Law School
A Law School is the law faculty at universities in the United States and Canada. The typical course is a postgraduate course for Bachelor graduates. The previous bachelor's degree can be taken in any other subject, so it must not have been completed in the field of legal science. The postgraduate course lasts 3 years and usually leads to the Professional Doctorate ( JD, JD), but other statements are also possible. The J. D. can not be compared with a research-oriented doctorate; real Doctoral degrees are the Doctor of Juridical Science ( SJD ) in the USA and Doctor of Laws ( LL.D. ) in Canada. At some law schools and the Master of Laws ( LL.M.) is possible, but usually only for foreign lawyers.
In recent years, European universities have begun to internationalize their legal education and to partly adopt English names. Even if they " Law School " call themselves, but why is not assumed a similar structure. A North American Law School of the University as a rule, far more independent than law schools in Europe; she is also in the majority of cases of autonomous as a UK College of Law. In Europe, the legal education is more integrated into normal university structure. Law Schools, however, are concerned about maximum self-government and its own identity. The competition is very high. The tuition fees are often different from the mother university, quite high.
Admitted to the Bar ( Bar Examination)
The completion of a Law School does not lead directly to admission to the bar. For this, the graduates need an additional examination ( examination bar) stand before the audit committees of legal associations able successfully. If successful, it comes to admission to the bar, the lawyer is a member of the legal profession. In the U.S., the approval applies in principle only to the State, in which the testing was performed. However, largely multistate Standardized examinations have prevailed, they provide common auditing standards and enable the relatively complication-free admission of lawyers in all states. The relevant regulations are regulated for the entire U.S. by the American Bar Association ( ABA).
Therefore, a study of law generally only useful for universities that are accredited by the American Bar Association. Without this accreditation, admission is questionable or even impossible as a lawyer, unless in a state uses a special scheme. Some colleges in California - such as the Concord Law School ( which offers a pure online distance learning ) - offer a law degree with JD degree, which allows the student to the bar exam in California. Outside of California these lawyers may then, however, not (yet) legally work (except purely advisory activities ). This approval options are controversial and seen by the legal establishment predominantly critical. Basically: Without ABA accreditation American Law Schools should be classified as not serious in doubt.