Law Degrees
Advantages of Online Law Degrees
By David Patullo
If you have dreams of being the next Perry Mason then you will need a law degree from an accredited college or university. The problem with most people is that earning a degree in law requires a lot of time that your family may get in the way of. Besides the time requirements that may get in your way, there is also a massive financial requirement from you to just take the courses needed. There is however a silver lining to this rather dark cloud, it is called an online law degree. There are many advantages to getting your law degree online. In this article I will explain the various advantages to an online law degree.
The first obvious advantage to having a degree from an online school, is the fact of having more at home time with your family. For anyone who has made the attempt to do any kind of degree program at a college they know the amount of time that can be taken away from their keeping up a household. Now there are a couple of paths that you can take in obtaining credits for a law degree. The first is what is called the "bar track," this is where you will enroll in a four program that on completion will enable you to take your states bar exam. If on the other hand you do not plan of becoming a lawyer then you can take the other track that will still give you all the knowledge only in three years and you will not be able to take the bar exam in your state or any others as well.
The next thing that needs to be looked at when getting an online law degree is the cost. Law school is never cheap, however with an online law degree you can save some money because you won't have to pay for such things as room and board or buy into a meal plan. Obtaining your law degree from a distance just makes good financial sense, as in these troubled times people are looking for any way to save money that they can find.
One of the most important things that you need to ensure is that the online law degree program that you are going after needs to be accredited by the American Bar Association, without this accreditation you may find yourself after spending four years of your time and money that you have a law degree that is completely useless to you if you want to practice law.
In the end you just need to weigh the pros and cons of distance learning, I for one am a big supporter of these distance learning classes as they most times fit into you hectic schedule. You will need to determine if you want to pursue your degree on campus or if you would prefer an online law degree. I hope this article has been of some use in helping you decide which method is right for you, who knows I might one day need your legal advice to get out of a speeding ticket.
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January 14, 2011
8:10 pm
How many different law degrees are there?
I have a doctorate in pharmacy (pharmD) and I want to know more about where to start in terms of getting a law degree. I know there are several different law degrees like the LLM and the JSD, etc…but I don’t know where to start out and which one is right for me. Can somebody give me more information?
January 17, 2011
3:23 pm
You only need a JD (Juris Doctor) to be a lawyer in the US; 99% of lawyers hold only a JD. LLM’s are a one year program in a specific area of law you can do AFTER you earn your JD. However, there is no reason to because they don’t help you find jobs and all that is needed to sit for the bar is a JD. Since you already have at least a bachelors all you need to do is take the LSAT and apply to law schools. Best of luck.
January 17, 2011
8:08 pm
law degrees?
what are some degrees a lawyer will have?
January 19, 2011
3:43 pm
Besides those two (JD and LLM), the lawyer should also have a BA or BS (bachelor’s degree) since he/she will need one to get into law school.
These are the degrees in the US.
January 19, 2011
11:27 pm
No.
There wouldn’t be any officers then. Who would go to law school for $50k/year just to make $30k/year?
January 20, 2011
7:57 pm
You can set up your own practice in any area of law as long as you are an actual licensed attorney (meaning you have the JD degree, passed the bar for the area you will service and paid the dues to become a member of that bar). The LLC and PC you are seeing are just the abbreviations for the type of firm it is – Limited Liability Company etc., these are not degrees that the lawyers have, it is just the way they decide to set up their firm. It is like seeing Inc. or Corp. after a business name. Those are just ways to set up the firm so that if it gets sued the individual partners’ assets and income are not subject to being taken away if they lose.
As for degrees beyond JD, in the US you can get an LLM which is an additional year studying a more specific area of law with the requirement of writing a thesis. it is similar to a PhD for law, while the JD is like a masters degree of law.
Hope this helps!
January 21, 2011
12:05 pm
I’ve no idea if they sponsor you for a law degree or not but if it’s any help, White & Case pays the course fees for GDL and LPC. I think you get a maintenance grant too, though I’ve no idea how much,
January 21, 2011
4:53 pm
Different types of law degrees? What degree allows you to set up your own practice?
I live in a semi-rural area where the nearest university offering a JD is over 2 hours away. I’ve been considering an online program, but didn’t like that you had to practice in California for several years before taking another state’s bar exam.
I’ve been on the hunt for other law degrees that will allow you to have your own business. (Not necessarily attorney practice, but something similiar…mediation maybe?) I’ve noticed signs around town for law professionals who have the following initials behind their names: LLC and PC. Is anyone familiar with the difference between those?
Has anyone heard of any other degrees beyond the JD?
Thanks for the help!
January 21, 2011
6:26 pm
Is there any uk law firms that do sponsored law degrees?
I’m doing some research and wondering if there are any UK law firms that do sponsored law degrees.
January 21, 2011
11:24 pm
Do you think law enforcement officers should be required to have law degrees?
Do you think law enforcement officers should be required to have law degrees? We don’t let lawyers practice law without learning the law first, so why do we let cops enforce the law when they haven’t learned what the law is?