See this article on Bryd receiving, finally, his college degree:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,85823,00.html
The articel says that he had earned his law degree from another university…
My question is how can he earn a law degree before earning a college degree ? Isn’t that a requirement ?
I know back in the day, one would be able to apprentice and become a lawyer, but when was that changed, and the requirement for a college degree added ?
Anyone know ?
sorry for the double post - please delete, moderator…
According to his Senate biography he earned his law degree from American University in 1963 (while serving in the Senate) after ten years of night classes. American University School of Law currently requires an undergraduate degree for admission to the program, but may not have in 1953 (I couldn’t verify that one way or the other). Additionally, the life experience of having served as a United States Congressman may have been a factor along with the possible prestige factor to the school; if you were the dean of admissions and a member of Congress applied, don’t you think you might overlook a deficiency or two in his transcript?
I originally thought the Senator may have worked an apprentice angle. West Virginia allows for one to get a law degree without attending a law school per se. Instead, the apprentice has a mentor who oversees the apprentice’s course of study.
However, his biography states that he enrolled at American and completed his coursework while serving in Congress, to Otto’s explanation seems to be on the mark.
My dad was a doctor and he went to med school without a degree. He completed all the core courses required for getting in in about 2.5 years. That was in Arkansas in the 50s, though. I think that may have been the case for Byrd and Law School.
Thanks all…
Senator Byrd went to several colleges back in the day. He never actually graduated from any of them.
A while back (don’t remember what year), Marshall University in WV had his wife gather all his academic information and send it to them. He wasn’t far from having enough credits so they got someone in the PoliSci department to give him the rest of the hours he needed in “Independent Political Studies.” Presto, a PoliSci degree for the Good Senator.
He then rewarded Marshall with 5 million bucks for a new library soon thereafter, tacked onto a defense bill (I think it was defense).
WV does indeed require law school and passing of the bar to be a lawyer. Back in the 50s, when Byrd was a young sprite, they did not. All you had to do to be a lawyer was 1. attend law school (didn’t have to graduate) and 2. take the bar exam (didn’t have to pass). You could then be an apprentice for a lawyer who would show you the ropes.
The rules were changed due to a little matter in the mid 50’s called WV State Bar vs. Earley. Our friend Mr. Earley lived in the middle of nowhere in WV and there were no lawyers around. After helping a few friends fill out some simple legal documents here and there, he started to gain confidence. Long story short, he did a divorce for a friend, and later when this friend of his wanted to remarry, he found out he wasn’t even divorced yet. Oops. Trouble was, there were no regulations set as to who could practice law and who couldn’t, so Earley walked. Soon thereafter WV started setting some criteria.
Now WV lawyers enter through the narrow gate, same as everyone else.
Incidentally that British American website is a load. They’re not even ABA accredited!
Senator Byrd went to several colleges back in the day. He never actually graduated from any of them.
A while back (don’t remember what year), Marshall University in WV had his wife gather all his academic information and send it to them. He wasn’t far from having enough credits so they got someone in the PoliSci department to give him the rest of the hours he needed in “Independent Political Studies.” Presto, a PoliSci degree for the Good Senator.
He then rewarded Marshall with 5 million bucks for a new library soon thereafter, tacked onto a defense bill (I think it was defense).
WV does indeed require law school and passing of the bar to be a lawyer. Back in the 50s, when Byrd was a young sprite, they did not. All you had to do to be a lawyer was 1. attend law school (didn’t have to graduate) and 2. take the bar exam (didn’t have to pass). You could then be an apprentice for a lawyer who would show you the ropes.
The rules were changed due to a little matter in the mid 50’s called WV State Bar vs. Earley. Our friend Mr. Earley lived in the middle of nowhere in WV and there were no lawyers around. After helping a few friends fill out some simple legal documents here and there, he started to gain confidence. Long story short, he did a divorce for a friend, and later when this friend of his wanted to remarry, he found out he wasn’t even divorced yet. Oops. Trouble was, there were no regulations set as to who could practice law and who couldn’t, so Earley walked. Soon thereafter WV started setting some criteria.
Now WV lawyers enter through the narrow gate, same as everyone else.
Oh dear 
Not sure how THAT happened!
Forgive me?