Online Law Courses and Programs

Edx offers a range of courses from the world’s top universities and professional organizations. All of our online courses follow a similar format with clearly defined learning outcomes, but they vary in their focus. In History of the Criminal Justice System, for example, students will focus on the development of criminal law. In Comparison of Criminal Justice Systems, students will learn about criminal justice throughout the world. While most Edx courses are offered through xConsortium, a collection of more than 80 leading global universities and institutions, a growing number of courses are being offered by professional organizations such as the Royal Society for Public Health and International Water Association.

Additionally, edX offers the option to pursue verified certificates in online courses. The certificate lists edX and the name of the university or institution offering the course and can be uploaded to your LinkedIn profile. It is proof for employers and others that you have successfully completed the course. Get started in with one the following courses or programs.

Get an in-depth understanding of international law in a 4-course MicroMasters program from Université Catholique de Louvain. With courses on investment law, humanitarian law and human rights law, this program will get you on a path to a career in international politics, international relations or a number of related fields.

The global economy is driven by innovation and at the heart of this are the laws and policies that govern intellectual property. In a 2-part online program from the University of Pennsylvania, explore intellectual property (IP) law in-depth with a look at patent, copyright and trademark law. Learn about things are eligible for patents and trademarks and view important legal cases surrounding the protection of intellectual property.

best online law courses

Before we visit the Free Online Law Courses Canada, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best legal (with a couple on basic corporate finance for those who practice in that area) online courses you can take now. All can be accessed for free but you might need to pay a fee (or apply for a scholarship) to access the certificate, in some cases:

1. A Law Student’s Toolkit (Yale University) – Coursera
2. American Contract Law I – Yale University – Coursera
3. Chemerinsky on Constitutional Law – Individual Rights and Liberties (Coursera)
4. Chemerinsky on Constitutional Law – Individual Rights and Liberties – University of California, Irvine – Coursera
5. Children’s Human Rights – An Interdisciplinary Introduction (Universite de Geneve) – Coursera
6. Comparative Judicial Systems – Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II – EdX
7. Computer Science for Lawyers – Harvard – EdX
8. Contract Law: From Trust to Promise to Contract – Harvard University – EdX
9. Data Ethics: Managing Your Private Customer Data – LinkedIn Learning
10. FinTech: Finance Industry Transformation and Regulation (4-Course series) – Hong Kong University of Science and Technology – Coursera
11. GDPR Compliance: Essential Training – LinkedIn Learning
12. Healthcare Law (Series of 4 courses) – University of Pennsylvania – Coursera
13. Intellectual Property (Series of 4 courses) – University of Pennsylvania – Coursera
14. Intellectual Property Law and Policy: Part 1 – University of Pennsylvania – EdX
15. Intellectual Property Rights: A Management Perspective – Indian Institute of Management Bangalore – EdX
16. International Climate Change Law and Policy – University of Newcastle, Australia – EdX
17. International Franchise Law: the World is Yours – The University of New South Wales – Futurelearn
18. International Human Rights Law – Université catholique de Louvain – EdX
19. International Humanitarian Law – Université catholique de Louvain – EdX
20. International Humanitarian Law in Theory and Practice – Universiteit Leiden – Coursera
21. International Investment Law – Université catholique de Louvain – EdX
22. International Law – Université catholique de Louvain – EdX
23. International Law in Action: A Guide to the International Courts and Tribunals in The Hague – Universiteit Leiden – Coursera
24. International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes
25. International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes – Universiteit Leiden – Coursera
26. International Law in Action: the Arbitration of International Disputes – Universiteit Leiden – Coursera
27. Internet Giants: The Law and Economics of Media Platforms – The University of Chicago – Coursera
28. Introduction to English Common Law – University of London
29. Introduction to Environmental Law and Policy – The University of North Carolina – Coursera
30. Introduction to GDPR: General Data Protection Regulation – University College, London – FutureLearn
31. Introduction to International Criminal Law (Cape Western Reserve University) – Coursera
32. Mergers and Acquisitions: Structuring the Deal – New York Institute of Finance – FutureLearn
33. Music Law: Recording, Management, Rights, and Performance Contracts – LinkedIn Learning
34. Principles of Health Law and Regulatory Issues – Doane University – EdX
35. Privacy Law and Data Protection – University of Pennsylvania – Coursera
36. Project Finance: Funding Projects Successfully – Delft University of Technology – EdX
37. Rethinking International Tax Law – Universiteit Leiden
38. The Sharia and Islamic Law: An Introduction – The University of Edinburgh – Futurelearn
39. DL-101 General Course on Intellectual Property – World Intellectual Property Organization
40. Introduction to Corporate Finance – Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania – Coursera

