will attend online law school in CA. any early prep? Forum

[caseyw]

I'm 37 and have been a small business owner for the last 9 years. I'm planning on attending Northwestern California School of Law online and starting sometime in the next 6 months. In the meantime..... Are there any books I could start reading now for general early preparation or for early prep for the FYLSE?

I appeciate your help.

[Geetar Man]

I'm 37 and have been a small business owner for the last 9 years. I'm planning on attending Northwestern California School of Law online and starting sometime in the next 6 months. In the meantime..... Are there any books I could start reading now for general early preparation or for early prep for the FYLSE?

I appeciate your help.

The general consensus is that prepping before law school may be a waste of time, as you don't know exactly what your professors will want from you.

I have to ask though, why online? I looked at the prices and it seems like you'll be spending nearly 4k on tuition alone. But, I don't know how far that degree will get you. If you're just doing it for yourself, then thats another thing, but I wouldn't expect a job out of it.

Also, I hope this isnt a troll.

[caseyw]

Hardly a troll. I work 40-60 hrs a week cant do it any other way. Im not expecting a job offer but i might do my own thing and i can surely use itin my current business and future endevours. Id like to just. Do some early reading to see for sure if i want to commit but all i find online ffor fylse is paid training courses no basic reading or basic intro to law type stuff. On my iphone so lotta typos.

[kapachino]

Why not reduce your work hours a bit and go to a brick and mortar school part-time? And you really can't prep for law school, outside of reading law student blogs.

[caseyw]

Why not reduce your work hours a bit and go to a brick and mortar school part-time? And you really can't prep for law school, outside of reading law student blogs.

I wish, i cant afford to reduce my hours at the moment, no employees right now, hoping things pik up and i can hire some, (had 9 at one time). Thats a big part of me wanting to do other things.

Also im "assuming" i wont be able to get a loan based on high income and bad credit, so i cant afford an aba.

[dingbat]

Don't let anyone dissuade you.
You're in a very different position from everyone else on this board and you're not going to law school to try and get a job as a lawyer, but rather want to study law to help you with a current business.

That means no one here has the slightest clue about whether or not it is a good idea or a bad idea.
Also, this board has no experience whatsoever with CA non-ABA law schools, so you're not bonna be able to get any advice.

[caseyw]

Thanks Ding. I appreciate the info. What about intro to crimInal law or contract law or torts or something? Are ther some books on amazon or something i could check out to kind of get a taste for it?

[09042014]

Law school really isn't going to teach you the law, at least not well enough to use it in your business.

You aren't going to electrician school to learn how to wire your own office. Don't go to law school to reduce your legal need.

Frankly, this is so fucking stupid, your business is probably a failure.

[ph14]

Thanks Ding. I appreciate the info. What about intro to crimInal law or contract law or torts or something? Are ther some books on amazon or something i could check out to kind of get a taste for it?

Honestly, if you are just looking to do this to learn legal concepts for help in your business, you should probably just teach yourself. You could probably do it faster and cheaper, and your knowledge will be more practical and actually tailored to your jurisdiction. I.e., you will learn what the rules are in your jurisdiction about say, employment law, rather than the theory beyond employment law and stuff.

[Mce252]

Hardly a troll. I work 40-60 hrs a week cant do it any other way. Im not expecting a job offer but i might do my own thing and i can surely use itin my current business and future endevours. Id like to just. Do some early reading to see for sure if i want to commit but all i find online ffor fylse is paid training courses no basic reading or basic intro to law type stuff. On my iphone so lotta typos.

From what I can decipher from this post, it doesn't seem that OP just wants to build a knowledge base for his current business. OP said that he might "do [his] own thing." Does this mean you want to actually practice law? Or are you thinking this will just help you avoid lawsuits and be more knowledgeable in general?

If you have any inclination to actually be a member of the bar and offer other people legal advice, you are setting yourself up for utter failure and misery.

[caseyw]

Hardly a troll. I work 40-60 hrs a week cant do it any other way. Im not expecting a job offer but i might do my own thing and i can surely use itin my current business and future endevours. Id like to just. Do some early reading to see for sure if i want to commit but all i find online ffor fylse is paid training courses no basic reading or basic intro to law type stuff. On my iphone so lotta typos.

From what I can decipher from this post, it doesn't seem that OP just wants to build a knowledge base for his current business. OP said that he might "do [his] own thing." Does this mean you want to actually practice law? Or are you thinking this will just help you avoid lawsuits and be more knowledgeable in general?

If you have any inclination to actually be a member of the bar and offer other people legal advice, you are setting yourself up for utter failure and misery.

How do you figure when there are hundreds,probably thousands of practicing attys that went to online school. And are u aware of the atty that went to an online school passed CA bar then sat for and passed MA bar and is practicing in MA.

[Stanford4Me]

Just when I thought I know about every law school in CA...

[Geetar Man]

Thanks Ding. I appreciate the info. What about intro to crimInal law or contract law or torts or something? Are ther some books on amazon or something i could check out to kind of get a taste for it?

