As recently as the early 20th century it was possible to be admitted to the bar in the U.S. without having gone to law school. Lawyers could "read law" with a practicing attorney, as a sort of apprentice, to learn the profession. There were "bar exams" of varying rigor in different colonies/states at different times.

In the 1950s there were still US Supreme Court justices (Robert Jackson, Stanley Reed) who had never graduated from law school. Senator Sam Ervin, of Watergate Committee fame, also became a lawyer without having a degree, although later he did attend Harvard Law School.