Online Law Schools are a new animal having only officially come into
being in 2008 when the California State Bar started categorizing law
schools as online, making a distinction between "online" law schools and
"correspondence" law schools.
Factors students should consider are; 1) is the law school an online law school. 2) Whether the law school being considered utilizes the Socratic Method of teaching law. 3) What is the law schools success on the First Year Law Student Exam. The California School of Law dose all three.
1. Whether the Law School is Actually is an Online Law School
The California State Bar website lists the law schools that are distance-learning, i.e. online in a separate category from those designated as correspondence law schools. There is a significant difference in categorization, the State Bar's website defines a distance-learning/online school as one that conducts instruction and provides interactive classes principally by technological means. Be careful some online law schools use mostly correspondence methods and some correspondence law schools say they are online.
Numerous correspondence law schools claim to be an online law schools even when the State Bar has determined they are correspondence law schools.
There is a tremendous difference in the value of the educational experience between participating in live, real-time interactive classes, as opposed to the self-study correspondence law schools.
2. Use of Socratic Method
Without exception, all of the prestigious law schools in the United States teach by the Socratic question and answer method. Each and every law school in the United States, that is accredited by either The American Bar Association or the California State Bar, teach by the Socratic Method. In recent years, the only serious criticisms of the use of the Socratic Method, comes from persons who are trying to justify its non-use at either correspondence schools or at online schools that do not use the technology necessary to for "real-time" live two-way question and answer, that is essential to the use of the Socratic Method.
Under the Socratic Method system of legal instruction, before each class, students are assigned cases and statutes to read and brief. This pre-class preparation is followed by in-class presentations by the students. A crucial part of the learning process, students are questioned by the professors, sometimes rigorously with follow-up questions, regarding the facts, rule of law, or the court's reasoning in the case assigned for class.
The Socratic Method is the only method at ABA law schools, as opposed to the lecturing style found at most undergraduate schools, because it prepares students for the practice of law. The Socratic Method teaches law students how to analyze and make legal arguments, how to properly read and brief cases, and, lastly, how to prepare for the pressures and rigors of a legal practice. Although much of the practice of the law involves research and writing, all attorneys must discuss the law with other attorneys, judges, and their clients. Therefore, a properly trained attorney must be prepared to form legal arguments, analogize, and respond to direct questioning. See Harvard Magazine, Making the Case, describing the increased use of the Socratic Method in professional schools,
Americas Legal Bookstore has published a book entitled "The Online Law Schools Book." The book, written by Dominick Latella, reviews all of on line law schools in California. Mr. Latella wrote as follows:
"California School of Law is THE ONLY SCHOOL TO OFFER LIVE SOCRATIC
METHOD TEACHING ONLINE. Students are equipped with VOiP software, and headsets, and meet live twice per week in a real virtual class. Teachers use the Socratic Method asking students questions in the same manner that teachers at Harvard, Yale, and any traditional school ask their students. Classes are on Tuesday and Thursday nights, at 6:00 pm PST. So, basically anyone can attend.
This is the closest thing to a real law school. You will learn how to prepare for class, interact, live, in class, and have a true Law School experience! As the years go on, there are Moot Courts and trial practice, live, again assuring the most real life Law School Experience of any of the on-line law schools. You better be prepared for class!
The California School of Law is Real Law School!!! If you have two nights per week for the next four years, it will give you the most Real Law School experience possible. Students also can meet online for study groups. It is amazing. A thumbs up!!!"
In short, the California School of Law provides students with the benefits of the Socratic Method. The California School of Law is not self-study, text messaging or a chat room, nor is it watching a "canned" DVD or video download, nor is it a lecture with an opportunity to text message questions. Instead, in California School of Law's virtual classrooms, students and faculty discuss and argue rules of law, live and in "real time."
Finally, students at the California School of Law, along with the use of the Socratic Method, have a traditional law school experience. All classes operate on traditional law school semester, students attend live classes, with the same group of students, allowing them to see each other's faces and get to know one another over years of study. This technology easily permits students to form study groups with the students they have met, seen, and heard in class. Further, students form life-long friendships with their future colleagues, as they would at a traditional residential law school.
3. First Year Law Student Exam
The California School of Law provides a review course to assist its students in their preparation for the First Year Law Students' Exam. This course is known as the "FYLSE Review Course".
Two months prior to the administration of the FYLSE, the FYLSE Review Course becomes more focused and intense, meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-9 pm PST and on some scheduled Saturdays. Students are given practice MBE & essay questions as timed tests in preparation for the FYLSE using ExamSoft the soft ware used on the actual FYLSE. The professor will review each student's work, go over any areas needing improvement and make appropriate assignments to help the student become prepared for the FYLSE.During this time, professors meet with students to discuss test results and strategies for improvement. Specific assignments are be given to individual students to help them focus on areas in which they need improvement and a sharpening of writing skills. The FYLSE Review Course is a class in which students earn units.
