Looking for an accredited DL Law School

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Gin Ichimaru, Sep 23, 2008.

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  1. Gin Ichimaru

    Gin Ichimaru New Member

  2. BlueMason

    BlueMason Audaces fortuna juvat

  3. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

  4. macattack

    macattack New Member

  5. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    The principal accreditation agency for law degrees is the American Bar Association. An ABA-accredited JD degree will be accepted everywhere in the US; in fact, most states will only accept ABA-accredited degrees as bar-qualifying. However, the ABA does not accredit DL programs. So there are no nationally recognized DL law schools.

    However, the State of California is more flexible. In California, you can qualify for the state bar with a non-ABA JD degree from a DL school, and several such schools exist. Concord is probably the largest and best-known. Concord is both regionally and DETC accredited, so it is a legitimate school. However, Concord lacks the ABA accreditation that B&M law schools normally have, and so its JD degrees have limited (or zero) value as professional degrees outside of California.

    So it is possible to become a practicing attorney in California through study at Concord or other DL programs; however, it is difficult to do this in practice. The DL programs have relatively high rates of attrition, and relatively low pass rates on the bar exam. In recent years, DL grads have comprised only a small fraction (maybe 1 or 2 %) of successful bar candidates in California.

    DL grads who do manage to pass the bar in California may be able to qualify for the bar in some other states, despite the lack of an ABA-accredited degree. Other states strictly require the ABA degree, however.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 23, 2008
  6. Randy Miller

    Randy Miller New Member

    Taft Law School is also accredited by DETC. www.taftu.edu

    But as was pointed out in an earlier post, the ABA does not accredit distance law schools
     
  7. shoaib

    shoaib New Member

  8. Gin Ichimaru

    Gin Ichimaru New Member

    In other words, contact your local bar association before enrolling. I get it.
     
  9. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    Concord Law School is part of Kaplan University www.kaplanuniversity.edu , which is regionally accredited by the North Central Association. William Howard Taft University www.taftu.edu is nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council. Most states, however, require accreditation by the American Bar Association (which Taft and Concord do not have) for purposes of sitting for the Bar Exam. California, however, allows graduates of unaccredited but state approved law schools to sit for the Bar Exam. In my estimation, it will be a long while before the American Bar Association even considers accrediting a distance learning law school. Check the regulations in your state.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 25, 2008
  10. DLG

    DLG New Member

    DL is a bigger obstacle than UA

    There are a number of DL law schools that are not degree mills. There are even two, as mentioned in this thread, that are accredited. The problem in beginning a law career by DL isn't accreditation or even quality of education. It's an unreasonable ABA prejudice against distance learning. Each state has its own criteria for being admitted to the bar or taking the bar exam. There are lots of alternative methods of studying law in the US. In various states you might be admitted to the bar (exam) after studying in a UA school, a state licensed school or even "reading the law" in a private internship. The one method of learning that the ABA absolutely frowns on is completing a legal first professional degree (LLB or JD) by DL. Only California has refused to tow the line. California is the only state with an institutionalized policy that allows DL law students to enter the legal profession through the front door.

    Three things make the ABA prejudice unreasonable. First of all, law is a subject that was traditionally learned by apprenticeship. The second thing is the fact that the legal establishment is notably tolerant of UA schools. The third thing is that law is one of the few professions were a bachelor’s level degree (the JD – Juris Doctor - is actually less than a master’s degree) can be taught by instructors without a higher degree. In some jurisdictions any experienced lawyer can start his own school.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 25, 2008
  11. Frank V

    Frank V New Member

    Kaplan U. About $20,000 plus for Law Degree
     
  12. pugbelly

    pugbelly New Member

    Kaplan is about $36k for the JD and $27k for the EJD.

    Pug
     
  13. Frank V

    Frank V New Member

    So, what's the BOTTOM LINE on Mid Atlantic School of Law, given what I said in my original post.....I have no intention of taking the bar? I'm 63 years old and already have a BA and MPA from University of Michigan (not on line, I actually attended). So, this is purely to keep my mind occuppied and to "learn" the law which is something I'm very interested in. Also, the books they use (besides the entire program being very low priced) are the Gilbert Law Summaries which are outlines of the "important" material extracted from those huge hard bound EXPENSIVE law books, you know, like all college books....half of the book could be thrown away. They always take the long way around saying what needs to be said. The Gilbert series gets right to the point. In fact, I enjoy reading them. I'm going to guess that when I complete this program, I will know as much as any one who recently graduated from a major university before he/she has any experience. That's really what being a lawyer is all about. You really aren't a good one until you've been around the block a few times. Yes, there is some benefit to sitting in class and having discussions and listening to a bright professor but then there are those classes where the teacher/professor is so boring you don't learn a thing anyway. I think the abbreviated books are a great thing. I've just completed the first course on Legal Research, Writing and Analysis and I can sit down now and write a brief.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 5, 2009
  14. sshuang

    sshuang New Member

    Hi Frank V,

    I just sent you two private messages.
     
  15. pugbelly

    pugbelly New Member

    Unaccredited, no faculty listed, grammar and/or punctuation errors on the web page...I'd stay away.

    Pug
     
  16. oceanblue57

    oceanblue57 New Member

    hi i agree masl is a good school for some one who understands what they want. I am enrolling shortly and look forward to earning my degree . To many people have there nose in the air. Not every one wants to or has the money to go to Princeton or Harvard lets get over it.Ron A. MBA
     
  17. oceanblue57

    oceanblue57 New Member

    hi Pug ,learning is what you make of it i assume you went to Harvard or Yale get over it..Ron A. MBA
     
  18. swarehouse

    swarehouse New Member

    Holy resurrect a 3+ year old thread with anonymous spam, Batman!
     
  19. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    If MASL wants to be taken seriously, even in offering programs that are not bar qualifying, they need to have a publicly accessible mailing address and a clear statement of whether and where they're licensed and accredited. I'm not a "nose in the air" person, but I have never seen a legitimate school that doesn't make its location known.

    By the way, Princeton doesn't have a law school.
     
  20. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    If MASL is neither licensed nor accredited -- and they provide no evidence of either -- then their degrees have the same value as one that you make yourself with your home computer and laser printer.

    Of course, you could still learn something by reading the assigned material. Then again, maybe you could do that without MASL at all.

    They actually did at one time, but it closed in 1852 after issuing a total of 7 law degrees.
     

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