Juris Doctorate is the technical term for a professional law degree. After obtaining a Juris Doctorate, or J.D., students go on to practice a number of different kinds of law. Generally, students obtain this degree after completing an undergraduate education.
History
The first law degrees were handed out in Europe during the 11th century. Italy and England had early programs. While legal education was important, however, lawyers could bypass this schooling and become professionals by apprenticing themselves to older lawyers. This was also true in the United States, where Juris Doctorates didn't become mandatory until the 1950s.
Function
A Juris Doctorate proves the holder has undergone rigorous legal training. These graduates have firm footing with the word of the law and its interpretation. Once a J.D. has been obtained, students generally go on to complete the bar exam. This regulatory test, combined with an academic degree, shows whether the student is prepared to represent the public in legal proceedings.
Time Frame
Most Juris Doctorates take three years to obtain. Part-time programs may allow you to finish in four years. Most students experience law school as a full-time commitment, and use the the summer between each academic year to further their legal knowledge through internships, independent study and research programs.
Features
Most law programs offer a wide variety of classes to prepare their students for their professional careers. At law school, students study constitutional law, contracts, criminal and civil law, torts, legal procedure and more. Law schools also offer clubs such as mock trial, moot court and law review to further prepare their students.
Considerations
Those contemplating law school should remember that the experience is meant to be intense. Law students often have no time for anything besides studying. Further, most learning is done through case studies. These are detailed examinations of legal writing and case histories related to certain legal principles. If this type of work doesn't appeal to you, you may want to reconsider your decision to get a Juris Doctorate.
Fun Fact
Since the Juris Doctorate doesn't focus on research and academic applications, recipients are usually not addressed as "Doctor." Instead, most lawyers choose "attorney at law" or "esquire" as their honorific.
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