Free Online Law Courses Canada

You may not be able to earn an American Bar Association-accredited J.D. completely online, but there are many ways to accelerate a legal career through online courses and programs. Here are six options that include everything from LSAT prep to virtual career training.

1. Free and low-cost online courses: Websites such as edX, Coursera, Alison.com and Udemy offer free courses covering various legal fields, such as tax and employment law, or specific legal issues, such as bioethics and freedom of expression. Students may enroll in these online classes to gauge or fulfill their interest in different law specialties or develop a basic understanding of a topic for their current job.

EdX, for example, develops massive open online courses, or MOOCs, with higher education institutions that students can audit for free; these range from International Human Rights Law with the University Catholique of Louvain in Belgium to Intellectual Property Law and Policy with the University of Pennsylvania. On edX and Coursera, students may also pay around $30 to $150 for certificates of completion, with courses having either specific start dates or being completely self-paced.

2. LSAT prep online: Those prepping for the LSAT can also do so online. The website 7Sage, for instance, offers a program costing $179 for three months of access that includes more than 50 hours of lesson videos, printable practice exams and analytics to help law students determine where to focus their efforts.

Other options with varying costs are available from the Princeton Review, Kaplan Test Prep, Velocity Test Prep and Magoosh Online.

3. Online certificate programs and career training: A certificate – either for credit or not – may provide opportunities to learn about a specific field of law, but it won’t allow a student to become a practicing attorney. USC Online at the University of Southern California offers a for-credit graduate certificate in business law, consisting of five courses in as few as two semesters and costing more than $29,000, including fees.

Other online certificates are geared toward those who want a specific job like legal secretary or paralegal. The Center for Legal Studies partners with nearly 200 accredited U.S. colleges and universities to offer virtual career training for those positions and others, along with classes on topics including intellectual property law for engineers and alternative dispute resolutions. It also offers online LSAT and other exam preparation courses.

Most of the center’s online courses cost between $645 and $729, not including textbooks, though the 14-week-long online paralegal certificate is $1,289. Duke University and the for-profit Ashworth College offer similar paralegal certificates online.

“A degree, in a general sense, shows [employers] that you’ve completed your general education; yes, you took some classes in this and that. But a certificate specifically says you’re trained,” says Stephanie Elio, director of business development at the Center for Legal Studies.

4. Online law degrees: Currently, the American Bar Association doesn’t accredit any fully online J.D. programs. But there are a few options to earn a J.D. in the blended, or partially online, format. One example: the Mitchell Hamline School of Law, where students complete self-paced and live online courses for 11 to 12 weeks each semester. Students visit campus 10 times throughout the program to attend skills-based classes and meet professors and classmates.

Like Mitchell Hamline, the Syracuse University College of Law was recently approved for an ABA variance allowing its J.D. program to combine live and self-paced online classes with in-person sessions on the school’s campus or satellite locations, says Nina Kohn, associate dean for research and online education at the school. It is expected to launch in January 2019.

Online bachelor’s and master’s degrees in legal studies – typically designed to provide an overview of law for those working in other career fields – as well as Master of Laws, or LL.M., degrees, exist online. An LL.M. can be a good choice for foreign lawyers who want insight into the U.S. legal system, experts say.

