Overview
Legal education in the United States most commonly involves a 3 year Juris Doctorate (J.D.) program. In most states, completion of a J.D. at an accredited law school is required for admission to practice as a lawyer. In the United States there are almost 200 law schools accredited by the American Bar Association. Outside of the traditional J.D. program, many law schools offer Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Studies in Law, and Doctor of Juridical Science (JSD) programs that allow further studies in a particular area of law.
JD Program
The JD typically requires three years of study after completing a bachelor's degree, and once a person completes a JD and is admitted to practice, the lawyer can practice in almost any field of law. The undergraduate degree can be in any subject area, but a specific degree may help study or get a job in a specific area of practice like biology for health and pharmaceutical specializations. Some law schools allow for accelerated 2 year JD programs or part-time JD programs that take longer than 3 years. Law school teaching tends to be far more interactive than other types of education, often involving the "Socratic Method" where the law professor asks a student a series of questions about assigned cases. Also unlike other areas of study, law classes study law by discussing cases on a topic rather than studying texts about the law.
The study for the JD involves classes covering a wide range of topics. In the first year of law school, students generally are required to take the same classes that are seen as foundational or preparatory for the bar exam. The required classes often include: constitutional law, torts, contracts, criminal law, property (including real property), civil procedure, and a basic course in legal writing, research, and basic oral advocacy.
The second and third years of law school allow a student to take courses that further explain topics introduced in the first year curriculum and to concentrate on particular areas of the law such as business, labor and employment, litigation, international, or family law. A number of courses may still be recommended or required of every student such as federal income taxation, corporations, commercial law, and professional ethics. Courses which expand upon topics covered in the first year include evidence and conflicts of law. In addition, the second and third years often provide the student with the chance to get some legal experience through legal aid clinics and internships instead of classes. Many students volunteer for public interest organizations while completing their coursework. Also, Law students usually participate in extracurricular activities during these years that provide them with different forms of education such as law journals, moot court, and mock trial.
Additional Programs
There are a few types of higher legal study programs offered at law schools after a person completes a JD. The most common is the LLM degree program that lasts 1-2 years and allows students to gain expertise in an area of the law. Many foreign lawyers get an LLM degree in order to gain exposure to U.S. law. The JSD program is the most advanced legal degree in the U.S. that can take 3 or more years to complete. A JSD student completes a dissertation on a specific topic guided by professors throughout their study.
Also, a few states in the U.S. allow students to work as apprentices under a lawyer for many years instead of getting a JD to practice. The practices of these states vary greatly and not completing a JD can limit job opportunities.
U.S. Legal Education in Comparison
Legal education in the United States differs from other OECD countries in a variety of ways. Law students in many other countries such as France do not typically receive a legal degree that allows them to practice any area of law. Instead, law students can receive a shorter Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent that allows them to have some law related jobs, and law students often can receive more advanced degrees that allow them to study in a specific area. Also, many countries require law students to be an apprentice or the equivalent for a specific amount of time as part of their education. Legal education around the world varies greatly on the nature of the degree and specificity. However, most programs across the globe require less than the 7 years in the United States, with the average being around 5 years. Further, legal education in other countries typically costs less than $10,000 a year with some requiring only fees to attend. In contrast, the average cost for a JD program in the U.S. is over $45,000.
Resources
To learn more about legal education, see this US News Article on JD Education, this Wisconsin International Law Journal Article on U.S. Legal Training History, this Forbes Article on the different legal degrees in the U.S., and this American Bar Association Overview of Post JD and Non-JD Programs.
[Last updated in March of 2023 by the Wex Definitions Team]