| Questions & Answers About Online Education > Careers |
| By Vicky Phillips, Chief Education Analyst | June 30, 2009 |
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Question:
It’s always been my dream to be a lawyer. Which colleges offer the best law degrees online?
—Brice, IndianaAnswer: Unfortunately, in order to sit for the bar exam to become a lawyer in most states you must first attend a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. And the American Bar Association (ABA) does not yet accredit any online law school.
Only one state—California—routinely allows people to sit for the state bar exam without first earning an ABA-accredited law degree.
 If you live in California you might consider attending an online law school that lacks ABA accreditation. The State Bar of California allows some—but not all—unaccredited distance learning law schools to register with the state. Check with the bar association to see whether your school is recognized and how many credit hours California will accept from these entities.
No matter which state you live in, be very, very careful if you decide to attend a distance learning law school. Statistically, graduates of non-ABA-accredited law schools have much lower pass rates on the state bar exam. Even if you pass the California bar exam, most law firms will still require proof of graduation from an ABA-accredited school as a condition of employment. You may end up with a degree but no job.
Bottom line: It’s risky business to attend an unaccredited online law school if your career goal is to practice as an attorney in a court of law.
If you do manage to pass the California bar and subsequently practice successfully as a lawyer in California for five to seven years, you may be able to take the bar in another state. If you pass that state’s bar you may then be admitted to the practice of law in that state. This route, too, is a long shot.
On a few rare occasions, online law graduates have been able to make this strategy work. In June 2009, for example, Ross Mitchell, a Concord Law graduate (and valedictorian), was admitted to practice in Massachusetts. Mitchell had earlier argued before the Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners to gain permission to take the bar exam. The bar examiners ruled in his favor, but noted they were doing so as a personal exception for Mitchell, with whom they were impressed, and did not intend to set a precedent for other online law graduates.
If you want to study law but don’t care to be admitted to the bar as a practicing attorney, then online law schools may be fine for you. Some people do attend law schools online to learn about the law to help them in business or industry. Knowing the law can be extremely helpful in business and management.
Another possibility: consider online training to become a paralegal instead. Several regionally accredited and nationally accredited online schools offer paralegal certificates, associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees. In addition, the demand for skilled paralegals is strong and growing. Average salaries for paralegals in 2007, according to Legal Assistant Today magazine, were $52,979 (though corporate paralegals earned more: an average of $61,764).
Other careers that might interest you include forensics (the study of criminal evidence), criminal justice administration, and niche areas such as cybercrime and security. Many online universities offer certificates and degrees in these allied legal areas.
Related ResourcesHot Careers – ParalegalHot Careers - Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) and Forensic Science InvestigatorHot Careers - Cybersecurity Specialist
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