Tiffany Ahern, an online student in the law school at Washington University at St. Louis who is pursuing a Master of Legal Studies, says the program offers insight into a field that’s applicable to her career largely in government and politics. “This is a great way to learn about the law and get a master’s in something I’m already passionate about without having to actually be on campus,” says the Dublin, Ireland-based consultant.[ 

5. Bar exam prep: Law school graduates may also sign up for online courses to prepare for the bar exam, which tests whether they qualify to practice law in a given state or jurisdiction.

Ali Nininger-Finch, a 2017 law school graduate from CUNY, enrolled in Kaplan Test Prep’s live, online program, which costs about $2,500. She viewed live-streamed lectures and completed practice exam and essay questions online.

“I was in New York, and I was studying for the North Carolina bar. So there wasn’t really an option for me to go to an in-person class,” she says.

6. Continuing legal education credit courses: In many states, attorneys must complete coursework to maintain their licenses to practice law in the U.S. This may take the form of face-to-face events and conferences, self-study activities, webinars or online classes.

Specific state requirements vary; Texas requires at least 15 credit hours per year, three of which must focus on legal ethics and professional responsibility. Students have many options to complete CLE requirements online, including through state bar websites and others such as CLEonline.com, the National Law Foundation, the National Academy of Continuing Legal Education, Lawline and Lexvid.

Laura Waller, president of CLEonline.com, which offers online classes that typically cost $25 an hour, says students should check with their respective state bar association about whether online coursework is accepted.

free family law courses online

The descriptions here are for some of the popular family law courses offered online.

• Family Law Course: This class explores the documentation and laws regarding divorce, custodial rights, guardianship, violence in families, settlements and child support. Specific topics may include the right to die, surrogate parenting, abortion, adoption, alternative marriages and fetal tissue transfer.
• Juvenile Law Course: This online course provides paralegal students with a look at juvenile delinquency and the law as it regards children, since paralegals must understand the proceedings of family court, foster care, probation officer duties and obtaining evidence. Students may research abuse and protection laws and how the 14th amendment protects children.
• Civil Litigation Course: Paralegal students use this online course to learn the ins and outs of civil court hearings. They learn the role of paralegals in court proceedings, such as how to conduct client interviews, obtain evidence and visit the home. Students also learn to draft motion papers and fill out pleadings.
• Wills and Estates Course: This course can be taken at any point in a paralegal program due to its introductory nature. Students use this course to learn the basics of estates, probates, wills and life insurance, gaining an understanding of the chain of succession and estate planning tools.
• Women and Law Course: This online course covers topics that confront women, such as reproductive rights, sexual harassment, domestic violence and sexual discrimination. For a family-law perspective, alternative marriages, divorce rights, custodial rights and women as surrogate mothers may also be discussed.
• Child Welfare and Policy Course: This online course discusses government policy regarding child welfare including mandatory reporting, best interests of the child, and the laws covering state intervention into families based on reports of abuse or neglect. This course also covers permanency planning and termination of parental rights.
• Family Law and Justice Course: This course focuses on the treatment of the family within the criminal justice system. The curriculum covers the rights and protections of family members, as well as legal cases related to divorce, custody, spousal abuse and child abuse.
• Child Custody Course: This interdisciplinary course focuses specifically on child custody laws. Students learn about the psychological effects of divorce on children, as well as mediation and litigation procedures that are used in legal custody cases.

Program Information

When studied online, family law is usually part of a paralegal certificate program; advanced or specialist paralegal certificate programs may focus specifically on family law. Online courses that may be useful to paralegals working with families include juvenile law, trusts and probates, civil court proceedings and women’s laws. The topic of family law may also be covered within broader bachelor’s degree programs in criminal justice. A few schools also offer standalone courses in topics related to family law that confer continuing education credits.

Some law schools offer online family law courses for law students, though it’s important to note that no fully online Juris Doctor programs are currently approved by the American Bar Association. There are a very small number of programs that offer a partially-online degree, though these are intended for future law practitioners rather than legal assistants or paralegals.

Online courses related to family law are available for individuals who are interested in pursuing a variety of legal careers. There are broad overview courses, as well as those that focus specifically on the implementation of family law in relation to certain populations.

criminal law courses online free

What is Criminal Law?

