How to Become a Lawyer Through Online Courses
If you want to attend law school online and practice law, there are things you must consider. First, none of the online law degrees offered are accredited by the American Bar Association. Second, most states require that a student graduate from an ABA accredited college to sit for the bar exam. An exception to this rule is California, which will allow you to sit for the bar exam and practice law in the state if you meet the qualifications set by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California. If you simply want the knowledge a law degree provides, then taking the bar exam is not necessary.
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Instructions
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Undergraduate Studies
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Meet the California undergraduate studies requirement. California requires a law school applicant to have a minimum of 60 completed undergraduate credit hours with a GPA equal to or above graduation requirements. In some cases, if you do not have the credit hours, but can pass subject matter examinations, you may still qualify.
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Gain admission to an online law school. Choose an online law school that has earned regional accreditation, and has also registered with the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California. California will only allow graduates of schools that are registered with the committee admittance into the State Bar Association.
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Register as a California law student. To sit for any law exams, a law student must register with the State Bar of California. On the State Bar of California website's home page, select "Register for the State Bar" and complete the form and all its requirements. You must provide your Social Security number, undergraduate study transcripts and pay the registration fee with a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card.
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Pass the first year law student exam. This exam covers all topics taught during the first year of law school, such as contracts, torts and criminal law. The four-hour exam is administered in June and October.
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Provide references and contact information for the Moral Character Determination. The California Bar Association will conduct a background check on all applicants for the California Bar. The check includes interviewing family, friends, current and former coworkers, current and former employers, previous instructors and a credit and criminal background check. Applicants who do not pass the determination will be ineligible to take the California Bar Exam.
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Pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam. The MPRE tests a law student's comprehension of ethical behavior and proper attorney conduct. The two-hour exam is offered three times a year and consists of 60 multiple-choice questions based on privilege, representation, contempt, ethics and other legal situations.
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Pass the California Bar Exam. The exam is given in February and July of each year. It is a three-day exam consisting of essays, multi-state questions and scenario exercises.
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Tips & Warnings
Although a graduate from a online law school can only practice law in California, the law degree can be used in a variety of professions, such as medicine, business and technology.
If you pass the California Bar Exam, you can work as an attorney in any federal court in the United States.
After five to seven years of practicing law, you can apply to take the bar exam in other states.
Because your online law degree is not accredited by the ABA, you may have difficulty finding a firm which will hire you to practice.
References
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