University of London-L.L.B. External Program- 2Yr Program or 3Yr Program

[Titanium20]

California will allow a graduate from a foreign law school if:

A general applicant who has a first degree in law from a law school located in
a foreign state or country must:

(A) Obtain from a credential evaluation service approved by the
Committee a certificate that the applicant’s first degree in law is
substantially equivalent to a Juris Doctor degree awarded by a law
school approved by the American Bar Association or accredited by the
Committee; or

(B) Obtain from a credential evaluation service approved by the
Committee a certificate that the applicant’s first degree in law meets
the educational requirements for admission to practice law in the
foreign state or country in which it was obtained.

AND

(Roughly) an LLM from an ABA school.

My question is this. Does anyone know someone that obtained their LLB from the University of London External 2Yr Graduate Program + ABA LLM and was allowed to sit for the CalBar?

[passaroa25]

The University of London program should work for you.   While doing extensive research on alternative law school programs, I did come across several law school correspondence courses with several schools in Great Britain.  The only reason why I did not pursue the foreign degrees track is because I am very partial to American law and because I simply could not afford the programs out of Great Britain.  I say, Great Britain, instead of England, because I believe Scotland has an external law degree program as well.    The state of New York allows holders of foreign law school LLB's to sit for their bar exam as well.  From the quote you provided, it looks like all you need to do is provide the California Board of Examiners with your transcripts and a complete description of each course you have taken.   Also, you will have a choice of ABA accredited LLM programs to choose from once you have completed the British law school program.

[financialandtaxguy]

Be careful with the LLB program from U of L.  I attended there for one year in their advanced placement program.  Although it is very thorough, they expect you to memorize too much case law.  The exams are only once a year.   So your future in law is determined by one exam per course at the end of the year and if you fail the exams as I did, you have to spend another whole year studying again, and then risking your future on one final exam one year later!  I wrote and told them that their program is not very realistic of real life practice of law, where a lawyer has much more time to examine and prepare for a case, and not assessing a student throughout the year with other graded assignments is a little ridiculous.  Our law exams are a little better in that you are not required to know case law, but unrealistic in the method of exam. 

Another reason I would not attend U of L again, is because as  a freedom loving American, I would not want to attend a Law School that also teaches Sharia Law.  The price for attending U of L is very reasonable, about $3000.00+/- per year, but the price you pay in other ways, is not worth it in my opinion.

[passaroa25]

You touched on a bit of reality that I have discovered in many online law schools:  you have to memorize a lot of concepts and rules of law in a relatively short period of time.  The program you described at the University of London is similar to online law schools here.  The student is expected to know all the black letter law for criminal law, torts, and contracts and is expected to be able to apply the black letter law to hypothetical situations almost flawlessly after studying for just one year.  Then your future depends on the first year law students' exam.  That kind of program would work perfectly if the person studying online did not have to work or take care of a family.   It really takes two years to memorize all you need to know for the FYLSE.

[financialandtaxguy]

You touched on a bit of reality that I have discovered in many online law schools:  you have to memorize a lot of concepts and rules of law in a relatively short period of time.  The program you described at the University of London is similar to online law schools here.  The student is expected to know all the black letter law for criminal law, torts, and contracts and is expected to be able to apply the black letter law to hypothetical situations almost flawlessly after studying for just one year.  Then your future depends on the first year law students' exam.  That kind of program would work perfectly if the person studying online did not have to work or take care of a family.   It really takes two years to memorize all you need to know for the FYLSE.

I share your sentiments, as I am 51 years old, a Registered Investment Adviser and Tax Accountant here in CA, and find that I'm up against old tradition or weeding out process that the American bar system has.  If you read my other posts, you will see that when I seek out lawyers for work with my clients, such as Estate Planning, I interview them first, because I don't care where they went to law school or if they passed the bar, but they have to prove to me competency and good moral character.  All I want to do is use the Attorney License for Estate Planning work which I have done, Contract Law because of my business background, and Tax Law because of my tax accounting experience.  So these unrealistic hurdles such as the Baby Bar and Bar don't impress me as being indicators that a lawyer will be of sound and ethical legal practice.

What I said about the University of London or what I meant by stating that you have to know case law, is that the U of L exams expect you to quote the citation for all your reasoning or application of the rule of law.  I got the feeling at times, that one of the professors was very much into her knowledge of citations, and then it became very overwhelming to me.  If anyone chooses U of L, make sure you only have a part-time job and can memorize case law citations otherwise you will be drowning in school work.  I know the U of L is accredited in England, and can be an open door for you to sit for the bar in other states and not just CA, but you have to know what State you want to practice law and if they will recognize the LLB from U of L.  I would still suggest a California online or distance learning law program if you are an American, work full-time, don't mind being limited possibly to CA and Federal Courts, and appreciate our constitution and legal system.

I chose Northwestern California University School of Law (now disenrolled) because of content and price, and I liked that I could get lectures and definitions on MP3 and listen to them anytime.  Currently, I am studying for my second attempt at the Baby Bar this October.