In this article, we will be looking at the 25 best online law degree programs heading into 2024. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to the 5 Best Online Law Degree Programs Heading Into 2024.
Legal Services Industry: An Overview
The legal services industry offers promising prospects for law students after graduation. According to a report by Grand View Research, the global legal services market was valued at almost $1 trillion in 2023. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.5% to reach 1.36 trillion by 2030.
Macroeconomic factors and technological advancement are rapidly changing the business landscape globally. Thriving businesses have to keep up with the legal obligations and regulatory criteria which has caused a surge in demand for legal services providers. The growing demand is expected to contribute to market growth during the forecast period. Furthermore, legal firms have started outsourcing nonrevenue-generating legal services including contract management and document review to Alternate Legal Service Providers (ALSPs). The outsourcing of nonrevenue-generating tasks is expected to fuel market growth during the forecast period.
ALSPs have started incorporating AI to expand their capabilities and make service delivery more efficient. AI-powered Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) products are becoming popular as well. The use of AI and machine learning is helping automate legal processes such as drafting and evaluating contracts.
In 2022, North America was the most dominant region in the legal services market. The region is expected to grow consistently during the forecast period. The use of technology in the delivery of legal services is expected to fuel the growth of the market. However, the Asia Pacific region is expected to be the fastest-growing region during the forecast period and grow at a CAGR of 7%. The implementation of extensive legal regulation in India and China will mainly contribute to the growth of the region.
Noteworthy Legal Services Companies
LegalZoom.com Inc (NASDAQ:LZ) is a pertinent company in the legal services industry. On November 1, the company announced the launch of its new business license product. The product by LegalZoom.com Inc (NASDAQ:LZ) is built on a proprietary nationwide database that enables small businesses to become compliant by connecting them with the relevant licenses and permits. The nationwide database has the latest information about required licenses, permits, and registrations at the federal, state, county, and local government levels for businesses to operate legally. The product is especially useful for small businesses, that require more than five licenses to operate legally, as it optimizes the entire process by making it shorter. The business license product is an addition to the previously delivered integrated suite of compliance offerings by LegalZoom.com Inc (NASDAQ:LZ).
Thomson Reuters Corp (NYSE:TRI) is a prominent name in the legal services industry. Thomson Reuters Corp (NYSE:TRI) provides legal solutions, technology, products, and services. On November 15, the companyannounced the launch of a generative AI tool for legal professionals. The generative AI tool is integrated into AI-Assisted Research on Westlaw Precision, a legal research platform by the company. Thomson Reuters Corp (NYSE:TRI) also announced that it is working to develop a legal AI assistant. The generative AI tool and legal AI assistant will help attorneys in research and increase the efficiency of workflow.
Clarivate Plc (NYSE:CLVT) is a notable name in the legal services industry. Clarivate Plc (NYSE:CLVT) provides legal services including patent paralegal support, case law search services, and filing and prosecution support services. On November 14, Clarivate Plc (NYSE:CLVT) reported earnings for the fiscal third quarter of 2023. The company reported an EPS of $0.21, beating estimates by $0.03. The company's revenue for the quarter grew by 1.76% and amounted to $647.2 million, ahead of market consensus by $15.79 million. Here are some comments from the company's earnings call:
"Adjusted EBITDA of $281 million and EPS of $0.21 were both up from last year and we continue to make progress towards our long-term EBITDA margin targets at 42%. Jonathan Collins will discuss this in more detail. Now, turning to our segments, beginning with Academia & Government, last quarter, you heard me discuss improved performance in A&G as our investments are helping drive new subscription business, account updates, and higher retention. This quarter, I’m happy to report we were able to build an implementation with organic revenue growth accelerating to 3%. This is our strongest growth quarter since last year’s second quarter. We believe this is confirmation that our strategy is paying off. In the quarter, growth was strong across content aggregation transactional sales which had historically been a strength for us, but we also recorded wins with three major universities for workflow solutions."
Legal knowledge applies to almost all domains of life. We have made a list of the best online law degree programs heading into 2024.
25 Best Online Law Degree Programs Heading Into 2024
25 Best Online Law Degree Programs Heading Into 2024
Our Methodology
To make our list of the best online law degree programs heading into 2024, we have used a consensus methodology. We consulted four sources including Intelligent.com, University HQ, Niche, and Study Match. We extracted programs that appeared in at least 2/4 of the sources. We made our selections by examining the average rankings for each program across our sources. To calculate the average ranks, we summed the individual ranks for each program across the sources it appeared in and divided it by the number of sources the program appeared in. The list has been arranged in descending order of the calculated average ranks.