Criminal law is the system of rules or laws enacted to protect a society against the unlawful actions of individuals. The laws define the actions that constitute a violation as well as the associated punishment.

Online Criminal Law Courses and Programs

Get an introduction to American criminal law with online courses from major universities and institutions worldwide. edX offers criminal justice programs designed to help you learn about criminal law in an engaging and effective online learning environment complete with video tutorials, quizzes and more. You will learn about law enforcement, homeland security, social science, criminal behavior, private security, juvenile justice, public safety, criminal investigations, crime scene investigation, emergency management, human rights, federal law, and more with cases in the United States and around the world. Taking criminal justice courses using online programs and online classes can help you master law enforcement training completely.

Additionally, edX offers the option to pursue verified certificates. The certificate lists edX and the name of the university or institution offering the course and can be uploaded to your LinkedIn profile. It is proof for employers and others that you have successfully completed the course. Get started in with one the following courses or programs.

International Criminal Law is an introductory course from Peking University taught in Chinese that looks at general principles of criminal law as well as specific international crimes such as war crimes and crimes against humanity. Learn the basics of modern international criminal law by studying legal systems in China, the U.S., Germany, Britain and other countries.

The Psychology of Criminal Justice from The University of Queensland takes a look at the forensic psychology of law to understand the effectiveness of law and the criminal justice system. By walking through a fictional white collar crime criminal case, including the crime scene, investigation and trial, this course explores concepts of criminal profiling, eyewitness memory distortion, biases, suspect questioning and interrogation, the reliability of expert witnesses and much more.

Explore these and other free online criminal law courses. Many courses are self-paced so you can enroll and start learning today.

best free online law courses

Law has a reputation for being difficult and arcane, with lots of Latin phrases that most people can’t understand. There is also a misconception that studying law means you can only be a lawyer, paralegal, advocate, solicitor, barrister or a judge. In fact, a knowledge of law is often the basis for a successful career in journalism, policing, politics, policymaking and even media. If you invent something, you need to know about filing a patent so no-one else can use your idea. If you create a song or screenplay, you need to understand copyrighting your work so you can retain the rights to it and get paid. 

Law comes into so many aspects of our professional and personal lives: bankers, real estate agents and insurers all need a solid knowledge of their field’s particular regulations. We offer free courses in some of the most common areas of law like trademarks, intellectual property (IP) and maritime regulations. These free courses are useful if you need to study a specific aspect of filling a patent or see what being a legal secretary entails. A legal certification will also stand you in good stead with employers as legal training implies you are grounded in logic, ethics, discipline, attention to detail, fairness, honesty and justice. Getting your optional law certification is as easy as registering, enrolling and completing a course.

A list of the best free online law courses is shown below:

• Fundamentals Of Business Law (Revised)
• Introduction to Contracts in Law (Revised)
• Employer-Employee Law (Revised)
• Introduction to International Criminal Law
• Corporate & Commercial Law I: Contracts & Employment Law
• Contract Law
• International Law
• Legal Studies -The Adversary Trial System (Revised)
• Direct Tax- Laws and Practice
• Intellectual Property Law and Policy
• Civil Liberties
• International Humanitarian Law
• High Conflict in Law
• Media Law
• Patent Law

Fundamentals Of Business Law (Revised)

This online course provides you with an insight into the principles of setting up a business with a guide to every step you may encounter. This course will be most beneficial to business moguls who wish to widen their horizons. Also, it runs for a duration of 1-2 hours daily.

It is absolutely free to enroll, study and complete! Below is a link through which you can achieve that dream course of yours with a click.

Introduction to Contracts in Law (Revised)

This free online introductory course on contracts in law will teach you about the most important elements that a contract consists of. The course also reviews structures in which agreements entered into by parties with the intention of creating a legal obligation can be split if one or more of the parties involved do not fulfill their part.

You will also learn what you have to do to ensure best contract solutions. This also runs for 1-2 hours. The online certification will be awarded you by the time you’re through with this course.

