distance learning

[LincolnLover]

Any of the distance learning law students out there want to discuss their experiences?

[passaroa25]

That is what we have been doing here.  What else did you have in mind?

[passaroa25]

My response was not intended to sound as though I was annoyed.  I simply stated that we are already discussing our experiences in this forum.  What do you see lacking?

[LincolnLover]

Sorry. Just looking to chat is all.

[passaroa25]

I really think that we should be honing our legal skills; discussing court opinions and comparing court filing procedures.  But, it doesn't seem as though many people, here, are interested in those topics.

[jonlevy]

Here's a case that should be of interest - Mitchell v. Bar Examiners

http://www.suffolk.edu/sjc/archive/opinions/SJC_10157.pdf

Does this case have any application elsewhere or is it limited to Massachusetts residents like Mitchell?

Has the case been successfully cited as precedent or at least as an influential case elsewhere?

[fortook]

Go levy.  That case is interesting and relevant.  I have never seen one like it.

Looks like the court used an old school loophole in the statute focusing on his bachelors, rather than his JD to let him take the bar.  Did he end up passing?  Is he practicing in MA?  If so, does he have reciprocity in CT?

I wish I could answer your questions, rather than ask my own, but never heard of this before.  Did you look in the rest of the NE states for a reference to it?

[LincolnLover]

Since it's state court, that appears to only set a precedence to allow others who are "honors" grads of Conord (regionally accredited not just CBE approved) to apply for that exact same state. In theory anyone from Taft(only national) or even from Concord with a 2.0 GPA to be denied.

Concord is also online, so correspondence schools could be viewed as different standard (less teacher interaction) and again appears to be that state only.

It would be interesting to see it make it to the US Supreme Court, but I doubt they would tell each state how to do it since each state is already allowed such drasticly different standards.

For example, even if a state accepted an online degree (in theory) if they require a BA prelegal education and the student started with only an AA (allowed at most online lawschools) they would still be denied.

Even an ABA grad with only an AA (if they went to a CA or MI school for example) would equally still be denied due to lack of proper prelegal education. EVEN IF they had a 4.0 and were valedictorian.

[passaroa25]

I read this case a little while back.  Ross Mitchell passed the MA bar exam and is working in MA. 

I think that most states will allow someone with an online law school degree to sit for their exam on a case by case basis.  I think that getting published on legal analytical topics is one of the best ways out there that shows them what you can do.  Even ABA law school grads submit a sample of their writing to government agencies and some of the top law firms.  It will not be easy.  But, it is not impossible to get the green light to sit for a bar exam after earning a law degree online.

[jonlevy]

Got any citations to support that interesting proposition?  I don't think you are correct.