25 Best Online Psychology Degree Programs Heading Into 2024
25. PennWest Global Online
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 35
PennWest Global Online offers various online law programs, including a Master's in Legal Studies and a Bachelor's in Legal Studies. The law degree programs are completely online and require no on-campus visits. The flexibility of the online degree programs facilitates students to pursue education at their own pace from anywhere around the world.
24. Northeastern State University
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 31
The Northeastern State University has one of the best online degree programs heading into 2024. The university offers several online courses including a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies. The degree program is accredited by the American Bar Association.
23. Mississippi College
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 23
The Mississippi College is located in Clinton, Mississippi. The Mississippi College School of Law offers many law degree programs including American Legal Studies. The university enables students to gain skills directly applicable to the practical world.
22. Hampton University
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 22
Hampton University has one of the best online law degree programs heading into 2024. The university offers a completely online Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies as well as a Certificate Program in Paralegal Studies.
21. Davenport University
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 21.5
Davenport has one of the best online law degree programs. The university offers many law degree programs including a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies and an Associate of Science in Legal Studies program. The degree program is accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).
20. Berkeley College
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 17
Berkeley College offers one of the best online law degree programs heading into 2024 including a BS in Legal Studies. The bachelor's degree is designed to provide a strong foundation in legal principles and practices.
19. American National University
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 15
The American National University is offering many online courses including a Paralegal Associate's Degree program. The degree program is accredited by the American Bar Association.
18. Bryan University Online
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 12
Bryan University Online is located in Tempe, Arizona. The university offers many online degree programs including an Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies and a BS in Paralegal Studies and Litigation Technologies. The curriculum helps students build skills applicable to the real world.
17. National American University
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 12
National American Universities offers many online courses including degrees in Paralegal Studies and Professional Legal Studies. The distance learning format facilitates students to learn at their own pace from the comfort of their homes.
16. Regent University
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 11.5
Regent University offers one of the best online law degree programs heading into 2024. The university offers many law-related degrees including the Juris Doctor (JD) and MA in Law. The offered degrees are accredited by the American Bar Association.
15. Dominican University
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 9.5
Dominican University is located in River Forest, Illinois. The university offers a law degree program accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. 120 credits are required for the completion of the program.
14. University of Illinois Springfield
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 8.5
The University of Illinois Springfield offers many online degree programs including a Bachelor and Master of Arts in Legal Studies program. The university has a vast network of alumni working as attorneys, government administrators, and legislative staff.
13. Penn State
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 8
Penn State is located in University Park, Pennsylvania. The university offers law degree programs accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. 123 credits are required for graduation.
12. University of Massachusetts Global
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 7
The University of Massachusetts Global has one of the best online law degree programs heading into 2024. The university offers a Bachelor's Degree in Legal Studies. The online learning format facilitates students to learn while managing their other commitments.
11. Arden University
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 6.5
Arden University offers a wide range of online degree programs including a LLB (Hons) Law. Virtual Law Firm by the university helps prepare students for real-world situations.
10. Purdue Global
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 6
Purdue Global has one of the best online law degree programs heading into 2024. The university offers a multitude of courses including a Juris Doctor program, a Master's in Legal Studies, and a Bachelor's in Legal Studies. The JD program requires 92 credits for completion.
9. National University
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 3.5
The National University is located in San Diego, California. The university offers a law degree program accredited by the WSCUC Senior College and University Commission. 180 credits are required for graduation.
8. American Public University System
Number of Mention: 2
Average Ranking Across Sources: 2.5
The American Public Univerity System offers a variety of online law courses including a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies, an Associate of Science in Legal Studies, and a Master of Arts in Legal Studies. The online format of delivery facilitates students through flexible scheduling.
7. SUNY College of Technology at Canton
Number of Mention: 3
Average Ranking Across Sources: 27
The SUNY College of Technology is located in Canton, New York. It offers a Middle States Commission on Higher Education accredited law degree program. 124 credits are required for graduation.
6. UMass Global
Number of Mention: 3
Average Ranking Across Sources: 24.3
UMass Global is located in Irvine, California. The university offers a law degree program accredited by WSCUC Senior College and University Commission. The university expects students to complete 120 credits for graduation.
