Are you pursuing an online law degree via distance learning?
If so, according to a recent The National Law Journal article, 'Online Law Grads: Older, No Slackers', you likely:
- "have little in common with their 20-something
counterparts who flood into lecture halls at prestigious
brick-and-mortar schools each year in hopes of landing a job at a top
firm."
- "are older, midway through their career, work part
time or full time and have family or financial commitments that prevent
them from devoting three years of their life and upwards of $100,000 to
attend traditional law school. Most aren't gunning for jobs at
prestigious firms or other highly competitive law positions, either."
- "see a law degree as a way to enhance their existing careers and move up the corporate ladder or to move into a second career"
- "work in law enforcement or other fields that have
contact with the world of law. Some are nearing retirement and want to
embark on a new career, while others are looking to bolster their
résumés so they can become police or fire chiefs."
Other interesting observations and take-aways from the article:
- "Online law students must also take another test
that their peers at most brick-and-mortal schools don't: the First-Year
Law Students' Examination, also known as the "baby bar." The test,
required for students attending schools not accredited by the State Bar of California or the American Bar Association (ABA), is a one-day exam designed to measure knowledge base and analytical and writing skills."
- "Tuition for most online law programs ranges from $7,500 to $10,000 a year, and students don't have added living costs."
- "Online and correspondence law schools don't meet current ABA-accreditation standards. That's because ABA standards measure factors such as libraries, facilities, clinical experience and interaction between students and professors, Askew said. It's virtually impossible to measure those elements when it comes to online schools, thus the standards would have to be dramatically modified to cover those programs."
- "Online coursework is slowly becoming more accepted in the law school community. The ABA modified its accreditation standards in 2003 to allow students to take 12 of the 90 credit courses required for a juris doctor degree online."
Personally speaking, while the resistance seems to be easing somewhat, I doubt the American Bar Association will welcome
Read the full story online at http://www.law.com/jsp/law/careercenter/lawArticleCareerCenter.jsp?id=1202425745957. Also be sure to check out our Online Law Degree FAQ, which talks more about how to earn a juris doctorate online. If you're ready to find an online law degree that fits your life, please visit http://www.elearners.com/online-degrees/law.htm to begin your search!