Online Law Schools—Which Are the Best?
When you ask yourself this question, take time to look past just the name. While some high-profile schools do have a certain name-recognition, currently no law schools that provide a J.D. degree completely via distance education are approved by the ABA nor accredited by a particular state bar. These high-profile schools also have no flexibility for time and degree completion, and they have a much higher cost.

You may also hear of some big-name schools with a campus that offer online-only programs. These programs will typically charge more for their online programs than even high-profile institutions without a campus. Is the extreme difference in price worthwhile? Especially since even ABA-approved institutions won't have ABA approval for online-only programs. The criteria for eligibility to take the bar examination or to otherwise qualify for bar admission are set by each state, not by the ABA or the Council for the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.

A variety of Bar Exam statistics by year including pass rate, source of legal education, etc. are available through an interactive tool at TheBarExaminer.org. One example is shown below.

Novus University School of Law offers students an option for bar admission through law office study in several states where it is offered. Book knowledge coupled with the practical legal training needed to succeed is a powerful combination for success. Novus students and graduates also use their legal education for career advancement and business. See over 200 career options where graduates currently work and utilize their legal education. Review the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ Comprehensive Guide for Bar Admission Requirements for additional bar admission information.

Data from California
California is a great case study to look at since it has options to allow for the possibility of certain distance-learning school graduates to qualify to sit for their state bar exam—even though those schools are still classified as not ABA approved and CA Bar Unaccredited. There are additional requirements for both the schools and the students to meet, including students passing an exam after their first year of study known as the “Baby Bar”. Failure to pass this exam results in the student being disqualified from any further studies at that school–even if they don’t plan to take the General Bar when they graduate. However, for those that do pass the exam and continue towards graduation the final bar pass rates for many of these schools is still very low. We can then compare data from the General Bar exam results from among these schools. (see table below).

While high-profile, California Bar unaccredited schools like Concord University School of Law, Taft Law School, or Northwestern University may offer you a certain amount of “name value”, attending a well-known program that charges more than double the amount won't guarantee a better education.

From the statistics below, most law school graduates who take the bar exam, still choose the traditional non-online approach. You may find that going to law school on campus at a traditional fixed-facility ABA approved law school is not feasible for you and so an online or correspondent legal education will provide the time and savings for those who still need to work an provide for themselves and families or loved ones. The best fit for one person isn't always the best fit for the next and only you can determine which program will best suit your professional and personal goals. Take into consideration time, money and opportunities for degree completion.

* Data not reported for fewer than 11 applicants after 2015

Reference: https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Admissions/Law-School-Regulation/Exam-Statistics