Legal Studies -The Adversary Trial System (Revised)

This will teach you about the pros and cons of the court and trial system, avails you the time to take a survey around the different civil procedures with application to real-life cases.

This free online course runs for a period of 2-3 hours. I wonder why you shouldn’t give this a try.

Direct Tax- Laws and Practice

In studying this free online course, you will be armed with the knowledge of computation of income tax, you will be proficient in the various tax planning avenues and management. You will also be aware on the compliance of tax laws.

This too takes a longer period to complete but, I bet you that the knowledge is a wholesome package. Trust me!

You may wish to join now as the class is in progress.

Employer-Employee Law (Revised)

This free online employee law course focuses on the law of agency. The law of agency is a very important idea in commercial law as it deals with contractual, quasi-contractual, and non-contractual relationships.

With this course, you will learn that the law of agency involves a person, called the agent, who can act on behalf of another person, called the principal, to form a legal relationship with third parties.

Intellectual Property Law and Policy

Here in this online law course, you will explore the modern realities and discourse of copyright and trademark laws, and then consider options to intellectual property and the future of this interesting area of the law.

The center of this set is to learn some of the fundamental legal cases in each area, while also considering the policy implications of the law as it stands.

It needs you to devote about 2-3 hours of your time weekly and runs for about 7 weeks.

Introduction to International Criminal Law

This free online course will educate you on the fundamentals of international criminal law and policy. With the in-depth exploration of the forms of international crimes such as genocide, war crimes, terrorism, and piracy.

Here, you will examine the unique modes of international criminal liability and specialized defences and search into the challenges of obtaining custody of the accused and maintaining control of the courtroom.

However, this course needs you to invest an effort of 3-4 hours a week and runs for 8 weeks. Interestingly, it will start on the 13th of April 2021. So, do well to secure your space by clicking on the link below.

Civil Liberties

In this course, you will search this tradition from its beginning with the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Federalist Papers, through a number of notable historical and modern cases in which claims to rights and freedoms have been at stake.

Also, you will learn deeply about issues of servitude, segregation, campaign finance, free speech, religion, affirmative action, and marriage.

A dedication of your weekly 2-5 is needed and runs for about 7 weeks.

Corporate & Commercial Law I: Contracts & Employment Law

This free online law class imbibes you with the knowledge on business law topics such as Agency, Contracts, Debtor-Creditor Relationships, Government Regulation of Business, and Business Organizations.

You will also gain an understanding of how these areas of the law affect businesses and their operations at the end of your class.

International Humanitarian Law

If you wish to specialize in International Humanitarian Law, this is about the right course for you to undertake.

The duration is 12 weeks and works according to your timing. All the information you need to get started is handy through the link below.

Contract Law

Knowing that we are exposed to contract in virtually all areas of our lives, the big question here is, what happens when one party does not hold to their part of the deal?

This free online law course that is not just restricted to lawyers have all the answers that you seek in answering that question. Follow the link below to enrol, study and complete this very spectacular course.

High Conflict in Law

This course seeks to hone your skills on how to resolve conflicts. You will be led in on some high-conflict behaviours and provided some of the strategies to handle them. This could either be in a legal or business setting.

Do you want to know how you can devote your time to acquiring this very expensive knowledge for so much less? Click on the link below. Fortunately for you, this class will be starting on the 27th of May 2021.

International Law

This aspect of law can be considered as the law of the international community, the law that dictates relationships between States. Nonetheless, it also relates to what international organizations practice and, increasingly, it concerns individuals, corporations, and NGO’s.

This has since become an interesting field to venture in ever since the complexity of the world called for more laws. This online course can be fine-tuned to your schedule.

Media Law

This free online law course deeply explores the theoretical and practical aspects of media-communications guides and control. It is expedient that professionals acquire the knowledge of media law.  

You to can be a professional in this field.

Patent Law

Patent law is the branch of intellectual property law that deals with new inventions.

So, the rate at which business thrives is solely dependent on the creation and enforcement of patent rights. With record numbers of patents being issued every year, the stakes for inventors (and, indeed, their lawyers) continue to rise, even as the patent law and its administration face growing criticism.