Can I Really Become a Lawyer Online?

Today, online classes have become so prevalent that even future attorneys can study online. Many credible law programs exist entirely online. If you want to become a lawyer but need lots of flexibility, then an online application may be your best choice. Of course, online programs are relatively new, especially when it comes to law classes. That’s why you probably have questions. Well, you’re not the only one. Below you’ll find the most frequently asked questions about becoming an attorney online. Don’t see your question below? Then feel free to get in touch. In the meantime, check on these answers.

What Do I Need to Take the Bar Exam?

Here’s the short answer: In most states, you need a law degree to take the bar exam. A few will let you take the exam without a law degree, but those states require an apprenticeship with a law office.

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Passing the Bar Exam is by far the most significant factor when deciding on pursuing a law degree. People ask everything from “What is the Bar Exam like?” to “Why is it called the Bar Exam?” The Bar Exam – so-called because the American Bar Association administers it- is an exam that tests a student’s legal skills. If you pass the exam, your state considers you competent enough to practice law. You’ll take the exam in three parts. First, there’s the Multi-State Bar Exam, which gets divided into two sections. It measures your Federal and then state-specific legal skills. The third part is called the Multi-State Performance Test, which measures your critical thinking skills and ability to assess realistic legal situations.

Is the bar exam hard? Well, it’s certainly comprehensive. The exam requires 12 hours of test-taking stretched across two days. You’ll want to get plenty of sleep leading up to the test, and you’ll need to prepare yourself for a fair amount of tedium. The bar exam pass rate varies from one state to the next. The pass rate often depends on the difficulty of the exam’s state-specific portions. You can look up your state’s pass rate to get a better idea of the exam’s difficulty. If you’re worried about the bar exam, know that you have study options. Some universities offer bar exam classes, and you can find several credible study programs online. These programs can help you gain more familiarity with the Bar Exam questions and answers.

Finally, many worried future test-takers ask what to do with a JD without passing the bar. Now, keep in mind that you can take the exam a second time. However, if you don’t pass the exam the first time and you want to jump into your career right away, you also have options. Your degree can open up a lot of doors, even without you having passed the Bar. You might become a paralegal, for instance. Later, if you decide to retake the exam, you’ll likely feel more prepared.

Does an Online Law Program Prepare Me to Practice Law?

Yes, you can become a lawyer online with a distance JD program. As long as your program prepares you to pass the Bar, then your program should help you build all of the skills needed to be a lawyer. Now, if you want to know how to become a lawyer with an online degree, you’ll have to make sure that you’ve got a good program. How do you do that? You can start by asking yourself some research questions. For example, what subjects do you need to become a lawyer in your state? Does this program have ABA accreditation? These types of questions will push you in the right direction.

Can I Become a Lawyer for Free?

Unless you live in one of those few states that don’t require law school for the Bar Exam, then no. Unfortunately, most people can’t become a lawyer online for free. If you find a source that claims you can get an online law degree free, then it’s probably a scam. These sources won’t prepare you for the Bar Exam, and at the end of the day, you’ll only have wasted your time. That said, if you want to supplement your studies, many accredited universities and local libraries will offer legal course material for free. These materials don’t come with any credits or qualify you for the Bar, but they will help you bolster your knowledge and feel more prepared.