Mid-Atlantic School of Law

[oceanblue57]

I GUESS THERE ARE ALOT OF OPIONIONS ON HERE.I guess you did not read Passaroa25 thread.She claims to point out there are 2 graduates of MASL ONE IS TAKING THE 26 credits in a ABA school getting ready for the DC bar.One thing is clear most students say good things about Gilbert books. You do not but, they are complete and cheap.May be a $300  HARDCOVER BOOK WOULD BE BETTER LOL.I am not intrested in the Baby BAR in CALIF, WHICH LESS THEN 20% pass .I think passing that test is great if you live near there or want to practice there. That test is most likely harder then the BAR.I LIVE ON THE EAST COAST.I think MASL  is very clear they are working on getting accredited ,right now at $1500 complete that seems  VERY FAIR FOR WHAT THEY ARE.I DO NOT THINK PEOPLE WOULD OR COULD STUDY ON THERE OWN .You can spend $1600 per credit in a ABA school or spend $10,000 or $15,000 for a Calif non ABA SCHOOL.WHAT IS YOUR EDUATION BACK GROUND ARE YOU A ATTORNEY ? Did you ever take a on line course or gain a degree from just a school.?I WILL SAY IT AGAIN MASL is great for people who understand the rules and want to study law and not spend thousands of dallors which they most likely do not have..Ron A . AS- BBA- MBA

[Maintain FL 350]

Relax, there's no need to be so defensive.

I have not taken any online classes (other than BARBRI), but I have graduated from law school and taken the CA bar exam. I do have some idea as to what it takes to prepare for the bar, and I believe that studying and summarizing Gilbert's outlines is insufficient. This is only my opinion, but it is based on first hand experience. The fact is, the model adopted by every ABA and CBE law school (reading and briefing cases, socratic method, written exams) seems to work pretty well. Most students who follow the program will pass the bar. There is zero evidence to suggest that reading and summarizing outlines will produce the same result. That is not my subjective opinion, that is a fact.

I agree with you that legal education is ridiculously overpriced (as are books), and I love the idea of cheaper options for working adults. I went to law school at night while I had a family, a mortgage, etc. Believe me, I understand the cost issue, and I believe that online education has a place in the legal field. Unlike many of the people you'll encounter on these boards I'm not a snob when it comes to legal education.

MASL's website actually states that their JD is primarily a non-bar JD. That should give you pause if you intend to use the degree to practice law. If you can go to MASL, then Touro, and qualify to take the DC bar, maybe it's worth it. I dunno.

It's your time and money, knock yourself out.
 

[jonlevy]

Roald - these guys do not understand that the statutes involved are open to reasonable interpretation by the Bar examiners.  Think pro se litigants who latch onto something like UCC 2-207 and you will get the idea of the circular reasoning involved here.  MASL and NOVUS seek out these folks and give them a "degree." Since no attorney is involved as far as I know with either outfit, they cannot per se be law schools nor are the degrees valid in any jurisdiction.  I might add being a California registered law school involves a lot more than getting a business license, there are some hoops to jump through.

The DC Bar Examiners are actually hard asses when it comes to this sort of monkey business, see Teare v. Committe on Admissions, 566 A.2d 23 (1989) for example of DC's over zealous defense of its turf under Rule 46.  DC is no paragon of inclusiveness, it's bar is second only to California in difficulty, and the 5 year motion in rule is a fluke carry over from federal court rules as the DC bar was only established in 40 years ago.  My experience is that DC lawyers are usually appalled that their bar might admit online and correspondence degree students previously admitted in California.

[oceanblue57]

hi Angie i tried to Email you but it did not go through i have aol.May be you can E mail me aiu57@aol.com.  Ron A..

[Maintain FL 350]

Roald - these guys do not understand that the statutes involved are open to reasonable interpretation by the Bar examiners. 

