YES THERE ARE A FEW Two universities who offer LL.B degrees are the University of London (External Programme) and the University of South Africa (UNISA). The degree from U of L is a reasonable price, The one from UNISA is dirt cheap (If your in North America or Europe?) Both institutions are "government accredited" (Sorry, lack of a better term) by their respective countries. Both can be done through DL. I also know of several distance universities in California who do (or did) offer DL Juris Doctor degrees which apparently are recognized by the California bar. I did note that in most of the cases I studied, these schools were not accredited by a regional accreditor. So you may have trouble gaining recognition outside the U.S. or the state. However I am no expert here so hey I could be wrong.
Law & Legal Studies There is also: Christopher Newport University (BS) http://www.cnu.edu/academics/govt/ (geared more towards legal assitants or prep for law school Regis University (BA/BS) http://www.regis.edu/spsundergrad/Prospective/degrees_individual.htm (individualized degrees, allows the flexibility you may need). And as Kane noted: University of London (Bachelors & Masters), along with University of South Africa (offering BS, MS & D. in legal studies)
University of Wolverhampton & University of Northumbria both located in the UK offer LLB (Hons) degrees by DL.
AS opposed to...? AS opposed to...a JD? ALL law degrees used to be Bachelors, even though post-grad training became the norm. (I had a grandfather who graduated from the John Marshall College of Law, Chicago, without either a HS diploma or a previous college degree--but those were the 20s when apprenticing in law was still recognized.) But in the 60s, in recognition of the advanced and post-grad nature of legal training, older schools that had issued only Bachelors of Law began to re-issue diplomas with "JD" on them. (My grandfather had retire by then and I don't think he ever traded in--his was prouder of his admission to plead before the U.S. Surpeme Court--after all, he'd won!) I think it was also because the public had become confused, and BLs seemed so junior to JDs, so even then, marketing mattered to the Bar. In the early 80s, I recall meeting with an attorney who had proudly bucked the trend and retained--as he advertised on his business cards and stationary--only a BL credential! He was a proud and defiant veteran of the Civil Rights years in Minneapolis, and I think he was respecting or honoriing his roots and mentors... --Orson
In Australia: Deakin www.deakin.edu.au University of New England. www.une.edu.au However our degrees are double bachelor degrees and you can only do the LLB alone if you have an acceptable other degree - out here as BCom, BEc etc., BA if it has the right comparable content to LLB electives.
Hi Orson, I think the point of Nosborne's comment wasn't JD v. LLB (you are certainly dead on in your history of the JD), but rather what plans does Randell1234 have for the degree? Since an LLB alone doesn't qualify one to take the bar exam in any state (although the London LLB might qualify one to sit for an LLM at some univeristies, which might then qualify one to sit for the bar), if Randall1234 ever intends to practice law in the U.S., then a JD would be a better choice. Even if he does not intend to practice law in the U.S. at this time, a JD now would give him the option to sit for the bar later if he changes his mind, where an LLB will not. Just something to think about. If it is just for personal edification, then the LLB will certainly fit the bill.
why bachelor of laws Randall what do you want to accomplish. If you want to practice law, then you need an ABA approved program, or a method of converting a non-ABA program into the ability to sit for the bar exam. I think Concord (Kaplan) has a non-ABA program that will allow you to sit for the bar in Calif. (and Oak Brook?) If you are looking at being in the legal research dept., but not necessarily practicing law, U. London, U. S. Africa as Concord may be adequate. I have a colleague who is studying under an attorney and taking the concord law degree. In Vermont she can sit for the bar if she is in an approved program with an attorney for four years. So she will take the VT bar exam through this, sort of independent study, process and take the Calif Bar through Concord. After she has been practicing in VT and Calif she then will try other states. Ambitious. All the best!
Re: why bachelor of laws That's an excellent question, particularly since Randell appears to be located in Florida.......one of the more "difficult" states with respect to bar admissions.
Re: AS opposed to...? Until about 10 years ago, you did not need to be a lawyer to be elected as a judge in my jurisdiction. All you needed were votes. Ah, how times have changed!
Re: Re: AS opposed to...? In Massachusetts, judges are nominated by the Governor, and approved by the Governor's Council (an elected body independent of the Legislature). The last I checked, being an attorney or having a law degree wasn't a requirement for a judge's position, although no one can remember when a non-lawyer judge was ever appointed. Idle thought: Maybe it would be a good thing if we removed lawyers from the judicial process. Bruce
Re: Re: Re: AS opposed to...? You may really have something there, Bruce. But I'll tell you, after looking at some stocks in my portfolio, I think it may be a better thing if we removed MBAs from the business decisionmaking process.