Hello All,

Background: I'm currently an infantryman in the United States Army, but I'd be interested in pursuing a less dangerous vocation once my contract expires. Many of my academic and personal strengths seem to match up with those frequently associated with law, so I thought I would look into it. My standardized test scores and the feedback I've received from my professors throughout college (seem to) indicate that I have a relatively high verbal intelligence, and ceteris paribus, let's assume that I'm cut out to be a lawyer (i.e., I'll do as well on my LSATs as I did on the SATs, I'll be able to perform well in the grad/J.D. programs I take, &c.).

I have a problem, though: I didn't do terribly while studying for the Philosophy B.A. (UGPA = 2.50) I earned at a well-known liberal arts college.

(1) I'm looking for a grad school or other option to help set myself apart and apply to a good J.D. program.
(1.1) I'd prefer that whatever post-grad education I take doesn't eat up my entire salary or G.I. Bill, both of which I am attempting to either save for my J.D. or use on undergrad loans.
(2) I'm considering the UoL External LLB program, as my primary credential to show that academics is not a weakness for me as a student (i.e., to compensate for my UGPA) and that I can 'do' law school.

Why UoL External LLB? As an infantryman, I'll have considerable--if irregular--'down-time' to stare at my PDA or smartphone. I have a 5-year contract, significant leave, and down-time in which to attempt the LLB course of study. More traditional brick-and-mortar grad programs might be (a) inaccessible to me because of my UGPA, (b) physically inaccessible to me because of my career, or (c) useless, ultimately, because many J.D. programs wouldn't be too impressed by an expensive, academically anonymous philosophy M.A.

Does anyone have any thoughts or experience with this program?

Does anyone have any thoughts or criticisms for my plan?
Specifically, would anyone happen to know if admissions departments for upper-tier J.D. programs would see an LLB earned from UoL External in the manner I'd attempt to present it?

Any better ideas?

Thank you.

It could be an option, but I think it's a bad one. External degrees tend to be minimized when compared to full time education, and for good reasons.

Well, take it from an American, former U.S. Army Officer, "Signal Corps" active and Reserve, who completed an LLB from a similar UK college. You'd be doing yourself a favor by using your down time to study for the LSAT rather than doing an LLB for several reasons.
1) The external LLB is just as hard as an on campus JD. Reason being, that you essentially teach yourself. Try learning a foreign law in solitude. No fun.
2) US Colleges hold a tight reins on the golden gates through which you pass for admission. They don't look favorably upon foreign degrees. AS well, the US perception of distance education can only be compared with the "American" experience of distance education. While the UK has been educating its diplomats and subjects for hundreds of years utilizing this medium, the US distance ed experience is starkly different and does not compare. Enter the strange phenomena of degree mills and simply non rigorous programs which have emerged with for profit education, it makes it very difficult to tender your legal education as anything more than an International Correspondence Schools, Inc. equivalent. Don't do it. Just use your down time to study for the LSAT. There are a gazillion programs out there to get you on track. Coupled with your work and military experience and a strong application, I assure you some school will pick you up.

Aloha and Good luck with your future in law.

The key issue is license to practise law.

LLB is not totally recognised in some U.S. state bar examine because Yale University was the last law school to confer one (1971).

JD is the professional doctorate of most legal professional in the US and Europe... and influencing other common law jurisdiction.

On-line and External degrees do not always allow a person to be certified for sitting licensing exams. Be careful!

I graduated with a JD and two LLM degrees in the US and Australia... I'm licensed in US, Australia, and New Zealand.

Regarding US law schools... watch the trend for placements... serves no point to go to a very expensive private law school in the third / fourth tier rankings... and no employment opportunities.

Don't worry about your undergraduate gpa... you are a mature age student and will be accessed differently from someone that went to undergraduate then graduate/professional schools.

Good luck & With aloha, A.