Types of Law Degrees – Requirements To Become A Lawyer

Most countries require a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in order for someone to become a lawyer. In the United States, one needs a Juris Doctor (JD) degree after completing an undergraduate course to practice law. Earning a Juris Doctor degree entails a minimum of three years of study.

 Another formal study of law at the graduate level is the Master’s Degree in Law (LLM). This degree is for practicing lawyers who wish to take further specialization in a particular area of law. The most popular LLM degree in the United States is Master of Laws in Taxation.

 Other common areas of specialization are human rights law, commercial law, intellectual property law, criminal law, labor law and environmental law. LLM degrees also require an undergraduate degree and needs at least an academic year to earn. This would be the equivalent of a first year Juris Doctor student wherein staple courses such as constitutional law, torts, contracts, civil procedures, etc. are taken up.

 Other less common graduate programs focus on teaching foreign students the basic legal principles of one law as compared to another. These are the Master’s Degree in Comparative Law (MCL), Comparative Jurisprudence (MCJ), and Legal Institution (MLI). Others are designed for non-law professionals who wish to acquire legal knowledge in their studies (e.g. Master of Laws for Journalists).

 Some universities and colleges provide joint law degree programs in various disciplines such as a joint Juris Doctor and Master’s in Business Administration degrees taken up by those who want to specialize in corporate law. Other law schools offer Juris Doctor and Master’s in Economics or Political Science. Joint degrees take a little more time to complete because of the additional course requirements.

 There are also doctoral law degrees taken up by law practitioners who would like to embark on a career in the academe such as Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) and Doctor of Comparative Law Studies (DCL). These are the most advanced law degrees a law practitioner can get.