These days, lawyers engage in legal matters in almost every sector, from healthcare to business and entertainment. The diverse tasks of lawyer include conducting research, reviewing documents, preparing for a trial, putting a deal together, and resolving legal dilemmas. Earning a law degree online helps prepares students for a career in law, just like traditional on-campus programs. The courses covered in an online program include the same topics such as constitutional law, torts, property law, and civil procedure. Students who graduate from an online program may continue their education and specialize in advanced degree fields such as corporate law or lax and labor law.
Apart from the convenience of studying from any geographic location, online programs offer other benefits as well. They offer flexible and self-paced learning schedules to professionals with busy work schedules. They also enable candidates to avoid time and costs related to commuting to campuses. Finally, these programs may be less expensive as compared to campus based programs.
There are various degree levels in law, and they include the following:
Paralegal Certification
These professionals have a significant role in law. They perform various tasks such as dealing with clients and processing information through court systems. A certificate in paralegal may be obtained through online courses.
Associate's Degree
This degree may suit those who wish for a law career, but are not sure in which field to specialize. These degrees usually take two years to complete.
Bachelor's Degree
Students may pursue bachelor's degrees in law or a related field such as criminal justice or political science. Bachelor's degree programs usually take four years to complete.
Juris Doctor (JD)
The JD degree is the first professional law degree. It may be earned by completing law school. Candidates often gain practical experience by working in legal clinics. The degree completion requires a written bar examination to receive a license to practice law.
Doctoral
Various online schools offer PhD law degrees. These may include degrees in jurisprudence, social policy, justice, and society. The program covers scholarly study of legal institutions and ideas from various standpoints, such as philosophical, economic, and sociological. It serves as preparation for a teaching career in post-secondary institutions.
Juris Doctor Programs
The JD program covers all topics required to fulfill legal and regulatory educational requirements. The curriculum may include the following courses:
-
Torts
-
Contracts
-
Criminal Law
-
Civil Procedure
-
Legal Writing and Test Taking
-
Real Property
-
Criminal Procedure
-
Constitutional Law
-
Community Property
-
Remedies
-
Wills and Trusts
-
Corporations
-
Legal Analysis and Writing
-
Professional Responsibility
-
Legal Research
This curriculum may be typical for many law schools. However, it may vary between programs, so you should check the details of the program at which you wish to enroll.
Career Opportunities
Graduates with law degrees may pursue a diverse range of career opportunities. According to the level of their qualification, they may choose from the following options:
-
Lawyers
-
Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
-
Paralegals
-
Legal secretaries
-
Legislators
-
Administrative law judges and adjudicators
Lawyers advise businesses, individuals, and government agencies on various legal matters and represent them in courts. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage of lawyers was $113,530 in May 2012.