An online law degree is a great alternative for someone who can't take the requisite time out of his or her work day to earn a traditional law degree, and it's useful for someone without a law school in the community. A correspondence law degree can prepare someone to sit for the California state bar exam and practice as an attorney. Eventually, you can then waive into other states and gain admissions to their state bar associations.
Instructions
1. Receive a Juris Doctor degree from an online law school. An online law school is much like a regular law school in terms of curriculum, but unlike law school in that you don't attend physical class and don't generally meet the other students. Two law schools that offer online degrees include: Concord Law School, a for-profit law school owned and administered by Kaplan University; International Pacific School of Law which offers a four-year law school registered with the State Bar of California. Completing these programs enables students to sit for California's bar exam.
2. Apply to the State Bar of California for the bar exam. You must register with the State Bar of California through the online office of admissions and pass a first-year law students examination covering basic contracts, criminal law, and torts. You must also receive a positive moral character determination and pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination.
3. Take and pass the California Bar Exam. This three-day test is administered in February and July each year. Upon passing the bar, you are eligible to practice law in California.
4. Practice law in California for several years to waive into other jurisdictions. You can practice law in other states with an online law degree under reciprocity agreements with other states. It typically takes five years before you can waive into another jurisdiction, but the requirements are different for each state.
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