Juris Doctor

Juris Doctor
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Name	Juris Doctor
Caption	The Scales of Justice are a common symbol of the legal profession.
Awarded for	Completion of a professional graduate law program
Type	Professional doctorate
Duration	Typically 3 years (full-time)
Language	Primarily English (in the United States and other Common law jurisdictions)
Countries	United States, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, and others
Institution	Law schools, universities

Juris Doctor. The Juris Doctor is the primary professional graduate degree in law in several countries, most notably the United States. It represents the completion of a rigorous course of study at an accredited law school and is the standard qualification for taking a bar examination and entering legal practice. The degree has evolved from its historical roots as a bachelor's degree to its current status as a professional doctorate, signifying advanced training in legal principles, analysis, and ethics.

Introduction

The degree serves as the first professional graduate degree in law, a prerequisite for legal practice in jurisdictions like the United States, Canada, and Australia. It is distinct from research-focused degrees such as the Master of Laws or the Doctor of Juridical Science. Successful completion typically allows graduates to sit for the bar examination administered by bodies like the State Bar of California or the New York State Bar Association. The curriculum is designed to develop competencies in legal writing, research, and reasoning, preparing graduates for diverse roles within the judiciary, government, and private sector.

History

The degree's origins trace back to the 19th century at institutions like Harvard University, where Christopher Columbus Langdell pioneered the casebook method of legal education. Initially awarded as a Bachelor of Laws, the degree was re-designated as a Juris Doctor in the early 20th century, notably at the University of Chicago in 1902. This change reflected its status as a professional graduate degree, following undergraduate study. The influential Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching report in the early 20th century helped standardize legal education, cementing the three-year postgraduate model that predominates today in schools accredited by the American Bar Association.

Curriculum

The standard curriculum spans three academic years of full-time study, beginning with foundational courses in contracts, torts, property law, civil procedure, criminal law, and constitutional law. The iconic first-year course in legal research and writing is often taught using resources like Westlaw or LexisNexis. Upper-level studies offer specialization in areas such as corporate law, intellectual property, environmental law, or international law. Many programs require participation in moot court competitions, legal clinics, or externships with organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union or the United States Department of Justice.

Admission

Prospective students must generally hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and take the Law School Admission Test. Admissions committees, such as those at Yale Law School or Stanford Law School, evaluate candidates based on LSAT scores, undergraduate grade point average, personal statements, and letters of recommendation. The process is highly competitive, coordinated centrally by the Law School Admission Council. Some schools, like Harvard Law School, also conduct interviews as part of their selection process for the incoming class.

Career Paths

Graduates who pass the bar examination often begin their careers as associate attorneys at law firms like Cravath, Swaine & Moore or Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Others pursue roles as prosecutors in offices such as the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, public defenders, or in-house counsel for corporations like Apple Inc. or Goldman Sachs. Many enter government service with agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Securities and Exchange Commission, while some clerk for judges on courts like the Supreme Court of the United States or the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Notable Juris Doctors

A vast number of influential figures hold this degree, including former Presidents Barack Obama (Harvard Law School), Bill Clinton (Yale Law School), and Gerald Ford (Yale Law School). Supreme Court Justices like Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Columbia Law School) and Clarence Thomas (Yale Law School) are also graduates. Notable attorneys include Thurgood Marshall (Howard University School of Law) and Alan Dershowitz (Yale Law School). Beyond the law, holders include media personality Megyn Kelly (Albany Law School) and former NASA administrator Charles Bolden (University of Miami School of Law).

Category:Academic degrees Category:Legal education