Honestly, if you are just looking to do this to learn legal concepts for help in your business, you should probably just teach yourself. You could probably do it faster and cheaper, and your knowledge will be more practical and actually tailored to your jurisdiction. I.e., you will learn what the rules are in your jurisdiction about say, employment law, rather than the theory beyond employment law and stuff.

This. Pick up some books relevant to your interests.


If you think you have a shot at getting a job (that requires a JD)with a non accredited online law school, you might be a redneck.

[caseyw]

Frankly, this is so fucking stupid, your business is probably a failure.

Guess that depends how you define failure.

[Geetar Man]

Hardly a troll. I work 40-60 hrs a week cant do it any other way. Im not expecting a job offer but i might do my own thing and i can surely use itin my current business and future endevours. Id like to just. Do some early reading to see for sure if i want to commit but all i find online ffor fylse is paid training courses no basic reading or basic intro to law type stuff. On my iphone so lotta typos.

From what I can decipher from this post, it doesn't seem that OP just wants to build a knowledge base for his current business. OP said that he might "do [his] own thing." Does this mean you want to actually practice law? Or are you thinking this will just help you avoid lawsuits and be more knowledgeable in general?

If you have any inclination to actually be a member of the bar and offer other people legal advice, you are setting yourself up for utter failure and misery.

How do you figure when there are hundreds,probably thousands of practicing attys that went to online school. And are u aware of the atty that went to an online school passed CA bar then sat for and passed MA bar and is practicing in MA.

Bro, you're using one person who supposedly succeeded, as a representation for yourself and others who will attend or have attended that law school. I can almost guarantee that the majority of those students get out of school with 15k worth of debt and no job prospects. You really need to ask yourself if what you want to do is a worthwhile investment, not only of your money but your time.

As a previous poster stated, you are better off learning about law on your own, if it matters to you that much. The online courses are most likely going to be just grazing over the top of different types of law, which is something you can do without them. Further, if you want to learn in depth about a specific type of law, then you should pick up some books about it.

If you want better responses, then you're going to have to give us more information about your situation. We can't help you if you just say "I want to go to X law school" and not give us reasons such as "Thats a big part of me wanting to do other things".

If you want to do something else, expand your business with a 10k loan, etc... do something that has a better chance of helping you in the future than just simply donating 15k to an online law school. Good luck!

[kapachino]

Since you're insisting on going to school, why not get an MBA? It's cheaper, there are tons of respected online programs, and some programs focus on the legal aspect of running a business. It just makes no sense to enroll at a school and pay $4,000+ in tuition to get a degree you'll never use from an unaccredited school most people have never heard of, let alone respect. Hell, you'd be better off buying used casebooks and asking an ambulance chaser to tutor you or something.

[Mce252]

Hardly a troll. I work 40-60 hrs a week cant do it any other way. Im not expecting a job offer but i might do my own thing and i can surely use itin my current business and future endevours. Id like to just. Do some early reading to see for sure if i want to commit but all i find online ffor fylse is paid training courses no basic reading or basic intro to law type stuff. On my iphone so lotta typos.

From what I can decipher from this post, it doesn't seem that OP just wants to build a knowledge base for his current business. OP said that he might "do [his] own thing." Does this mean you want to actually practice law? Or are you thinking this will just help you avoid lawsuits and be more knowledgeable in general?

If you have any inclination to actually be a member of the bar and offer other people legal advice, you are setting yourself up for utter failure and misery.

How do you figure when there are hundreds,probably thousands of practicing attys that went to online school. And are u aware of the atty that went to an online school passed CA bar then sat for and passed MA bar and is practicing in MA.

FLAME.

[caseyw]

If you think you have a shot at getting a job (that requires a JD)with a non accredited online law school, you might be a redneck.

I didn't really start this thread to argue weather or not I (or anyone) should attend an online school, but since you guys are insistent on it and you obviously like this website, I found this on this site, found it good reading.

Historically, in fact, state-accredited and unaccredited schools have attracted and educated some high achievers. Several have produced not only practicing attorneys but also famous judges and politicians. For example:
•Antonio Villaraigosa is the mayor of Los Angeles and a People's College of Law (unaccredited) graduate. Gilbert Cedillo, a member of the California State Senate, is also a PCL alumnus, although it should be noted that neither he nor Villaraigosa is a member of the California bar.
•The Pacific Coast University School of Law (unaccredited) graduated Kathleen Parker, the first female Superior Court judge in Southern California, and William A. Ross, one of the first African-American Superior Court judges.
•The first online-educated attorneys to be admitted to the Supreme Court Bar were four graduates of Kaplan University's Concord Law School (unaccredited).
•Former California Governor Pat Brown and former Lieutenant Governor Leo McCarthy both graduated from San Francisco Law School (state-accredited).

but back to my first question.. regarding reading. The FYSLE/X covers torts, contracts, and criminal law, I will just look myself for some intro type books at the local book store. I greatly appreciate all of the information and opinions that have been provided in this thread.

