What You Need to Know About Part-Time Law School

Attending law school part-time is an option for many students who have existing obligations, like a career or childcare, that require creativity in balancing life and school.

Generally, part-time law classes aren't much different from standard classes. You may, however, take fewer classes in a given term to free up more time in your schedule. Accordingly, it may take longer to graduate from a part-time law school.

The Different Options for Part-Time Law School 

Evening classes: Students who take evening law classes often graduate within four years instead of three. Classes are similar to full-time law school classes, although your classmates will more often be professionals with competing responsibilities outside of the classroom.

Hybrid programs: A proliferation of hybrid programs have emerged in the last ten years, including low-residency, part-time offerings with different program-dependent requirements. Some of these hybrid classes require in-person weekend classes, perhaps on a bi-weekly basis, while others jam live instruction into a few weeks of intensive summer sessions.

Online programs: In 2021, the ABA approved the first fully-online J.D. program at St. Mary's University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas. This new frontier of legal education may be the beginning of a new trend toward online programs. Online law programs offer more flexibility and expanded access to legal education for those unable to participate in in-person classes. The quality of education and value of these degrees, however, is still undetermined.

Are Part-Time Law School Programs Worth It?

The value of a part-time program depends greatly on the school. Because law school administrators see part-time programs as more cost-effective, there's an incentive to create them as a means to expand rosters of enrolled students. Part-time programs also serve as pools to fill vacancies, should full-time students drop out or transfer.

Law schools in less desirable locations, like the "snow belt" that spans from the Upper Midwest to Northern New England, use part-time programs to leverage their reputation to attract more tuition-paying applicants from outside areas.

To evaluate the worth of any part-time program, you should be clear about what you want from a law education. Part-time programs afford a greater degree of flexibility. They can be great for students who need extra time to focus on work, a career, or family responsibilities. Plus, part-time programs are often less selective and less competitive. They can allow students with lower grades or LSAT scores to secure a place in a well-regarded law school.

[Next Read: What’s the Deal with Online Law School?]

Who May Benefit From Part-Time Programs

I've worked with a number of clients who have focused on finding a part-time program that fits their schedule and needs.

One client was a paralegal at a law firm that offered to subsidize tuition for a part-time JD program. The prestige of the program wasn't as important for this application, since she had a guaranteed job after graduation. The part-time nature of the work allowed her to continue working as a paralegal while in school.

I worked with an older applicant who made a mid-career shift and had to juggle part-time work, childcare responsibilities, and a legal education simultaneously. This applicant didn’t want to transform his life in order to attend law school full-time in a different region. A part-time option, then, made law school a possibility.

Another student was a recent college graduate with a history of mental health issues. She felt anxious about enrolling in a full course load in a busy campus environment. A flexible part-time program allowed her to ease into law school. Once she felt comfortable, she thrived in her classes and transferred into the full-time program for her final two years.

Finally, I recall a student that had limited mobility and health concerns. They found it safer to attend a hybrid part-time program with disability accommodations, like remote classes, which helped them successfully complete their degree.

Drawbacks of a Part-Time Program

Like with an online law school, you may miss out on the benefits of a campus community by attending part-time. Full-time students can immerse themselves in programs, clinics, out-of-classroom debates, and internship experiences that can bolster a legal career.

Part-time law programs are not perceived as equally prestigious as full-time programs. If you place great importance on the prestige of a degree, you should weigh this trade-off carefully.

Finally, watch out for any part-time program offered by a for-profit, unranked, or unaccredited law school. Do your research before you apply. Information about bar passage rates, completion rates, and graduate employment rates will be especially helpful.

Conclusion

If you aren't certain whether a part-time program is for you, it might be possible to start part-time and later transfer to the full-term program within your institution.

You’ll need solid grades to manage such a shift, but not necessarily top grades. By supplementing your first-year courses with summer courses, you may even be able to graduate within three years. In that case, you will have only lost a summer compared to other peers in the full-time program.

This approach can be a "back door" entrance to more competitive full-time programs, especially at larger institutions that accept many transfer applicants, like Georgetown Law.

[Next Read: Should I Apply to Low-Ranked or Unaccredited Law Schools?]