Archive for October 15th, 2009

There are times in life when something unfortunate occurs that results in some legal advice being required. This can be for something like a death in the family, writing wills, buying or selling a home or advice on any accidents and injuries that you may have suffered. The important thing to remember is that advice is available and you should take advantage if it where possible.

One area where people require legal help at the moment is when it comes to their jobs. Employment laws are in place to ensure employers and employees work under the correct conditions. Employees being dismissed without reason can occasionally happen and if you have been on the unfortunate end of this then there are legal actions you can take.

A tribunal will look upon the reason given for your dismissal and will decide whether it is a suitable enough for dismissal. Capability, illegality or conduct are all good enough reasons for dismissal but the tribunal will look into each individual case and make a decision.

Employment laws are also relevant when discussing discrimination, holiday pay and unlawful deduction of wages. As mentioned earlier, each decision will looked at individually with a decision made in an unbiased manner. Discrimination can occur in a number of ways including age, race, sex and religious beliefs, if you believe you are being discriminated against then you can seek legal advice.

Unlawful reduction in wages can also occur in some firms and if this is something you have experienced in the past then you should seek some legal advice. The first thing to do is to raise a formal grievance with your company to see if it was a mistake, after this process you will know whether to take it further and seek advice.

One area that may have affected employees is relocating. With companies suffering during the economic crisis, some have decided to merge and this can often mean choosing between two separate offices sometimes at opposite ends of the country. You are entitled to refuse a move and you can then register a grievance, after this you can file for unfair dismissal with the success of the hearing depending on the reasons for the merger.

Modern day society throws a lot at us and problems can quickly mount up leaving us with a lot of stress and hassle. If you are unaware of your legal standing consult an expert to see how you can take the issue further.

Over the past few years the number of online degree programs has expanded exponentially and many people have taken the online Bachelor Degree and MBA programs that are available.  More recently, a number of online Law Degree programs have also sprouted up leading many people to wonder…is it really possible to obtain your law degree online?  More importantly, are these Juris Doctor degees worth anything and can you really practice law with them?

The Straight Scoop About Online Law School

Several online universities such as the University of Phoenix, Concord/Kaplan Law School and Devry offer distance learning Law Degrees.  These programs are comparable in cost to other online doctorate level degrees with fees ranging from $30-90,000 depending on the program.  Typically students may take them either part or full-time with the full Juris Doctor degree being completed in 3-5 years.

Classes for most of these programs are offered online with reading and other materials bought by the students.  Some offer in-person classes as optional additions.  Professors interact with students online and assignments are usually submitted via email.  The courses required for online Juris Doctor programs are typical of full-time programs and include such subjects as Civil Procedure, Contract Law, Criminal Law, Property and Torts among others.  Upper level classes include such subjects as Constitutional Law, Evidence, Family Law, Trusts and Estates, as well as other mandatory as well as recommended coursework.

The programs typically require the student to take the LSAT and to submit transcripts from undergraduate programs as well as write essays to gain acceptance.  Overall the admissions criteria and standards are lower than major name Law Schools with students obtaining admission that might not qualify if applying to a nationally recognized bricks and mortar school.

Someone that is interested in studying law and going through all the major JD required courses can obtain a solid law school education by doing a degree online.  The ability to make your own schedule, the flexibility of spreading the degree over time and the reduced cost when compared to bricks and mortar programs makes it an attractive alternative if you are simply seeking the Juris Doctor for your own benefit and for the educational experience it offers.

The Big Problem With Online Law School

There is however, a very important and fundamental downside to pursuing your Juris Doctor online.  As of now, 49 states require a person to obtain their JD Degree from an accredited institution by the American Bar Association (ABA).  Without this accreditation you cannot sit for their bar exam and become a practicing attorney in their state.

The exception to this is the state of California which allows certain distance learning Juris Doctor students to sit for the bar exam if they’ve fulfilled certain requirements but only from certain specific Online Law Degree programs.  To learn what programs these are, and to find out how it might be possible to transfer a California Law License to other states please visit www.LawDegree.me.