The biggest difference between accredited and non-accredited programs is that degrees from non-accredited law schools are not recognized by the American Bar Association and Association of American Law Schools. Standards set by these two organizations are often seen as the quality-control measure of graduates, as typically the quality of legal education found at non-accredited institutions is viewed as poorer in comparison.
The primary disadvantage of obtaining a law degree from an unaccredited program is that graduates of non-accredited programs typically need to practice law in one state, because their degree will be state-accredited instead of accredited by a professional organization. Non-accredited graduates can elect to take the bar exam to become lawyers who are recognized by the American Bar Association, but due to the curriculum of non-accredited programs, they will not have received the same preparatory courses that accredited graduates would have.
There are only seven states and one territory in the U.S. that allow for the operation of non-accredited law schools. Law schools outside of these states are all accredited by the American Bar Association. The eight states that allow non-ABA graduation are Nevada, California, Tennessee, Michigan, Massachusetts, Alabama, Connecticut, and Puerto Rico.
The key advantage of non-accredited law programs is that they can be taken through distance-learning courses. For students who work full-time or can't afford the tuition of an on-campus law program, an online non-accredited law degree may be a good alternative option. Distance learning is appealing to students who operate under time constraints and need the flexibility to learn on their own.