I am interested in possible a non-bar JD. I feel this education will assist me in my Business Administration acumen. I thought I would ask the board for any distance leanerning non-bar JD programs that are releatively inexpensive. Thanks
One of the cheaper ones I found was.... the Oak Brook College of Law. Tuition a little less than $3500 per annum. http://www.obcl.edu/ They do very well on the bar exam as well.
Please reconsider you desire to get an "executive JD," it is a waste of money regardless of the cost.
If you absolutely INSIST in earning a useless JD "degree", that is, a non professional professional doctorate, look at Northwestern California University School of Law www.nwculaw.edu Their program should cost about $6,000 total tuition and take three years. While you are at it, look at their Bar qualifying degree...$8,000 total tuition for four years and a less than abysmal Baby Bar and Bar passage rate.
I'm a novice in this area so I have no informed opinion. However, I know enough about education in general to state with confidence that if you hope to convince anyone then you need to follow your opinion with some sort of reasoning. People on this forum are intelligent enough that they're not going to make serious life decisions just because "fred said so." Waiting to be convinced. Jack
Fred's a graduate of an ABA school. I think he must know everything about law study and career choices.
You can run a search on this forum for MY reasons, often, and I mean OFTEN, restated for why no one should ever seek a "non Bar" JD and, by extension, why no legitimate law school should even OFFER such a beast.
Anyone who has followed Taft University over the years knows that I have never been a fan of “non-bar” Juris Doctor Programs. As Nosborne pointed out on another thread, we have never offered such a program since the value of a law degree which does not qualify the graduate for any bar examination has been questionable. Notwithstanding this history, in the next few months, Taft will commence enrollment in a new Juris Doctor-Executive Track℠ Program. This decision was made after consultation with our law faculty and was influenced by the following: 1. As a result of our accreditation, applicants and students have convinced us that there are circumstances where such a degree would best fit the needs of students in particular circumstances. Arbitrators, administrative law judges, CPA’s, expert witnesses and law enforcement personnel have all made credible cases for such a degree. 2. Since the Program would not qualify the graduate for a new trade or profession, more employers will be willing to reimburse the cost. 3. Similarly, certain students, such as CPA’s, could qualify for a business tax deduction (something not possible with the Attorney Track JD Program.) In our particular case, students who elect the Executive Track Program will be able to chose from many business law courses not available to students in the Attorney Track Program. They will not be required to come to California to take the Baby Bar and because the program will not be subject to California Bar requirements, students will have greater flexibility in the completion of the courses. To be candid, this is not a program I would personally choose and we will be very selective as to what individuals are admitted. But I have been convinced it is a program that will meet the needs of certain people in certain circumstances.
First let me say that I am pleased to learn that David Boyd is connected with Taft. That reflects well on both the individual and the institution, IMHO. Second, let me eat crow. I NEVER even CONSIDERED the tax consequences of a non Bar JD. For those who may be scratching their heads, you CANNOT write off the cost of higher education if it qualifies you for a new profession, whether you intend to engage in that profession or not. The non Bar program does NOT qualify the graduate for a new profession, QED the expenses may be deductable, depending on some other factors. Third, let me leave a little crow on the plate. Puuleeze, Mr. Boyd, can't you call the degree something ELSE? How about Doctor of Professional Studies in Law? I STILL maintain that a non Bar JD is no JD at all.
I tend to agree with many on this board. There are already programs out there that cover the needed areas for non-practicing attorney law courses. You can already get something like an MS in tax or MSBT or an MS in Accountancy if you are a cpa and interested in beefing up your resume/expertise in that particular area. Likewise, there are many more certificate programs like intellectual property law, etc. for people in professions that require an understanding of law. Law school is WAY too redundant after the first year of courses to merit doing a lengthy course to familiarize yourself with general law without using it on a daily basis. Just my opinion, though.
However the IRS allows tax credits up to $1,000 per year as a lifetime learning credit subject to some restrictions (such as adjusted gross income). Publication 970 can be obtained from the IRS web site.