I think you are referring to the fact that in some states, notably California, you need not graduate from an ABA accredited law school to practice law. But you must still pass the bar exam to practice.
I am aware of that. I know they even have distance learning law schools. And that California has a Baby-Bar exam for such students.
I meant law programs/degrees that do not follow ABA diktat and so do not allow for the taking of the Bar Exam. I know only what I've read of this and what I've read is that people graduating with such degrees might work in the background doing research or other scut work. And that may be entirely wrong but I don't know.