100% online law degree

[Popestt]

You can also practice federal law anywhere in the country with a CalBar accredited degree. Or if youre like me, I am earning an RA doctorate concurrently with NWCU law because I want to go into policy development to improve access to healthcare for marginalized populations. Not a particularly lucrative field, and an ABA degree would be financially irresponsible,  but the JD from NWCU will be immensely helpful.

[sanantone]

It should be noted that going the California route can be risky. The California Bar exam is the most difficult, and the Baby Bar passage rates for unaccredited law schools are very low.

[Popestt]

New students to NWCU are no longer required to take the baby bar, as they were granted accreditation by the California state Bar. But yes, bar passage is certainly an aspect to consider.

[freeloader]

You can also practice federal law anywhere in the country with a CalBar accredited degree. Or if youre like me, I am earning an RA doctorate concurrently with NWCU law because I want to go into policy development to improve access to healthcare for marginalized populations. Not a particularly lucrative field, and an ABA degree would be financially irresponsible,  but the JD from NWCU will be immensely helpful.

What, exactly, do you mean “federal law”?  If you mean that you want to only practice in federal district courts, you need to do some more homework.  The easiest path to be admitted to federal district court is to be admitted to the state bar/Supreme Court of the state. On the strength of that, you could be admitted to the US district court. 

The other route is reciprocity with an “outside” state bar or US district court. At least as of 2016, 56 of the 94 district courts did not allow for reciprocity.  So, being admitted in one district does not “transfer” to another.  The requirements in the remaining districts vary district-to district. The California district courts do not offer reciprocity to those from other states, so many districts would not offer reciprocity to you based on being admitted to a CA US district court.  

If you want to do policy work, do you really need to be admitted to the bar?  I can see the usefulness from basically a marketing standpoint of having JD after your name and saying you are a licensed attorney, but would you actually be filing things and/or appearing in court?  If you expect to do that, you REALLY need to make sure you understand the rules for district court admissions. 

See:
https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/upload...-pdf-3.pdf

[sanantone]

You can also practice federal law anywhere in the country with a CalBar accredited degree. Or if youre like me, I am earning an RA doctorate concurrently with NWCU law because I want to go into policy development to improve access to healthcare for marginalized populations. Not a particularly lucrative field, and an ABA degree would be financially irresponsible,  but the JD from NWCU will be immensely helpful.

What, exactly, do you mean “federal law”?  If you mean that you want to only practice in federal district courts, you need to do some more homework.  The easiest path to be admitted to federal district court is to be admitted to the state bar/Supreme Court of the state. On the strength of that, you could be admitted to the US district court. 

The other route is reciprocity with an “outside” state bar or US district court. At least as of 2016, 56 of the 94 district courts did not allow for reciprocity.  So, being admitted in one district does not “transfer” to another.  The requirements in the remaining districts vary district-to district. The California district courts do not offer reciprocity to those from other states, so many districts would not offer reciprocity to you based on being admitted to a CA US district court.  

If you want to do policy work, do you really need to be admitted to the bar?  I can see the usefulness from basically a marketing standpoint of having JD after your name and saying you are a licensed attorney, but would you actually be filing things and/or appearing in court?  If you expect to do that, you REALLY need to make sure you understand the rules for district court admissions. 

See:
https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/upload...-pdf-3.pdf

One can be admitted to the U.S. Tax Court or represent veterans in front of the VA. I think there are a few other federal courts or administrative boards that only require admission to the bar in a state or territory, but that would be limiting.

[Popestt]

You can also practice federal law anywhere in the country with a CalBar accredited degree. Or if youre like me, I am earning an RA doctorate concurrently with NWCU law because I want to go into policy development to improve access to healthcare for marginalized populations. Not a particularly lucrative field, and an ABA degree would be financially irresponsible,  but the JD from NWCU will be immensely helpful.

What, exactly, do you mean “federal law”?  If you mean that you want to only practice in federal district courts, you need to do some more homework.  The easiest path to be admitted to federal district court is to be admitted to the state bar/Supreme Court of the state. On the strength of that, you could be admitted to the US district court. 

The other route is reciprocity with an “outside” state bar or US district court. At least as of 2016, 56 of the 94 district courts did not allow for reciprocity.  So, being admitted in one district does not “transfer” to another.  The requirements in the remaining districts vary district-to district. The California district courts do not offer reciprocity to those from other states, so many districts would not offer reciprocity to you based on being admitted to a CA US district court.  

If you want to do policy work, do you really need to be admitted to the bar?  I can see the usefulness from basically a marketing standpoint of having JD after your name and saying you are a licensed attorney, but would you actually be filing things and/or appearing in court?  If you expect to do that, you REALLY need to make sure you understand the rules for district court admissions. 

See:
https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/upload...-pdf-3.pdf

In my case, no, I don't need to be admitted to the bar. While I will likely take the bar in california, practicing law is not my goal. I enrolled strictly for the legal education, as the cost is comparable to a cheap masters degree, but the curriculum is much more comprehensive.  I feel like it will be a good asset. I would not recommend NWCU to someone who lives outside of California if their dream is to practice law outside of California, I'm just saying that there are options if that is the case.

[Old Guy]

One thing to bear in mind with NWCU School of Law is that it is a structured program with significant time demands. To succeed you likely have to spend a minimum of 20 hours a week for 52 weeks. Each year there are 6,000 to 8,000 pages of technical reading plus a few hundred hours of online classes, live or recorded, plus several ridiculously long assignments for each class plus exams. 20 hours is a half time job in itself. Most successful students will likely spend more time than that. That is for 4 years if you pass everything.

[videogamesrock]

NORTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW is 100% online an accredited. Their annual tuition is less than $4000. I am strarting in February

You only need an associates degree to get in. If I only had an AA I would seriously consider this.


Sent from my typewriter.

[newdegree]

NORTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW is 100% online an accredited. Their annual tuition is less than $4000. I am strarting in February

You only need an associates degree to get in. If I only had an AA I would seriously consider this.  


Sent from my typewriter.

how is your first-semester coursework at NWCU in the JD program online?

[resistk]

I can tell you from personal experience with a Taft JD - you can be admitted in California and then DC after 5 years. A few other states like Iowa are theoretically possible; but the vast majority will not recognize your California online or correspondence non ABA JD. With federal courts, a few of the non California district courts are possible but a number are not. Most federal cicruit courts of appeals are possible as well as SCOTUS. Federal administrative practice which includes social security, veterans, tax, SEC and immigration is wide open. It may also be possible for you to be admitted in England and Wales, British Overseas Territories and Ireland although it takes a lot of negotiation or local help.