What is a JD or LL B or?
Asked by: Ona Hudson | Last update: December 10, 2025Score: 4.3/5 (8 votes)
Bachelor of Laws (LL. B.) is an undergraduate law degree offered at universities throughout the world and is considered the first degree in law in many countries. The LL. B. is not offered at universities in the United States, having been eliminated in favor of the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree.
What is LLB or JD?
The Bachelor of Laws (LLB) is an undergraduate degree used in commonwealth countries like Great Britain. It differs significantly from the Juris Doctor (JD) degree used in the United States.
What does LLB 🕊 stand for?
'LLB' is the abbreviation for the Bachelor of Laws. The degree abbreviates to 'LLB' instead of 'BL' due to the traditional name of the qualification in Latin, 'Legum Baccalaureus'. 'Legum' is the plural of 'lex', meaning law, while 'Baccalaureus' is the origin of the term 'Bachelors degree'.
What is the equivalent of an LLB degree in the US?
While the LLB was conferred until 1971 at Yale University, since that time, all universities in the United States have awarded the professional doctorate JD, which then became the generally standardised degree in most states as the compulsory prerequisite to sit for the bar exam prior to practice of law.
Is a JD different than a law degree?
LawyerEDU defines the JD "as the initial, postsecondary law degree necessary to sit for the bar examination and practice as a lawyer in a US jurisdiction," and the LLM as "a secondary degree for lawyers who have achieved their JD and passed the bar exam, and who are interested in a focused, specialized course of study ...
What Is the Difference Between a JD Degree, LLM Degree, and Master of Legal Studies?
Is a JD enough to become a lawyer?
Possession of a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association is a requirement for practicing law in most states within the United States.
Is a JD higher than a PhD?
JD is a “professional doctorate”, and the qualifying degree for attorneys in the USA (assuming they subsequently pass the bar exam in their state). PhD is an advanced research degree, and in law it would be pursued after earning a JD.
When did LLB become JD?
The JD was reintroduced in 1962 and by 1971 had replaced the LLB, with many schools offering a JD as a replacement to their LLB alumni. Canadian and Australian universities have had graduate-entry law programs that are very similar to the JD programs in the United States, but typically called the LLB.
Can I practice law in the US with an LLB?
Yes. However, most jurisdictions require holders of foreign law degrees to have an additional legal degree, such as a J.D. or LL. M., from an ABA-accredited law school in the United States.
How many years is LLB in USA?
As a law student, you can expect to spend at least three years in law school. Full-time students typically complete their studies within three years, while part-time students take up to five years. Graduating from law school is an impressive achievement for many aspiring lawyers.
What is the full title of LLB?
Our law degree, known as an LLB or Bachelor of Laws, is equivalent to a BA or BSc.
What is LLB in medical terms?
LL. left lateral; left leg. LLB. long leg brace.
How do you write llm after your name?
How do you write JD LLM after a name? Use abbreviations without periods—such as AB, BA, MA, MS, MBA, JD, LLB, LLM, DPhil, and PhD—when the preferred form is cumbersome. Use the word degree after the abbreviation.
What is the highest degree in law?
Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD)
A Doctor of Juridical Science degree is considered the highest level of a law degree and is designed for professionals who are looking to gain an advanced legal education after earning their JD and LLM.
Can you be a doctor of law?
A Doctor of Law is a doctorate in legal studies. Other doctorates in law include Doctor of Juridical Science, Juris Doctor, Doctor of Philosophy in Law, and Legum Doctor.
How hard is the bar exam?
The bar exam is hard. In fact, it may be one of the most difficult challenges you ever embark on. You must memorize numerous laws and consume a lot of knowledge to answer questions correctly. For many, it feels like trying to hold sand in your hands, knowing that you'll inevitably lose much of it.
Which is higher JD or LLM?
A J.D. prepares someone to practice law, while an LLM provides advanced training. An LLM will provide you with advanced training in law, but it doesn't qualify you as a licensed lawyer. A JD prepares you for legal practice by teaching you everything you need to pass the bar exam and be an effective lawyer.
Can you be a lawyer without a law degree in USA?
In four states—California, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington—you can become a licensed attorney without attending law school at all. In three other states—Maine, New York, and Wyoming—one can substitute an apprenticeship for one or two years of law school.
What do you call a person with a law degree?
The titles JD and Esq. both refer to someone who has completed law school. JD stands for Juris Doctor, and signifies that someone has completed law school and earned their JD degree. Esq. stands for Esquire and is an honorary title that typically signifies someone has both completed law school and passed the bar exam.
How do you address a Juris Doctor?
A Juris Doctor degree is technically a professional doctorate. But unlike other Ph. D. holders, lawyers don't hold the title of "Doctor." Instead, they can choose to use the title "esquire," which is shortened to "Esq." and is fashioned after the lawyer's name.
Is a Juris Doctor a lawyer?
Earning a J.D. doesn't make someone a lawyer, but it is the first step in the process to begin practicing as one. Graduates of J.D. programs can sit for the bar examination in their state – upon passing the exam, they can then practice law.
Do you put JD after your name?
"J.D." stands for Juris Doctor — also known as a law degree. You may encounter the term "J.D." after someone's name in a resume, CV, or in an academic paper. Similar to other academic suffixes like "Ph. D." or "M.D.," a J.D. indicates that the titleholder has completed law school.
Why don't lawyers use the title doctor?
The ABA committee also stated: “Until the time comes when the JD degree is the universal degree for the initial study of law (as the MD degree is in medicine) we can see no reason to permit the professional use of this degree, so as to distinguish its holder as compared with others who hold a different degree.”
Are lawyers and attorneys the same thing?
The primary difference between an attorney and a lawyer is that an attorney is licensed to practice law and represent clients in court, while a lawyer has completed law school but may not be licensed to practice law. All attorneys are lawyers, but not all lawyers are attorneys.