The first Concord University School of Law online class took place in October 1998 with 33 students. In February 2003, the first graduates achieved a 60-percent pass rate for the California Bar Exam, which beat the overall first-time percentage of 50.1. In the fall of 2007, the school merged with Kaplan University.
Kaplan University's Concord Law School offers two programs. The Juris Doctor program is a part-time program that lasts four years. It's grounded in the core bar courses. The Executive Juris Doctor program is a part-time, three-year program. The program teaches the law, but doesn't adhere to the strict guidelines of the State Bar of California.
While it's an online university, Concord Law School is registered as a Distance Learning Law School with the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California.
Graduates of Concord's Juris Doctor program who meet the regulatory requirements, such as passing the First Year Law Students Exam, are eligible to sit for the California Bar Examination. A graduate could be admitted to practice law in California if he passes the bar and meets the State Bar of California's other admissions requirements.
The total cost for Concord Juris Doctor four-year, part-time program is $38,400; $9,600 plus $100 application fee is the annual tuition beginning with the June 2009 term.
Concord's curriculum may not qualify a student to take the bar in another state. It also may not meet the admission requirements to practice law in states other than California. It also is not a member of the American Bar Association.