Unauthorized practice of law......brought to you by Novus "lawschool"

[lawstudent2011]

http://www.novuscatalog.org/alegaledu.html

 

[passaroa25]

I don't attend Novus Law School.  But, in their defense, some federal administrative agencies do not require you to be a lawyer to represent clients in their hearings.  The Social Security Administration, the IRS, and Immigration and Naturalization are a few that come to mind.  All of the organizations mentioned in Novus' list are federal administrative agencies.  The Department of Justice, however, will only consider graduates of ABA accredited, "brick and mortar", law schools.

[lawstudent2011]

United States Court

That one stuck out the most for me. 

[passaroa25]

I read that while the Department of Justice reviews the qualifications of applicants to be appointed as federal judges, each federal court unit and each judge has the power to hire his/her own staff.  So, unless a Novus law school graduate wants to be a federal judge,  that graduate, depending on how extensive his/her knowledge of the law is and depending on who he/she knows, it does appear that the Novus law school graduate does have a chance to work somewhere in the federal court system.

As you all well know, reputation is everything in the legal community.  If a Novus law school graduate (or any law school graduate) has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the law and has passed the California bar exam, he/she probably has a chance.

However, I'm not an attorney myself yet either.  But, this time,  I am working hard to know everything (about as many areas of the law as possible).

[lawstudent2011]

your theory sounds valid minus the fact that Novus is NOT allowed to sit ANY state bar.

I read that while the Department of Justice reviews the qualifications of applicants to be appointed as federal judges, each federal court unit and each judge has the power to hire his/her own staff.  So, unless a Novus law school graduate wants to be a federal judge,  that graduate, depending on how extensive his/her knowledge of the law is and depending on who he/she knows, it does appear that the Novus law school graduate does have a chance to work somewhere in the federal court system.

As you all well know, reputation is everything in the legal community.  If a Novus law school graduate (or any law school graduate) has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the law and has passed the California bar exam, he/she probably has a chance.

However, I'm not an attorney myself yet either.  But, this time,  I am working hard to know everything (about as many areas of the law as possible).

[passaroa25]

I haven't really pursued the matter.  But, I think that Novus is located in California.  If it is, a Novus graduate can sit for the California bar exam as long as he or she has passed the First Year Law Students' Exam and is registered with the California Board of Examiners as a law student.  Novus seems to be active in some fashion.  So some Novus students must be getting something out of it.  Otherwise, why would the school waste its money on a website?  Any Novus graduates out there?

[passaroa25]

Apparently, there has been some discussion about Novus way back in 2007 in this very forum.  One student apparently passed the First Year Law Student's Exam with a C and was doing attorney supervised study.  I do remember some discussion with a counselor about attorney supervised study.  But, I would have had to move to, I think either Virginia or West Virginia where attorney supervised study is allowed.  The Florida Board of Examiners only allows ABA approved law school graduates to sit for its bar exam.  I live in Florida.  So, my third career will be as a Florida paralegal and my fourth career will be as a California attorney.

[lawstudent2011]

Anyone who says that they passed the first year bar exam with Novus is a liar. Yes CA has online lawschools, but that dosn't permit any random person to open an online "lawschool" and do it. They have to be licensed the right way. Novus is not. Even their own site makes that clear.

[financialandtaxguy]

I have researched online and distance learning law schools for over 15 years now.  You must read the "Novus Law School" discussion.  I am finding that most of you are ignoring what the Novus Law School student said about being able to sit for the "Baby Bar" in California because he was under an "Attorney Supervised Study" program.  He is absolutely correct, California does allow for this, do your homework on the Calbar website.  As Liberal in philosophy California is, it does have the best options to becoming a lawyer in the State of CA, that no other state offers!  You can get your online law degree in CA, pass the Baby Bar, and pass the General Bar, practice in CA (although other states may not allow you to practice in their states), and practice in any Federal Court.  Practicing as an attorney in Federal Court is permitted with any State Bar License!

To clear up another issue, if you notice, my username is "financialandtaxguy" because I am a Registered Investment Advisor and Tax Accountant in CA.  You cannot represent a client in IRS tax court unless you are a CPA, EA, or Licensed Attorney.  Therefore, unless you have done an Attorney Supervised Study through Novus, passed the Baby Bar and General Bar in California, that is the only way a Novus law school graduate could represent a client before the IRS.  However, a Novus Law School graduate is free to work in any legal environment where an Attorney's License is not required i.e. government, law firms, contracts, legal compliance departments in brokerage firms, mediation, arbitration, and other venues, again only in applications not requiring an attorney's license.