I have always been a fan of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. And as a child, I wanted to go to the American Samoa Law School. However, not long after, my bubble burst and I realized it was all fiction.

And I know that I am not the only one. Of course, if you have not looked it uo online like I did, you too probably were of the idea that there really exists a law school called ASLS.

But that is not the topic of discussion today. Rather, I want to talk about what I thought after realizing that the school was not real. I want to talk about what I think about the representation of law school in movies.

Additionally, I will also discuss the idea of distant or correspondence education in law and name a few institutions (the real ones) where you can get a similar feeling.

So, if that is what you want to know, you have come to the right place. Therefore, keep on reading this blog till the end and thank me later!

Is American Samoa Law School Real?

In case I did not make it clear above, the answer is a NO.

Unfortunately, the American Samoa Law School is not real. Rather, this is a fictional law school that became popular after television shows like Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad.

However, while it is true that there is no such institution as the American Samoa Law School in reality, it did influence the way we think about law school.

In Better Call Saul, the creators chose this fictional law school to portray all the factors that you should consider when choosing a law school.

These include the comprehensive programs and the practice learning among many. And yes, needless to say, we all loved the way the ASLS had the BEST faculty in the world.

And there is absolutely no wonder why people have been searching for the American Samoa Law School t-shirts and other merch on several ecommerce platforms.

However, if there is one thing that I realized after watching the series, it was how unimportant the entire scope of legal education was. What mattered was the fact that anyone could be a law student— even a conman like Goodman.

But is that really the case? Is becoming a lawyer that easy? What if you are working two jobs at the same time and still want to become a lawyer? Can you do that?

American Samoa Law School: The Idea of a Correspondence Law School

Well, if you watch the show carefully, when Jimmy mentions that he passed the bar and got into the University of American Samoa, Chuck reads the letter and mentions “correspondence school.” And as we all know, this means distance learning.

Additionally, he mentions that he chose this because he really wanted to go to a law school without having to “quit work.” Apart from that, he also mentioned that the school was accredited.

What to Keep in Mind?

Now here’s what I want you to focus on. There were a few things that even someone like Jimmy wanted to ensure before he decided to go to law school. And these were:

• The law school had to be accredited.
• It MUST provide flexibility in the form of distance learning. So that he could still earn money.
• He needed to pass the bar (which he called “the mother” since he failed it twice.)

If you are someone who wants to pursue their career in the legal field, but do not want to take a big leap in terms of finance, these are also some of the things that should be on your list.

But is correspondence education in law valid? It might surprise you, but turns out that yes. In some parts of the world, it is valid.

Is It Valid?

In the United States, California is the only state that offers you the chance and freedom to practice law even through correspondence. These law schools are becoming more and more popular and there’s reason for that.

You see, unlike traditional law schools, correspondence law schools offer a quicker and cheaper way of getting that degree. However, there are certain challenges with the same.

While it is true that these schools are increasing in numbers, there are many such schools which the American Bar Association (ABA) does not approve. And in case you did not know, this is the body that sets the standards for legal education in the United States.

In other words, even if you become a law graduate from such schools, you might not be able to get your license if the school is not registered under the state bar.

So, while we saw Jimmy become a lawyer in Better Call Saul, through distance education, it made us more and more curious about the alternative paths to becoming a lawyer in real life.

American Samoa Law School Alternatives in Real Life

Even if the American Samoa Law School is fictional, there are certain institutions that can make you feel like you’re in ASLS. These colleges and law schools located in California allow you to enroll for distance education and get your law degree.

Here are some of them that you should know about:

All of these have ABA accreditation, just in case you were curious. Therefore, you can be assured to get your practice license after graduating from these law schools.

Your Legal Guide: The Truth About American Samoa Law School

In conclusion, the American Samoa Law School is a fictional institution that does not really exist in real life. However, the two television series in the Breaking Bad franchise made it popular.

We started seeing it as the ideal law school that exists. For most of us, it became the institution which made law easy and accessible. For us, it was the idea that anyone can become a lawyer.

However, even though Jimmy (who later became popular as Saul Goodman) passed the bar and chose to take admission into the ASLS, I cannot help but realize one thing.

Just like his early life, where he was a conman, he chose to go the easier way. He ditched the traditional law school and thus probably never became a “lawyer” in the strictest sense of the term.

Read Also:

• Skills To Become A Successful Lawyer
• A Quick Look Into The Types Of Lawyers And Salaries
• Everything You Need To Know About Law Apprenticeships In US