Why Online Legal Courses are Waste of Time and Money

The Problem with Accreditation and Prestige

The biggest challenge when it comes to educational online legal studies is accreditation. The standard of the legal community is the approval of the American Bar Association (ABA). This important ABA accreditation is lacking in many law programs online only. This factor alone can be a significant issue to students. To complete a non-ABA accredited school is to have a degree that is virtually useless since most states do not accept you to take the bar exam.

In the case of even programs which are accredited by ABA, prestige is frequently at issue. The legal profession is highly traditional and the reputation of the institution one attended is highly valued as well. Online diplomas can be considered quite different to another one issued by one of the famous and centuries-old universities, even with an accreditation. This may disadvantage graduates when they are competing with students in the brick and mortar schools.

This prestige deficiency may impact the whole career trajectory. Even the most prestigious law firms, government jobs, judicial clerkships, and other prestigious positions usually seek only the most successful, traditional law schools. An online degree can automatically shut these doors and this is no matter how good you did. It is risky financial gambling on the part of students as it means spending a lot of money on qualification that will not even be recognized by their future employers.

Last but not least, these programs are not always as cheap as they may sound. Other online courses, particularly those found in established online Universities, have tuitions that are as high as their on campus courses. The students could be being charged high prices because of an education that does not have the same magnitude or reputation. This quality of being expensive and having doubtful prestige makes it an unworthy investment to most aspiring lawyers.

Missing Out on Critical Interaction

The aspect of classroom experience consumes a massive proportion of law school. Traditional Socratic method This method entails professors approaching students and challenging them to argue and defend legal concepts on the spot. This stressful condition assists in developing the primary thinking and oratory abilities. This high level of interaction is difficult to capture in online courses and is usually real-time. It is not the same with students that can be left to watch pre-recorded lectures or post on discussion boards.

The other important aspect of law school is to learn with your classmates.  This community and rivalry are highly inspirational. Students in an online establishment tend to be isolated and work alone. Loneliness may complicate the challenging curriculum even more.

Another thing about law school is networking. The relationships that you build with your classmates and instructors are long-term. These individuals will be your workmates, mentors and friends in the legal profession. Online programs do not provide extensive chances on such personal networking. In the absence of face-to-face activities and informal contact, it becomes very difficult to develop the good working relationships needed in a successful legal career.

Relations with the faculty are also influenced by the absence of personal contact. In the conventional context, learners are able to meet the professors face to face in their office hours to seek clarifications or career guidance. Communication online is in most cases limited to emails or booked video calls which are impersonal. Students are deprived of the mentoring and support offered by professors, which is one of the major components of the learning experience.

The Shortage of Practical Skills Training

A degree in law is expected to equip you to literally practice law. The conventional law school provides a lot of practical training which is not easy to access online. As an example, moot court competitions teach students skills in writing legal briefs and giving oral argument within a simulated courtroom. These are practical exercises that should be necessary to have the confidence and skills required to be a real lawyer.

Another defining part of good legal education is legal clinics. At these clinics, students handle real clients on real legal cases under the supervision of professors. It is here that they are taught on how to interview clients, write legal documents as well as where they learn the court system. This is an experience that cannot be achieved through an online program. This may not provide them with real-life experience and result in graduates being unprepared to the realities of a legal job.

 These jobs can be located in many campus recruiting programs and contacts at the law school. Online program students can be disadvantaged when it comes to accessing such opportunities. They do not get the opportunity of acquiring practical experience and networking in the legal fraternity. This may complicate the post-graduation job search procedures.

Finally, law is not a theoretical profession only. Textbook reading and lectures can teach you only so much. An online law student walks out of school without clinics, moot court and internships and therefore a huge gap in skills. This is not unknown to the employers and they might be reluctant to starve someone who has not applied his knowledge in a practical environment.

Poor Career and Job Prospects

The end product of investing such time and money on a law degree is to secure a good job as a lawyer. This is extremely challenging to the graduates of most online programs. As stated earlier, the legal profession is very conservative and reputation of the name of the law school is highly regarded. Most employers, particularly those working at large and prestigious law firms, can just screen out resumes that are not produced by a more traditional, well-received organization.

Graduates of the ABA-accredited online programs have the same uphill battle even though the degree is online. They are competing with those of traditional schools whose graduates have been exposed to stronger career services. Career offices within the campuses are well connected in the local law firms as well as the judges.