The J.D. degree is a rigorous course of study aimed at preparing students for a career as an attorney.
“For most people in the United States, the Juris Doctor is going to be the degree that they’re going to want to be able to practice in the United States,” says Rebecca Ray, assistant dean of admissions and financial aid for the University of Illinois School of Law’s J.D. program.
Ray notes that there are other pathways to becoming a practicing attorney, such as completing an apprenticeship and successfully taking the bar exam in some states or completing an international master of laws, or LL.M., degree. But for the vast majority of American lawyers-to-be, a J.D. is the best route.
Whether you’re considering applying to law school or preparing to start a J.D. program, here are some things to know about the degree.
What to Expect From a J.D. Program
Law school experts note that J.D. program coursework tends to be similar across different programs and institutions. Most J.D. programs include courses on the following topics:
J.D. programs typically take three years to complete for full-time students. Experts say that the first year generally consists of the fundamental and mandatory coursework described above, while students have a bit more flexibility in the second and third years.
“So if a student finds that they love their first-year criminal law course, they can choose their courses in their second or third year to kind of set them up for a criminal law practice,” Ray says.
The American Bar Association, which is responsible for accrediting law schools nationwide, also mandates J.D. programs to include courses in legal writing, professional responsibility and experiential learning.
Earning a J.D. doesn’t make someone a lawyer, but it is the first step in the process to begin practicing as one. Graduates of J.D. programs can sit for the bar examination in their state – upon passing the exam, they can then practice law.
While the J.D. is meant to prepare students for a career as an attorney, not all J.D. recipients end up practicing law after graduation. Without passing the bar, individuals with a J.D. can’t represent clients but can use their legal knowledge in other fields, like entrepreneurship or nonprofit work, notes Cathy Alexander, assistant dean for admissions at Pace University’s School of Law in New York.
“If you look at the roster of corporate executives, you’ll find a lot of them have a law degree or law background,” adds James Hackney, dean of the School of Law at Northeastern University in Massachusetts. “It’s obviously a requirement for being a lawyer, but I think it’s also a valuable degree for a whole host of leadership positions.”
Experts agree that writing is an especially important skill for students hoping to enroll in a J.D. program. Hackney says J.D. programs tend to involve a significant amount of writing and analytical thinking. Alexander adds that having a strong foundation in writing and research skills bodes quite well for incoming law students.
“While no particular majors are required” for admission to law school, Ray says, “being able to communicate well in writing is really important.”
How Does a J.D. Differ From Other Degrees Offered at Law Schools?
While law schools commonly offer other degrees, such as the LL.M. or the master of studies in law, also known as an M.S.L., they are not meant to be an entry point to practice law. The J.D. degree is the main route to becoming a lawyer.
According to Alexander, the M.S.L. degree is meant for nonlawyers who want to gain a better understanding of the law and legal practices. This program is a shorter and more cost-effective way for people who don’t plan on practicing law to gain a deeper understanding of the legal process, she says.
An LL.M. gives students an opportunity to study certain areas of the law more closely, Ray says, and can also be a pathway for lawyers from another country to become a practicing lawyer in the U.S. Students entering an LL.M. program have already completed legal studies, either earning a J.D. or studying law in another country. Certain LL.M. programs may qualify foreign lawyers to sit for the bar, getting them up to speed on legal practices stateside.
How Difficult Is Earning a J.D.?
The volume of reading is a particularly difficult adjustment for students who are starting out in their J.D. program, Alexander says. Throughout law school, she says, students have to read legal cases that feature vocabulary that they have not been exposed to elsewhere.
“The vocabulary within the cases can seem like a foreign language,” she says, noting that students will likely have to look up a lot of the terminology. But as time goes by, she notes, students tend to get into the swing of things and are better able to scan through dense legal texts – a skill that will ultimately serve them well when they go on to practice law.
Hackney advises incoming and current law students alike to communicate as much as possible with their professors. “They’re there to help you understand the material,” he says.
He adds that law schools offer all sorts of resources to help students succeed, from formal academic success programs to informal study groups with peers. Students just need to be proactive about using the resources, he says.
