations and is available in several areas.

[dana]

Delaware is the focal point of corporate law (weird as it may seem). The state has the most favorable laws for business with respect to incorporation, etc. No matter where he goes to law school, he will probably end up reading Delaware case law.

It is worth mentioning that many of the people at my law school (including myself) ended up working in an area of law that they never considered or even heard of before law school. It's important to keep an open mind

With respect to admissions, law schools seek to have a diverse student body, so what he might lack in his LSAT score, he can make up for with his experiences - though GPA and LSAT are the biggest factors in admissions