The three types of law degrees, explained

Professional legal practice holds incredible prestige, but the thought of devoting years to study can be daunting. For inquiring minds raring to set misbehaving citizens right, however, here are the three types of law degrees, explained.  

Juris Doctor

 A Juris Doctor or J.D. program takes three years to complete, taking even longer when combined with a master’s degree program concerning specific areas of business, law, or public policy.

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While the first year covers basics like civil procedure and criminal law, the following years allow students to direct their education with electives such as federal litigation or patents. J.D. holders then have to pass the bar exam and gain licensure to be able to practice in their chosen state.  

Master of Laws

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An LL. M. or Master of Laws degree is a second-level professional law degree. Usually, states require that international lawyers with degree obtained outside the U.S., who wish to practice American law, obtain an LLM degree. Requirements and eligibility to sit for a US State Bar Exam vary from state to state.

LL. M. holders such as Southern Methodist University alumna Martha Pacheco Machado De Araujo usually complete the program after a year of full-time coursework, which students direct via electives like bankruptcy or intellectual property. American lawyers may obtain an LL. M. for further specialization or to prepare for an S.J.D.  

 

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Doctor of Juridical Science

Exclusive to LL. M. or J.D. holders, the three-year, research-intensive Doctor of Juridical Science or S.J.D. program prepares students for law professorship, writing papers, and teaching classes in the academe. Most of this program is spent completing and defending the S.J.D. aspirant’s dissertation, an effort that begins during the S.J.D. application process.  

Martha Pacheco Machado De Araujo holds an LL. M. in Comparative and International Law from Dallas’ Southwestern Methodist University, and a J.D. from Brazil’s Pontificia Universidade Catolica de Sao Paulo . For more on international law, follow this Twitter account.