.Similar to medicine, law is a highly regulated field in which you cannot legally practice your profession until you pass exams and a rigorous process to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of ethics. Given that the option to practice without law school is only available in 5 states, you should only pursue self-study and apprenticeship if you are sure you would want to live in one of these areas - and you are willing to go through the training and process that receiving the degree would require.