[dingbat]

I repeat

Don't let anyone dissuade you.
You're in a very different position from everyone else on this board and you're not going to law school to try and get a job as a lawyer, but rather want to study law to help you with a current business.

That means no one here has the slightest clue about whether or not it is a good idea or a bad idea.
Also, this board has no experience whatsoever with CA non-ABA law schools, so you're not bonna be able to get any advice.

Smith & Roberson's Business Law
It was on the curriculum when I did my MBA and it'll cover a lot of stuff that you'll need to learn (it's broad but not deep)

[apollo2015]

Don't let anyone dissuade you.
You're in a very different position from everyone else on this board and you're not going to law school to try and get a job as a lawyer, but rather want to study law to help you with a current business.

That means no one here has the slightest clue about whether or not it is a good idea or a bad idea.
Also, this board has no experience whatsoever with CA non-ABA law schools, so you're not bonna be able to get any advice.

+1

Also, because of the bad credit situation the original poster mentioned, I recommend that he check with the California C&F people to see if that would get in the way of him passing the C&F test. My assumption is that it wouldn't, but he needs to get the credit situation straightened out somehow. C&F seems to have a reputation for being especially capricious towards older applicants.

[caseyw]

Don't let anyone dissuade you.
You're in a very different position from everyone else on this board and you're not going to law school to try and get a job as a lawyer, but rather want to study law to help you with a current business.

That means no one here has the slightest clue about whether or not it is a good idea or a bad idea.
Also, this board has no experience whatsoever with CA non-ABA law schools, so you're not bonna be able to get any advice.

+1

Also, because of the bad credit situation the original poster mentioned, I recommend that he check with the California C&F people to see if that would get in the way of him passing the C&F test. My assumption is that it wouldn't, but he needs to get the credit situation straightened out somehow. C&F seems to have a reputation for being especially capricious towards older applicants.

I've talked to a couple of my friends who are attorneys and they didn't seem to think that my debts would be a problem with C&F, also by the time I graduate I should be in a much better situation. My debt is from my business taking a turn for the worse a few years ago I downsized significantly to save the company and my income. I am still in business and paying back our loans. No derogatory information on my credit report, just a lot of debt that was in my name for the business that are on cards that were closed when they wanted to jack our rates, so, just lots of debt, with nearly none available, kills your score. I've been paying it off for a few years now.

Also regarding the school I will be attending they do not accept or offer any type of financial aid or student loans. Seems to be the norm for the online schools, NWCA, Concord, Abraham Lincoln, etc... so it seems to be a moot point.

[Mce252]

I repeat

Don't let anyone dissuade you.
You're in a very different position from everyone else on this board and you're not going to law school to try and get a job as a lawyer, but rather want to study law to help you with a current business.

That means no one here has the slightest clue about whether or not it is a good idea or a bad idea.
Also, this board has no experience whatsoever with CA non-ABA law schools, so you're not bonna be able to get any advice.

Smith & Roberson's Business Law
It was on the curriculum when I did my MBA and it'll cover a lot of stuff that you'll need to learn (it's broad but not deep)

He obviously is interested in practicing law if you read his posts. What the hell is wrong with everyone on here. GOING TO A NON-ACCREDITED ONLINE LAW SCHOOL IS A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. Anyone that knows anything about the legal community will trust you less for having done so. It doesn't matter whether you're doing it when you have started a business or not. A bad idea is a bad idea. If you want some legal information, go sit in a library. If you want formal education, go to a real school.

[caseyw]

I repeat

Don't let anyone dissuade you.
You're in a very different position from everyone else on this board and you're not going to law school to try and get a job as a lawyer, but rather want to study law to help you with a current business.

That means no one here has the slightest clue about whether or not it is a good idea or a bad idea.
Also, this board has no experience whatsoever with CA non-ABA law schools, so you're not bonna be able to get any advice.

Smith & Roberson's Business Law
It was on the curriculum when I did my MBA and it'll cover a lot of stuff that you'll need to learn (it's broad but not deep)

He obviously is interested in practicing law if you read his posts. What the hell is wrong with everyone on here. GOING TO A NON-ACCREDITED ONLINE LAW SCHOOL IS A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. Anyone that knows anything about the legal community will trust you less for having done so. It doesn't matter whether you're doing it when you have started a business or not. A bad idea is a bad idea. If you want some legal information, go sit in a library. If you want formal education, go to a real school.

Mce your point is well taken and i appreciate your position. A"real" school is not financially an option for me, and although it is a tougher road, it obviously is done successfully all the time. (see my previous post where i quoted this site). In CA all ABA schools are 30K /yr but even more important, I have a stay at home wife , a baby and one on the way, and my 40-60hr work week at my office is required to pay our bills. Its going to be work, but im used to that. I do intend to pass the bar and will be trying to use the JD in one way or another.

[Veyron]

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[rad lulz]

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