No, Really...what can you do with a CA-JD

I am a big fan of distance education! I would not be where I am today without having the opportunity to take classes via the internet, correspondence, etc. I really want a Law Degree, but throughout my two days of searching forums on the subject, I don't know what is out there for someone with a DL-JD.

Are there any members out there with a CA Approved JD? If so, how hard has it been to use your credential in the job market? DId you pass the Baby and the Cal-Bar? Are you able to practice?

I am just wanting to either put my ambitions for earning a DL JD to rest, or continue dreaming thinking that if I work for four years...that I will be able to use what I earn.

 

Hi Mike - I believe that I understand what you're asking but I also believe that you've asked the wrong question. Your question, "Will I be able to use what I earn?" is in error. You will, of course, be able to use what you earn. The real question is, "What will I earn?" There are people who graduate from B&M ABA law schools who have significant difficulties in passing the bar exam. If they earn a "pass" on their bar exam then they can use that. If they do not earn a pass then they can try to use their JD in some other manner. If you earn a CA-approved JD then you can use that degree as you like. However, you must earn a pass on the bar exam in order to use the degree in certain ways. "Does a CA-approved JD degree adequately prepare one to pass the California bar exam?" That's another question altogether and I've seen threads that cite pass rates for different schools. Some are quite good. Some are dismal. Do your research. Choose carefully. Work hard. Good luck.
Jack

 

Mike,

I don't know the answer to your question but just thought I'd share what I encountered when I was trying to decide what the hell I can do with my life (ie, get out of research.).

In my situation, similar to most others on here, I reckon (married, early 30's) I simply don't have the option of dropping my job and doing full time study somewhere. So I have to do the part-time or distance thing too. I wanted for a short time to do a distance law degree too - so I could someday become a patent lawyer in a pharma. company. This would have let me build on my grad degree in organic chemstry rather than start over in a new field altogether. So when I started talking to patent lawyers in big pharma and asking what the credentials usually are, in every case they said grad school organic chemistry degree and a law degree from an ABA accredited law school. I have yet to find an on-line/distance school offering a an ABA accredited degree. That's why I turned my attention (back) to the MBA route.

I guess my point is, make sure you know WHAT it is you want to do with the degree and what the crentials are to become that before you enroll anywhere. Good luck to ya.

 

Holders of D/L California J.D. degrees DO pass the Bar. Full statistics by exam and school are found at the California Bar web site, www.calbar.ca.gov

 

Testimonials?

Jack and Cowboy,

thanks for the insightful words. They prove to inspire, however I have always had the inspiration. You're right, anything that you get from your education (or any of life's endeavors) is a direct product of what you put into it. Thanks!. Thanks NOsborne for the link.

I think what I would like to see is a list of success stories from people who have earned their CA-Approved, non-ABA JD.

 

Some of this sort of thing might be tesimonials on the web sites of the several schools. You might look at www.taftu.edu. www.concordlawcenter.edu, and www.nwculaw.edu, for instance.

 

Sorry. Concord is a .com, not a .edu

 

Re: Testimonials?

From San Francisco Law School's website:

Among the school's outstanding alumni are California State Governor, the late Edmund G. (Pat) Brown, former Lt. Governor Leo T. McCarthy, former Undersecretary of The United States Department of Energy, Joseph F. Salgado, past President of The State Bar of California, P. Terry Anderlini and past President of The National Bar Association, Thomas J. Broome. Also, State Senator Milton Marks, Superior and Municipal Court Judges Victor Campilango, Merle R. Eaton, Eugene W. Krum, Betty L. Lamoreaux, Philip J. Moscone, Lynn O'Malley Taylor, and Marilyn Pestarino Zecher to name a few, as well as countless other renowned and distinguished Bay Area and California attorneys.

http://www.sfls.edu/home.htm

 

I get the impression that San Francisco Law School, a CalBar accredited four year ecening program, enjoys a good reputation in the Bay Area. It's been around since the 1920's or something and has produced an impressive number of prominent lawyers.

On a related subject, I have posted here before that the best overall value for money for a J.D. is to attend the state school where one is a resident. California may be an exception.

The four University of California schools, which are the only state schools in California, are now charging a professional degree fee that raises their annual tuition to about $22,000 for residents and $33,000 for non residents.

At these prices, a convenient ABA private school might well be a better value.

CalBar accredited schools are now cheap enough by contrast that any student intending to remain in California would do well to consider them, IMHO.

 

re: Cal bar law schools

Yow! let's hope this is offset by an increase in financial aid

I'm sorry to say I disagree, at least if one wants to work for a prestige, high paying law firm. There is quite bit of discrimination against Cal Bar law schools. If one can get into a UC law school and it is possible to go, the few thousands more one pays will be repaid many times over.

That's not to say, as has been pointed out previously, that one cannot get a good education at a Cal Bar school.

 

This is a true statement; if the goal is a good position at a major commercial firm, by all means DON'T go for the CalBar degree. On the other hand, in-state tuition in California is sniffing at the heels of the tuition charged at, say, Stanford. If one is willing to hock one's immortal soul, or at least be indentured for one's entire career for student loans, Stanford or USD might be even a better choice than, say, UC Irvine.

Right now, in state tuition at the four UC law schools is substantially HIGHER than out-of-state tuition at some other states' schools.

But if the goal is less stellar, say, going into the law to help people and make a decent living, a J.D. from the New College or La Vern might be a better choice.