Online Law Schools

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by hal123, Aug 22, 2011.

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  1. hal123

    hal123 New Member

    Hello. I am looking at online/DL JD prorams. Can anyone provide any clue about those programs? I mean if those degrees will adequately prepare for Cal Bar exam?
     
  2. adampictor

    adampictor member

    Concord law school. I think it prepares you for the Cal bar exam. However, I know quite a few of law school graduates that are struggling to look for jobs at law firms. There seems to be a surplus of law school graduates in today's job market. It might be a good idea to look into more reputable law schools. I don't know about the cost of Concord, but you don't want to be deep in debt without a job to pay it off.
     
  3. Hokiephile

    Hokiephile New Member

    The odds of passing the California Bar Exam with a degree from any of the online programs is so tiny that it's really not worth considering.
    Go here:
    Law Schools
    There are five online schools, all of which would require you to pass the baby bar before going on to the second year. Then the bar exam itself after graduating.
    The odds of actually getting a job with a degree from one of these skills are probably nil.
     
  4. major56

    major56 Active Member

    As far as CA unaccredited correspondence law schools and preparation for the CA Bar Exam, the preparation is principally up to the student. Different CA correspondence law schools have different FYLXS and/or CA Bar pass rates— with most on the low end in comparison to ABA approved law schools and numbers of Bar examinees. (In order— Taft, Oak Brook, Northwestern and Concord had the best DL /correspondence unaccredited law school results in Feb. 2011).

    CA Feb. 2011 Bar Exam Statistics:
    http://admissions.calbar.ca.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=HEL6jUYJLxU%3d&tabid=2269

    Nonetheless, if a law degree via DL is your objective and to practice law in the U.S., you may also consider the University of South Africa’s (UNISA) or UOL’s LL.B (e.g., common law countries). Some U.S. State Board of Law Examiners will allow foreign law school LL.B holders to take the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) and bar exam essay sections under [certain] conditions (e.g., LL.B with a U.S. ABA law school LL.M). (Even if you never were to pass the CA Bar Exam, in my view, a DL LL.B from a UK, SA, Australian, etc. university law school would be a better standalone degree than an unaccredited correspondence /DL CA J.D. degree).

    my Registration 2011

    LLB and Diploma in Law - University of London LLB - University of London International Programmes - Key points

    I believe two states, New York and California, do allow foreign lawyers to gain admission to the bar once they have completed an ABA law school LL.M. The others either require an ABA J.D. in order to take the bar exam (most states), or have specific and/or extensive course requirements which you generally can’t complete merely via a LL.M. (e.g., D.C. and Massachusetts).

    NY State:
    Part 520 - Rules of the Court of Appeals for the Admission of Attorneys and Counselors at Law

    California: Rule 4.30 Legal education in a foreign state or country
    http://rules.calbar.ca.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=-2KV5j0w6Cw%3d&tabid=1227

    State Bar Exams and Bar Admissions links:
    JURIST - Bar Exams and Bar Admission

    Rules for Foreign License /Admission on Motion (re National Organization of Bar Counsel):
    NOBC - The National Organization of Bar Counsel-Rules for Admission on Foreign License/Admission on Motion

    NOTE: Any DL law degree is an involved process with very limited access as regards the practice of law in the U.S. Consider also that the U.S. has 50 independent and sovereign jurisdictions in so far that Federal Law permits each State to establish its own Bar Admittance regulations. Moreover as a rule, most States will not accept the UNISA or University of London LL.B (though legitimate degrees) or any correspondence CA J.D. as meeting the educational eligibility of their respective Bar Admission Rules.
     
  5. hal123

    hal123 New Member

    Thanks for all of your reply. I was seriously considering one of the DL law program. Now, I see the time and money will be a total waste.
     
  6. Delta

    Delta Active Member

    Just a thought!

    If I had to choose a "DL law program", I would pick Concord Law School, they are Regionally accredited so even if you don't pass the California bar, you have an RA accredited doctorate degree. The school is owned by Kaplan which is considered the best in test preparation so I'm sure they gear their studies towards passing the bar! The tuition is $10K a year but because it holds RA accreditation, my company would give tuition reimbursement. Finally, if I didn't pass the baby bar, I could switch to the EJD program and finish a doctorate in 3 years. Many states offer licensure as a mediator, arbitrator or negotiator, I'm sure the legal training you gain with a 3 year EJD would adequately prepare you to work in that area or perhaps teach in an academic setting.

    BTW, I'm impressed many on Degreeinfo are using the term "DL degree" instead of "Online degree".
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 23, 2011
  7. sideman

    sideman Well Known Member

    I really hate to get into discussions like these because it's almost impossible to change anyones mind and it expends a lot of energy. Concord is listed as an unaccredited distance law school with CBE. The only accreditation that really matters is ABA when it comes to law school. If you are young to middle aged I'd strongly suggest that you attend an ABA law school at night if you must work during the day. Otherwise if you're older, like I am, the education that you'd get from Concord, NWCU or any of the other unaccredited law schools is invaluable to the understanding of law that you'll gain. Without getting into the argument of whether you should seek education for education's sake or monetary gain, I can tell you that my law studies from NWCU assist me every day in my business. And that in itself has justified my pursuit of a non-bar JD degree.
     
  8. Hokiephile

    Hokiephile New Member

    Sideman, if knowledge for the sake of helping in business is the goal, then I think there are plenty of books written for lay people out there. I'm sure you learned tons from your program, but much the same knowledge can be obtained simply by reading well-designed books.

    I've actually thought of setting up a Moodle (or somesuch) course on my own domain and offering free classes in legal research and other basic legal topics just so I could get some experience doing it online. I've been doing it for 20 years at B&M schools but would like to work on developing such courses to be conducted online.
     
  9. sideman

    sideman Well Known Member

    Hokiephile: I understand your point completely. What is the purpose of studying law if it is just to help you in business? Well, in my case that was simply a byproduct of my study. My original intent was to become a lawyer, brought on by the fact that I'd been mishandled and gouged by attorneys (that is plural) in the past. Once I began the study of law I eventually realized that I had a passion for the study of law, not the practice of law. Then it was just simply a matter of finishing what I started.

    BTW I like your idea of a moodle course, especially in legal research.
     
  10. andreojoe

    andreojoe member

    Yes there are the ones who are working quite sensibly in many ways and at the same time when it comes to growing up with the specific experiences rest of the things can be handled if we go right with all that comes around.
     

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