Online Law School

[USDOJ320]

Law school has been a lifetime goal and dream of mine.  I am currently a career federal law enforcement officer and have two small children.  Would and online law school like Concord or William Howard Taft University School of Law be an intelligent option for me(cost/time, etc.)?  I plan to stay within the Department of Justice and become a lawyer.  Entry level requirements state that your law school does not have to be ABA and be the member of the bar in any jurisdiction which would work for me since I am in NJ.  Any thoughts?? 

[Boss]

http://info.concordlawschool.edu/AboutConcordLaw/barexam.aspx?ID=BExam

Concord's First Time Pass Rate of the CA Bar:  41%
Concord's Repeat Pass Rate of the CA Bar:  46%

Hm...charging almost $30K for a JD and less than half of their students pass the bar?  That's a gamble I'm not willing to take.

[Boss]

Entry level requirements state that your law school does not have to be ABA and be the member of the bar in any jurisdiction which would work for me since I am in NJ.  Any thoughts?? 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it only CA that allows a person to take the Bar without a JD from an ABA law school?

That's what I know.  However, I have seen a few state bar associations that say you must either have attended an ABA school or have been in good standing with another state bar for X years.  So if you "attend" Concord, and are one of the few to pass the CA bar, then after a few years, you can apply for other state bars.

[Dukestarbored]

Have you considered going part-time? I know it would take longer, but you could do that and still work and probably come out a sharper lawyer than you would with an online degree.

[USDOJ320]

Yes I have considered part time at Rutgers Newark.  The cost is twice as much and I am not sure if I'd be able to swing it with my current career and time constraints.  I believe part time at Newark, maybe most part time law schools, requires 4 nights a week.  Any advice??   

[ctg31]

Entry level requirements state that your law school does not have to be ABA and be the member of the bar in any jurisdiction which would work for me since I am in NJ.  Any thoughts?? 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it only CA that allows a person to take the Bar without a JD from an ABA law school?

For clarification, does this mean you can take the bar if you have a JD from a non-ABA school or do you not have to have a JD at all?

[.....]

http://info.concordlawschool.edu/AboutConcordLaw/barexam.aspx?ID=BExam

Concord's First Time Pass Rate of the CA Bar:  41%
Concord's Repeat Pass Rate of the CA Bar:  46%

Hm...charging almost $30K for a JD and less than half of their students pass the bar?  That's a gamble I'm not willing to take.

titcr

[Captain]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it only CA that allows a person to take the Bar without a JD from an ABA law school?

That's what I know.  However, I have seen a few state bar associations that say you must either have attended an ABA school or have been in good standing with another state bar for X years.  So if you "attend" Concord, and are one of the few to pass the CA bar, then after a few years, you can apply for other state bars.

I believe NY and Mass. let you take the bar with a Canadian degree. Canadian schools aren't ABA, last I checked.

Not that it helps. A non-accredited online law school won't help you if you want to stay in NJ. Why not go PT to Seton Hall or one of the Rutgers?

I know scheduling can suck if you work FT, but classrooms are the best way to learn this  stuff. There is a reason that Concord students suck at the Bar, and it isn't that they use a different text (they don't).

[Captain]

Yes I have considered part time at Rutgers Newark.  The cost is twice as much and I am not sure if I'd be able to swing it with my current career and time constraints.  I believe part time at Newark, maybe most part time law schools, requires 4 nights a week.  Any advice??   

Law school is something you have to want bad enough to do this. Can you get your employer to pay all/part of tuition?

[bamf]

Yes I have considered part time at Rutgers Newark.  The cost is twice as much and I am not sure if I'd be able to swing it with my current career and time constraints.  I believe part time at Newark, maybe most part time law schools, requires 4 nights a week.  Any advice??   

Law school is something you have to want bad enough to do this. Can you get your employer to pay all/part of tuition?

yeah I was just going to ask that same question.  is there a program that the DOJ has to let career officers become lawyers?  Frankly I would be worried about the DOJ hiring you with an online degree.  I know it is hard to swing with kids but there is always the PT route, or you can wait till they are a little older.  My friend's father was a career public servant who went back to law school when he was about 40 and his kids were around 8, 10 and 12.  The fam stayed in Rochester with their mom and grandparents while he lived in Ithaca during the week.  It is rough, for sure.  I really respect the fact that you are even attempting to make it work.  Sometimes you just have to be in it to win it, though.  Law school is only 3 years, and there are several great programs in NY/ NJ and Philly.
Good luck.