by Vicki Salemi

Mitch Watley always had two dreams: to fly airplanes and practice law. Eventually, with online education, he was able to realize them both.

After graduating from Colorado School of Mines (Golden, Colo.) as a petroleum engineer and following in his father’s footsteps in a major gas and oil company, Mitch decided to pursue his first dream: flying.

As a pilot for the Air National Guard in the early 1980s, Mitch learned to fly F15 Eagle jet aircraft, which jet-setted his career with American Airlines, where he’s been employed for the past 21 years. Since pilots are limited in the number of days they can work each month (about 12-16), Mitch spent a good deal of time at home.

In light of the tragic events of 9/11, uncertainty about the future of the airline industry, and a fast-approaching retirement, Mitch decided it was time to fulfill his second lifelong dream: to enroll in law school.

“My desire to become a lawyer was brewing longer than my desire to be an engineer,” he explains. Even as a junior high school student, Mitch was fascinated by the Constitution. “I really enjoyed social studies, and I have a tremendous admiration for our forefathers during the Revolutionary War.”

To lay the foundation for his new career, Mitch enrolled in a juris doctoral (J.D.) program at a law school near his home in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

But between the three-hour round-trip commute four nights a week and the disappointment with his professors and classes, he says, “I wasn’t getting a big bang for my buck. I decided to take a little risk with the Texas Bar issue and give Concord a try.”

Risky business
The issue Mitch is referring to, according to Barry Currier, president and dean of Concord Law School, an online institution, is that neither the American Bar Association (ABA) nor the California Bar accredit online J.D. programs.

However, students at institutions that have not been accredited by the ABA may pursue the California Bar by first passing the California Baby Bar, a one-day exam administered after the first year of law school. Upon graduation, students are eligible to sit for the California Bar and gain admission to practice in California.

At that point, graduates may be able to use their Concord J.D. and admission to practice in California to gain the opportunity to sit for the bar and be admitted to practice other states. That’s not a given, though.

“These matters are under the control of each state, and we want to make sure students have a realistic sense of their opportunities and options before they enroll at Concord,” counsels Currier.

The online difference
Though Mitch was aware of the stringent bar requirements, he quickly became engrossed in his online classes.

“The quality of my education was so much better than at the other school,” says the Texas resident. Plus, he no longer had to endure a long commute. “Since I had my laptop on the road, I could attend class anywhere in the world.”

Impressed by the quality of each other’s contributions to the program, Mitch and his classmates quickly developed a strong bond. “At a regular law school, there are typically 75 people in a classroom,” he explains. “Professors enforce the Socratic method — whenever you speak, you stand up and give your name — but you don’t really know each other. It’s different online because you don’t physically see classmates.”

The bar: lessons in discipline
After attending Concord for four years, in which he “studied every waking moment,” Mitch passed the California Bar last winter on his first try. “It was the most intense three-day exam of my life,” he attests.

Whether students sit for the bar following an online program or a brick-and-mortar one, the exam always presents a challenge.

“You need to study for three consecutive months,” claims Mychal Wilson, a graduate of Southwestern University School of Law (Los Angeles, Cali.) and a partner in MindFusion Law Corporation, a full-service representation entertainment law firm. “Your family and friends will be there in the end, but you have to concentrate on passing.”

As for advice to future attorneys, Mychal offers, “Law school is supposed to prepare you to pass the bar. There are three steps to a law career — going to law school, passing the bar, and practicing law.”

Mitch is well on his way to the third step. Currently enrolled in additional patent law classes at Concord, he intends to practice in federal court in Texas with his California license, representing clients of the patent process, including trademarks.

Above all, Mitch says, “At Concord you have everything you need to get an excellent legal education. The only thing left for the student is to take advantage of it.”

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