The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, ranked 15th among the nation’s top public law schools ahead of the University of California, Irvine, University of Washington and University of Colorado, announced today a new, mission-based, part-time and fully online modality to earning its juris doctor degree. This makes ASU Law the highest-ranked law school to offer its JD part-time and fully online.
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The American Bar Association, as the law school’s accrediting body, posted approval on March 3. Designed to address critical legal shortages in underserved and rural communities and promote careers in public service, the JD, part-time online, will begin accepting applications in June and will welcome its first cohort in January 2026.
ASU’s recent Gold rating in the inaugural Times Higher Education Online Learning Ranking 2024 underscores its leadership in digital education and innovation. As one of only 11 universities globally to receive the highest distinction, ASU is recognized for its excellence in student engagement, faculty expertise and cutting-edge digital infrastructure. ASU Law’s fully online JD will mirror the academic rigor and engaging experience with the same faculty of the on-campus JD, reflecting the excellence that earned ASU the Gold rating.
“We’re taking what we’ve mastered the last 15 years at ASU as a university, and that is finding a way to project the highest levels of teaching and learning. We have online electrical engineering degrees, online biochemistry degrees, online philosophy degrees and online astronomy degrees. This is just a furtherance of that at the highest level by leveraging our law school and faculty,” said Arizona State University President Michael Crow. “ASU is committed to the success of our communities — their social success, their economic success, their health and wellbeing. We need to further prepare individuals to help enable communities to achieve that success. Legal progress, legal protections, legal advancement and legal understanding is all a part of that.”
According to the ABA, 1,300 counties in the United States are legal deserts, meaning they have less than one attorney per 1,000 residents or no attorneys. In Arizona, 92% of lawyers are concentrated in urban areas, leaving the remaining 8% to serve vast rural regions. This model is designed to directly address that disparity by intentionally recruiting individuals deeply embedded in and committed to their communities.
Students will embody a deep commitment to public service, with many pursuing impactful careers as judges, city and county attorneys, public defenders and nonprofit counsel. Whether currently serving in rural legal deserts or addressing critical legal needs in urban centers, these individuals will be united by their dedication to bridging gaps in access to justice and making a meaningful difference in their communities.
“Our goal is to equip these community members with the tools and knowledge to provide essential legal services where they are needed most. By empowering these individuals to serve their neighbors and advocate for justice within their own communities, we aim to create a sustainable solution to the shortage of legal support in rural communities nationwide, ensuring that access to justice is no longer determined by geography,” said Stacy Leeds, the Willard H. Pedrick Dean and Regents and Foundation Professor of Law.
ASU Law’s JD, part-time and online, honors the legacy of the college’s namesake, the late Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who dedicated her career to serving in all three branches of government. It embodies ASU’s charter focused on inclusion, innovation and taking fundamental responsibility for the communities we serve. Recognizing the urgent need for lawyers in legal deserts — rural and underserved areas where access to justice is limited — the JD was designed to break down barriers to legal education. By offering a flexible, high-quality law degree, ASU Law empowers individuals to pursue legal careers while addressing critical gaps in representation. ASU Law’s JD advances ASU’s mission to create opportunities that drive meaningful change and improve the economic, social and cultural health of underserved communities.
