When Kim Kardashian announced she was studying to become a lawyer, many people were surprised. After all, she never went to a traditional law school. But what she did is a real, albeit challenging, path to becoming an attorney in California. If you've ever wondered how it's possible to "read the law," this post is for you.
California is unique in offering a few alternative routes to a legal career, and a big part of their appeal is the cost. Here's a breakdown of the programs and what you can expect to pay.
You Don't Have to Live in California to Study Law There! 🗺️
One of the biggest benefits of these alternative paths is that you don't have to live in California to pursue them. The Law Office Study Program and correspondence schools are designed for remote learning, allowing you to study and prepare for the California Bar Exam from any state in the U.S. This opens up a legal career path for a wider range of people who can't move to California or who want to practice law there without uprooting their lives.
1. The "Reading the Law" Program (Law Office Study) ⚖️
This is the path Kim Kardashian chose—a modern-day apprenticeship where you learn the law directly from an experienced attorney or a judge. Instead of a classroom, your learning takes place in a law office. This route is often the most affordable, but also the most demanding in terms of self-discipline.
Cost: The costs for the Law Office Study Program are minimal, consisting mostly of fees paid to the State Bar of California for registration and report submissions. These fees can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand over the four-year program.
2. California-Accredited Law Schools 🎓
These are law schools that are accredited by the State Bar of California but not by the American Bar Association (ABA). They often offer traditional, in-person classes but with more flexible schedules and at a lower price point than the most expensive ABA-approved schools.
Cost: The average total cost to complete a J.D. from one of these schools is approximately $75,000.
Examples: Some of the schools accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California include:
Cal Northern School of Law
Glendale University College of Law
Lincoln Law School of San Jose
Lincoln Law School of Sacramento
Monterey College of Law
Pacific Coast University School of Law
San Francisco Law School
San Joaquin College of Law
3. Unaccredited Correspondence Law Schools 💻
California also has a number of unaccredited correspondence law schools that let you earn your law degree through online or distance-learning programs. These schools offer a formal curriculum without the high costs of traditional schools. Like the LOSP, this is a non-traditional route to a J.D.
Cost: The cost to complete a J.D. at one of these schools is significantly lower than an ABA-approved school. The average total cost for a J.D. from a California unaccredited school is around $33,000. Some schools may offer payment plans as low as $4,980 per year.
Examples: Some of the registered unaccredited correspondence law schools in California include:
American Institute of Law
American International School of Law
California Southern University, School of Law
Central California University School of Law
Northwestern California University School of Law
Oak Brook College of Law and Government Policy
San Francisco International University, College of Law
Taft Law School
The Traditional Route for Comparison 🏛️
For perspective, the average total cost to complete a J.D. at an ABA-approved law school in California is a staggering $174,000. This makes the alternative paths a very attractive option for those looking to avoid massive student debt.
A Note on Where You Can Practice 🌎
It's super important to understand this: getting your law license through a California-accredited school, an unaccredited school, or the LOSP only qualifies you to practice in California state courts.
However, there are a couple of ways a California-licensed attorney can practice outside the state:
Federal Courts: Your California bar license allows you to apply for admission to federal courts in other states, such as a U.S. District Court. Once admitted to that federal court's bar, you can handle federal cases in that jurisdiction. For example, a California attorney could get special permission to handle a specific bankruptcy case in a federal court in Arizona.
Pro Hac Vice: This is a Latin phrase meaning "for this occasion." It's a special exception that allows a lawyer licensed in one state to represent a client in a case in another state's court, but only for that specific case. To do this, you usually need to associate with a local attorney who is licensed in that state.
While these paths are not for everyone, they prove that a legal career isn't just for those who can afford a six-figure price tag. With enough hard work and determination, you can learn the law and become an attorney, just like Kim K.
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