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the Legal Field
Explore Top Online MLS ProgramsExplore Top Online MLS ProgramsExplore Top Online MLS Programs
With a Master of Legal Studies (MLS), you can become a trusted legal expert who advances in the field as a non-lawyer.
The featured programs below are all nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report.1 Each program combines live online classes with self-paced coursework that can be completed on part-time or full-time tracks. These programs’ renowned curricula and interactive approach to online learning have placed them at the top of our list.
FEATURED PROGRAMS ARE RECOGNIZED BY THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION (ABA).
NO TEST SCORES ARE REQUIRED TO APPLY.
These programs are operated by 2U
Pepperdine Caruso School of Law’s online MLS program enables you to develop superior legal expertise and credentials to advance within your chosen field.
- Completion time: as few as 12 months
- National rankings: #2 in dispute resolution programs2
- Concentrations: dispute resolution, human resources and litigation
- Program highlight: Master of Dispute Resolution dual degree opportunity available
- Test scores not required
Scholarships available for the upcoming cohort.
#2
IN DISPUTE RESOLUTION
SPONSORED
Become a credible and dynamic legal expert with the online MLS from American University’s Washington College of Law.
- Completion time: as few as 15 months
- National rankings: #9 in international law,3 #8 in intellectual property law and #15 in health law
- Specializations: general MLS, business, health care compliance, technology and cybersecurity
- Program highlight: multidisciplinary curriculum features courses from American’s Washington College of Law, Kogod School of Business and School of International Service
- Test scores not required
#9
IN INTERNATIONAL LAW
SPONSORED
Fordham Law School’s online Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.) in Corporate Compliance will prepare you to protect your organization amid changing regulations. Choose from four tracks to complete industry-specific coursework.
- Completion time: as few as 12 months
- National rankings: top-30 law school
- Concentrations: financial services, health care, human resources, general
- Program highlight: courses are delivered via live online sessions, offered at a variety of times in the morning and evening
- Test scores not required
Top 30
LAW SCHOOL
SPONSORED
Rise With a Growing Field
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects that employment for non-lawyers in the legal field will grow at a rate faster than average in the coming years. Law firms and companies across sectors are expected to hire more paralegals and legal assistants to increase efficiency, and today’s increasingly complex challenges require dedicated assistance and expertise.4
- 2024 Best Law Schools (2024). U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved September 2024. ↩︎
- Best Dispute Resolution Law Programs (2024). U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved September 2024. ↩︎
- American University (Washington) Law School Overview (2024). U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved August 2024. ↩︎
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants: Job Outlook (2023-33). Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved September 2024. ↩︎
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants: Summary (2023). Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved September 2024. ↩︎
- Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators: Summary (2023). Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved September 2024. ↩︎