Mid-Atlantic--fellow students helping each other

[vanceap3]

Since there appears to be a number of Mid-Atlantic students here (both long-term and new), I think it might be a good idea if we could help each other with general info and study info.  I have learned all sorts of new things from just being on the discussion board and I really think we might be able to help each other.  It really doesn't do us much good just to read the negative stuff about out school.  There are many reasons (some good, some not so good) for us and others to attend our school.  Mine is that I don't really want to take a bar...it's just a bucket list item for me.  Yes, I could "read" the Gilberts on my own, but that's not the point.  I, for one, need the goal and the discipline that the school lends many of us.  What are some of your reasons?  And please, just ignore a certain person who keeps putting us and the school down.  Hope to hear from all of you?  Thanks!

[legalpractitioner]

Who actually owns M*SL and who is on the faculty?  Seems the only faculty member is a Mr. Gilbert.

[passaroa25]

Even though Mid Atlantic is unaccredited, I think that any student enrolled in its courses can still get a good legal education.  Maybe you could think of your experience at Mid Atlantic as a form of home schooling.  If you read and brief at least twenty five of the court opinions cited in each Gilberts volume, you will, at some point, start thinking like a lawyer.  If you make written copies of all your court opinion summaries, and keep them in organized files, you might be able to use what you have recorded as proof to the California Office of Admissions, that you know enough to sit for the FYLSE.  Mid Atlantic makes everyone complete a final project.  This would be an excellent opportunity to write a book on any legal issue that interests you.  Mid Atlantic provides a very basic starting point.  It is really up to the student to show the world what he/she can do.  Good lawyers "think outside the box."  I have already written here that I have decided to go the certified paralegal route because several pay cuts forced me to drop the Mid Atlantic program.  Heck, I am still trying to come up with the five hundred dollars required to take the certified paralegal exam.  Anyone who reads and summarizes 15 Gilberts outlines and briefs the cases cited in each volume has not received a poor legal education.

[vanceap3]

How far did you get in the system Angie?  One of the things that I like about Mid is that a student does not have to put a lot of money out upfront!  You only pay after each module which only amounts to $100.  I do know the feeling though about the money.  I am retired except for a part-time substitute teaching position which does not give me much to spare.  As mentioned, Mid and acquiring a JD is fairly much a bucket list thing for me.  It is unlikely that I would try to go through the hoops to take any possible or available bar.  I could take the FYBE in CA since I had a year of one of their schools before, but, again the expense of getting there (CA) and the cost of the exam is much.  Also, I do not wish to move to CA.

[passaroa25]

I received the news about my second cut in pay just as I was starting on civil procedure. 

Even if you don't plan to do anything more than explore legal concepts right now, it can't hurt to lay some sort of foundation.  Mid Atlantic does not require students to hand in case briefs.  But, there is nothing like a written memorial to show the world what you can do.  Each Gilberts volume cites hundreds of court opinions.  So, just briefing twenty five out of each book is really just a drop in the bucket.  But, you won't be reading opinions that are in the typical law school case book.  Many of those cases are shortened considerably (I spent a year in a brick and mortar law school and ran out of money after the first year.  During that time, there were very few federally funded student loans for law school.).  The opinions you will be reading will come from versuslaw.com or from Google Scholar.    Many full length opinions can be 20 or more pages long.  As a result, you can easily study and brief opinions 10 hours  a day; six days a week.  Even if Mid Atlantic doesn't require case briefs, just having them in a loose leaf binder, ready to send to the California Office of Admissions at any time will benefit anyone who has these files compiled.

Also, get published.  We are lucky that we don't have to send articles to magazine publishers hoping and praying for anything but those inevitable rejection letters.  Just posting on discussion forums like this, means that we are published.  Anyone can get a free webpage from bepress.com and post their unpublished [in a hard copy magazine] articles there.  I am hoping that when I start interviewing for a paralegal position, an  attorney will at least take notice of my webpage and decide to invite me for an interview.  The articles on my webpage are relatively elementary as far as legal analysis goes.  But, I do intend to post at least five more articles [hence, demonstrate more experience] before I start "pounding the pavement."   http://www.works.bepress.com/angela_passaro.

I believe that anyone out there can be an attorney or  certified paralegal with credentials earned online.  We just have to be ten times better than the brick and mortar ABA graduate who was ranked 300 out of a graduating class of 300.  The name of their school will get them in the door.  An online JD graduate's resume "without something more" will just go in the trash or be deleted.

Age is not an issue in law or medicine.  A recent 60 year old JD graduate will just look like a senior partner to a client.

[legalpractitioner]

The point is these so called law schools are not law schools at all because no attorney or anyone learned in the law is associated with them. If one can't tell the difference between a scam and a law school, that does not say much for their legal abilities.  There are plenty of California registered distance learning schools and accredited Legal Studies programs out there. I don't buy the argument that it is all just for fun and games; I have seen the real damage that DIY legal geniuses can get people into. Too bad the state bars won't go after these schools.

[passaroa25]

There is an online law school, similar to Mid Atlantic, based here in Florida.  Its administrator is an attorney.  I contacted the Board of Education about it and was told that that school is not accredited at all to grant a law degree of any kind.  So, having a law school run by an attorney can also be a scam. 

I think that the whole online law school system is a scam.  Students are flocking to these schools every year believing that all they have to do is study three hours a day for a year and they will pass the FYLSE.  Passing the FYLSE really takes a year of study for a minimum of eight hours a day; two years would be ideal.  In the real world out here (outside of California), Mid Atlantic, Novus, and any one of the state accredited distance learning schools with a California address are the same.  I think that anyone who wants to be a lawyer, should really stay away from any online law school and find a brick and mortar law school near him or her and attend that school.

But, if he/she does not really want to do that, then he/she is stuck with creating his/her own brand.    The online law school degree (from any online law school) is only a beginning. The school's name will not help him/her get his/her foot in the door. Getting published is one excellent way of creating your own brand. 

[vanceap3]

Everyone with these desires has their own reasons for doing what they want to do.  Most people have the ability to find out information themselves and make decisions.  They do not need you to tell them what you think they should or should not do.  This is the last time I will respond to your posts.  I would recommend the same to others.  Like many in government (and other), some people think they know what is good for all of us. 

[vanceap3]

I was not referring to you Angie.

[passaroa25]

Thank you.  I was trying to be helpful. If you would like to take turns briefing cases and discussing the court opinions, let me know:  passaroa25@gmail.com.  Perhaps, we can co-author a book of briefed court opinions or an article or two.