That's a hugely important point. No bar association is required to accept a non-ABA degree. They may choose to do so on a case by case basis, but they aren't required. The DC rule, as far as I can tell, permits a non-ABA grad who has completed 26 additional units to take the DC bar exam. It does not say that the applicant will be guaranteed admission if they pass. Passing the exam and getting admitted are two different things.

I think that there are some good non-ABA law schools, but this place raises numerous red flags.

The fact that they have been around for five years and have not obtained accreditation or even CA registered status (as per their student manual) is suspicious.

Their website does not list a single faculty member. Who grades the summaries? Are they lawyers? Does anyone ever not pass each module? What are the grading standards?

A business that offers no legal instruction, but offers to grade summaries of commercial outlines for a fee, and whose degree does not permit the holder to sit for the bar exam, should not be calling itself a law school.

[oceanblue57]

Ronald, I WILL SAY IT VERY CLEAR READ MY LIPS,YOU GUYS ARE SNOBS AND PROFEFFIONAL STUDENTS.YOU DO  HAVE ANY AUTORITY, THIS IS YOUR OPIOION.If a student passes the Bar how many cases are there where they do not let them pratice or admit them into the bar?IF a student gets through MASL,including there final project and get accepted to a ABA brick and mortar school.Under rule 46 .They are just as qualfied has a Graduate of a Non ABA CALIF SCHOOL.That is the law.THEY WOULD OF SPENT MORE MONEY THIS WAY. ABA SCHOOLS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE  IN NY .If states including NY LET PEOPLE WORK UNDER A ATTORNEY THEN TAKE ABA COURSES TO SIT FOR THERE BAR WHY PICK ON RULE46 OR ON NOVUS OR MASL.NOVUS IS JUST TO DAMM EXPENSIVE CHARGING $10,000 SHAME ON THEM..RON A. AS -BBA -MBA -Student MSAL

[Maintain FL 350]

I apologize if I offended you, that's certainly not my intention.

It's not snobby to raise questions about a school that lists no faculty, no  physical address, and whose degree (by the school's own admission) is "primarily a non-bar JD", whatever that means. It's nothing against you or any other MASL student, but it's not clear to me that they're providing you with anything of value in exchange for your hard earned money.

I'm not picking on MASL or any other distance learning school. MASL has established a website, and holds itself out to the public as a law school. The term "law school" has certain characteristics and expectations associated with it. Those include actual legal instruction and training, and some form of accreditation or at least registration as distance learning school with the CA bar. The fact that MASL is not accredited by anyone, as far as I can tell, means that its degree holds the same weight as a degree that you print up yourself. Page 2 of the MASL student manual says something like they're "seeking approval from various organizations".

Really? Which organizations?

Yes, I have a problem with a business that calls itself a "law school", takes peoples' money, and issues "degrees" while abiding by none of the commonly held standards. You could literally study on your own and print your own degree, and it would be equivalent (and cheaper). 

At the very least I'd encourage you to check out E&E, or some other publications along with the Gilbert's outlines.

[jonlevy]

Did you get your MBA from an offshore diploma mill, of course not.  Then why would you think a JD can be obtained with so little effort and expense? How about telling us the grand qualifications of the Dean of MASL?  Did he award himself a JD? 

[jonlevy]

Hey here's some good news, with your MASL law degree you can be an Advocate before a real US government Administrative Agency.  Of course you can do that with a HS diploma too but don't tell everyone.

[Maintain FL 350]

At least one measure of the legitimacy of a JD is whether it qualifies the degree holder to take the bar exam. As far as I can tell, the MASL JD, by itself, does not permit the holder to take any state's bar exam, with the possible exception of California (and I'm not even sure about that, since they're not registered with the state bar). How can that possibly qualify as a legitimate JD?

Personally, I don't think operations such as MASL should be allowed to claim that they grant JDs. I think it misleads the public, who assumes that the holder has completed a standard, rigorous legal education. I think the same should apply for B.A./M.A./Ph.Ds.