Not another blink'in Lawyer!

Ok all of you cerebral behemoths, here’s what I’ve got:

1) After 20+ years in IT, I really want to change careers. I’ve an EE background, and have thought of becoming an electrician. I wire people’s houses, barns, etc. on the cheap now. When needed, my buddy, a licensed wire-puller, inspects and signs off on my work; for a fee of course. I enjoy the job, it gets me out, pays well, and would keep me home more often.

2) I also train German Shepard Dogs (protection) for recreation and profit. Not enough profit however to make a career out of it. Too bad cuz it really is a passion.

3) I’ve also though of law as an option. I’m closer to clever than clueless and I’m interested in things legal. The down side of this option is that I have morals…. (just kidding , perhaps?)

All silliness aside, is there a way to proceed to a law degree without a Bachelors? My K-W fiasco was more or less tied to this whole “new me” gig. Inadvertently having started one of the “hottest” threads on this board, we all know how that turned out! So I’m looking for suggestions. I’d like to do general practice, everybody needs a Lawyer stuff. I don’t have the temperament for courtroom battles or ambulance work.

Cheers…Randy

 

I am working on my BA, so am not an expert on this topic; however, in _some_ states (such as MI) there are loopholes.

An example would be here:
http://www.cooley.edu/admissions/admw_outba.htm

Another caveat is that most states don't allow people with law education via correspondence to sit the bar exam (CA, NJ, DC are the only exceptions according to the ABA).

http://www.abanet.org/legaled/publications/compguide/compguide.html

I urge you to complete a BA/BS before going to law school. A degree may be completed very quickly and cheaply using COSC, TESC, or Excelsior, so why limit your options? If Cooley is any indication on what is possible you would need 60-90 credits anyway. Even if it is possible in your state (and with your local law school), you may be out of luck if you ever wish to change states.

Finally, speaking as a sometimes user of legal services, all lawyers I have encountered have BA/BS degrees, went to ABA approved law schools, and some of them have graduate degrees in non-law fields as well. Even if you are able to find a law school that will admit you, the fact that you don't have a BA/BS could hurt you in your law practice too...

 

Outstanding Cory, exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for! In retrospect, I should have named this thread, “How to Play the Game”. I’ve been aca-phobic (my own invention – for the fear of places academic) far too long. Coming from the school of old-school, I’m ignorant on how the play “the new game”. I have more in-class hours than most if not all of my degreed peers, but my efforts have never culminated into faux-parchment. It’s either a war I was being sent to, or change of employer, or deletion of the program, aca-phobia or plain loss of interest. I have this large pile of disparate academic pieces lying about, thus what I need are some specifically shaped pieces and thread to make the quilt.
(Gadzooks, I’m big and ugly, formerly dangerous and now I’m quilting!)

I’m just now learning about CLEP, DANTES, excelsior, etc. What an odd assortment of utilities. I will get it however; if nothing else, I’m as tenacious as a pit-bull. (I despise the little brutes, GSDs rule)

Cheers…Randy

 

OracleGuy

The University of Alberta, long in the past, accepted two years of university education for admission to its law program but this may have changed. I don't think that there is any possibility of part time study, but this may also have changed. Distance degrees are verboten unless you are a practicing lawyer from another jurisdiction.

In Canada, you have the option of completing a 90 arts credit degree. I don't know that there is any possibility of portfolio assessment, at say Athabasca University, so it may not be any shorter, if you have eligible portfolio credit.

 

2) I also train German Shepard Dogs (protection) for recreation and profit. Not enough profit however to make a career out of it. Too bad cuz it really is a passion.
----------------------

It occurs to me that there are, what, about 600,000 lawyers in the US

And how many people are there who could say in their sales literature (ads in Dog Fancy, mailings to German Shepherd clubs, booths at shows, etc.):

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After 20 years as an IT Professional, I have
turned to my true passion: training German Shepherds
for your protection.

In this day and age, doesn't it make sense to have a dog that is both a friend and loving companion and a well-trained guardian?

(etc. etc.)

I can help you in these three ways:

1. Come, with your dog, to my classes: one evening a week for 8 weeks.
2. Send me your dog for one month; then come to a weekend 'get reacquainted' session at my facility.
3. Buy my book and video combination, specifically prepared for owners of German Shepherds.

-----------------------------------------------

The first (and third) models have been done with great success by Ian Dunbar and his wonderfully-named Sirius Dog Training (as in Sirius, the dog star). After doing it himself for years, he branched out with franchising, with courses run by people personally trained by him. And he's got the books and the videos.

The second is done with great success by the Monks of New Skete (http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/) and, I think, more than a few others. They also have videos and perhaps books.

It sounds like there is a latent streak of entrepreneurial stirrings. So much of entrepreneurial success is finding a niche that is not overcrowded, and it helps if its a passion. Read almost any of Jay Conrad Levinson's marketing books, for instance.

Best wishes from

John Bear, who hasn't had a 9 to 5 job
since leaving Midas in 1972

 

The University of London doesn't require a bachelors in order to be accepted into the LLB external degree programme.

Be sure, however, to check with the appropriate state bar or provincial law society where you intend to practice and find out the requirements BEFORE undertaking studies.

 

Cory--

I think you misread the ABA chart. NJ does not permit correspondence school graduates to sit for the bar exam.

Interestingly, Wisconsin permits graduates of non-ABA accredited schools, approved in their home states, to take the WI bar exam, if they are admitted to practice in another jurisdiction.

I wonder if any CA correspondence school grads have been successful exercising this option.

Christopher

From Wisconsin, living in New Jersey, and in my last year of correspondence law study through a school in California

 

My bad! It looks like I was off by one letter (CA, DC, NM).

 

Taft University has had a number of graduates pass the WI Bar exam in the past couple of years. One can reasonably assume a few graduates of other programs have also taken advantage of this option.

 

I understand that at least one graduate of Oak Brook has done so as well.

Kevin