The final month of the FYLSE Review course provides extensive simulated testing with focused feedback. Students work on areas needing reinforcement and continue to sharpen their skills for the FYLSE.
Factors students should consider are; 1) is the law school an online law school. 2) Whether the law school being considered utilizes the Socratic Method of teaching law. 3) What is the law schools success on the First Year Law Student Exam. The California School of Law dose all three.
1. Whether the Law School is Actually is an Online Law School
The California State Bar website lists the law schools that are distance-learning, i.e. online in a separate category from those designated as correspondence law schools. There is a significant difference in categorization, the State Bar's website defines a distance-learning/online school as one that conducts instruction and provides interactive classes principally by technological means. Be careful some online law schools use mostly correspondence methods and some correspondence law schools say they are online.
Numerous correspondence law schools claim to be an online law schools even when the State Bar has determined they are correspondence law schools.
There is a tremendous difference in the value of the educational experience between participating in live, real-time interactive classes, as opposed to the self-study correspondence law schools.
2. Use of Socratic Method
Without exception, all of the prestigious law schools in the United States teach by the Socratic question and answer method. Each and every law school in the United States, that is accredited by either The American Bar Association or the California State Bar, teach by the Socratic Method. In recent years, the only serious criticisms of the use of the Socratic Method, comes from persons who are trying to justify its non-use at either correspondence schools or at online schools that do not use the technology necessary to for "real-time" live two-way question and answer, that is essential to the use of the Socratic Method.
Under the Socratic Method system of legal instruction, before each class, students are assigned cases and statutes to read and brief. This pre-class preparation is followed by in-class presentations by the students. A crucial part of the learning process, students are questioned by the professors, sometimes rigorously with follow-up questions, regarding the facts, rule of law, or the court's reasoning in the case assigned for class.
The Socratic Method is the only method at ABA law schools, as opposed to the lecturing style found at most undergraduate schools, because it prepares students for the practice of law. The Socratic Method teaches law students how to analyze and make legal arguments, how to properly read and brief cases, and, lastly, how to prepare for the pressures and rigors of a legal practice. Although much of the practice of the law involves research and writing, all attorneys must discuss the law with other attorneys, judges, and their clients. Therefore, a properly trained attorney must be prepared to form legal arguments, analogize, and respond to direct questioning. See Harvard Magazine, Making the Case, describing the increased use of the Socratic Method in professional schools,
Americas Legal Bookstore has published a book entitled "The Online Law Schools Book." The book, written by Dominick Latella, reviews all of on line law schools in California. Mr. Latella wrote as follows:
"California School of Law is THE ONLY SCHOOL TO OFFER LIVE SOCRATIC
METHOD TEACHING ONLINE. Students are equipped with VOiP software, and headsets, and meet live twice per week in a real virtual class. Teachers use the Socratic Method asking students questions in the same manner that teachers at Harvard, Yale, and any traditional school ask their students. Classes are on Tuesday and Thursday nights, at 6:00 pm PST. So, basically anyone can attend.
This is the closest thing to a real law school. You will learn how to prepare for class, interact, live, in class, and have a true Law School experience! As the years go on, there are Moot Courts and trial practice, live, again assuring the most real life Law School Experience of any of the on-line law schools. You better be prepared for class!
The California School of Law is Real Law School!!! If you have two nights per week for the next four years, it will give you the most Real Law School experience possible. Students also can meet online for study groups. It is amazing. A thumbs up!!!"
In short, the California School of Law provides students with the benefits of the Socratic Method. The California School of Law is not self-study, text messaging or a chat room, nor is it watching a "canned" DVD or video download, nor is it a lecture with an opportunity to text message questions. Instead, in California School of Law's virtual classrooms, students and faculty discuss and argue rules of law, live and in "real time."
Finally, students at the California School of Law, along with the use of the Socratic Method, have a traditional law school experience. All classes operate on traditional law school semester, students attend live classes, with the same group of students, allowing them to see each other's faces and get to know one another over years of study. This technology easily permits students to form study groups with the students they have met, seen, and heard in class. Further, students form life-long friendships with their future colleagues, as they would at a traditional residential law school.
3. First Year Law Student Exam
The California School of Law provides a review course to assist its students in their preparation for the First Year Law Students' Exam. This course is known as the "FYLSE Review Course".
Two months prior to the administration of the FYLSE, the FYLSE Review Course becomes more focused and intense, meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-9 pm PST and on some scheduled Saturdays. Students are given practice MBE & essay questions as timed tests in preparation for the FYLSE using ExamSoft the soft ware used on the actual FYLSE. The professor will review each student's work, go over any areas needing improvement and make appropriate assignments to help the student become prepared for the FYLSE.During this time, professors meet with students to discuss test results and strategies for improvement. Specific assignments are be given to individual students to help them focus on areas in which they need improvement and a sharpening of writing skills. The FYLSE Review Course is a class in which students earn units.
The final month of the FYLSE Review course provides extensive simulated testing with focused feedback. Students work on areas needing reinforcement and continue to sharpen their skills for the FYLSE.
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