Any ways to become an Attorney without a Juris Doctor?

[diggleblop]

Are there any states where you can become a practicing/licensed lawyer without obtaining a Juris Doctor/law degree from a law school? Say I taught myself Patent & Trademark Law in a few years at a law library and felt I could pass the Bar. What state, if any, could I take the exam?

Also, in Louisiana and Washington, can you become a Lawyer without taking Multistate Bar Examination? What’s with those two states?

[psychloan]

[QUOTE=diggleblop]
Are there any states where you can become a practicing/licensed lawyer without obtaining a Juris Doctor/law degree from a law school? **
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I believe that New York and Vermont allow you to “apprentice” for 4 years and then sit for the bar.

I believe that California allows you to study at an unaccredited school if you take an extra exam. Perhaps correspondence school qualifies?

[Squink]

[QUOTE=diggleblop]
Are there any states where you can become a practicing/licensed lawyer without obtaining a Juris Doctor/law degree from a law school?
[/QUOTE]

In this Summary of Requirements for Admission to Practice Law in California, towards the bottom of the page, under ‘Legal Education’, it looks like you can avoid law school:

Pursuant to Rule VII, Section 2 of the Rules Regulating Admission to Practice Law in California, in order to establish eligibility every general applicant must have

(a) Graduated from a law school approved by the American Bar Association or accredited by Committee of Bar Examiners; or

(b) Completed at least four years of law study in any of the following manners

      1. In a law school that is authorized by the State of California to confer professional degrees; is registered with the Committee of Bar Examiners; and which requires classroom attendance of its students for a minimum of 270 hours a year; or

      2. In a law office in the State of California and under the personal supervision of an active member of the State Bar of California for at least five years; or

      3. In the chambers and under the personal supervision of a judge of a court of record of this state; or

      4. In a correspondence law school registered with the Committee of Bar Examiners, and requires no less than 864 hours of preparation and study per year; or

      5. By any combination of the methods referred to in this subsection (b). 

[Billdo]

In New York, you may take and pass the first year of law school and train for 4 years under a licensed attorney and be qualified to sit for the bar exam and be admitted if you pass.

[diggleblop]

Ah ha ! Thanks !