What Can You Do With a JD Degree?
People pursue a Juris Doctor, or JD, degree for all kinds of reasons. The most common is because they’re planning to practice law, but you don’t have to be planning on a career as a lawyer to earn a JD degree—this area of study is useful in a lot of other ways, too. In this article, we’ll share some of the reasons people pursue a JD and some things you should know if you think this might be the degree for you.
About JD Degrees
Uses for a JD
If you want to practice law in the United States, you’ll need a JD degree in almost all cases. But it can open a variety of other doors, too. Here are some possibilities:
If you’re interested in becoming a law librarian, having a JD can be helpful.
Similarly, many jobs in the world of academia become more accessible with this degree.
A JD is a common degree choice among people who want to go into politics or do advocacy work.
If you’re thinking about a career in consulting, a JD can increase your level of expertise about legal matters.
Things to Know
Admission to a JD program in the United States requires a bachelor’s degree. In other countries, the requirements might be different.
In the U.S., JD degrees are offered by ABA-approved law schools, along with schools that are not approved by the ABA. Most states will not let you sit for the bar exam if you earn a degree from a non-ABA-approved law school.
Most JD programs are three-year, full-time programs, but some schools offer part-time programs that take longer to complete.
The LSAT is an important part of the law school admission process. All ABA-approved law schools accept the LSAT.
What’s Next?
If you’re ready to start pursuing a JD degree, LawHub and LSAC are here to help at every step of the process:
Sign up for the Candidate Referral Service (CRS) to help law schools get in touch with you based on information you release into a recruitment database.
Access convenient and free LSAT prep materials in LawHub; for even more application tools, resources, and LSAT practice tests, upgrade to LawHub Advantage.
Prepare your law school applications with Credential Assembly Service (CAS). It helps you save time by organizing your transcripts and letters of recommendation, then send them to the schools where you’re applying.