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Helping students understand and choose their law studies

Types of Law Degrees

In this section you will find a definition and information on the three main types of law degrees: the Juris Doctor (J.D.), the Master of Laws (LL.M.), with the highest degree being the Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.).

Doctor of Juridical Science or Doctor of Laws
The Doctor of Juridical Science is the highest law degree in the United States and is comparable to the Doctor of Philosophy for most other disciplines. The Doctor of Juridical Science program is research intensive and students are expected to know their research interests before beginning the application process.
Juris Doctor Degree
Students who want to practice law in the United States enroll in a Juris Doctor degree program. This degree can be earned after three years of full-time study. However, many J.D. programs are often combined with other master's degree programs in a specific facet of law, business or public policy and these programs take longer than three years to complete.
Master of Laws - LLM
The LL.M. (Master of Laws) is an internationally recognized postgraduate law degree. It is usually obtained by completing a one-year full-time program. Law students and professionals frequently pursue the LL.M. to gain expertise in a specialized field of law, for example in the area of tax law or international law. Many law firms prefer job candidates with an LL.M. degree because it indicates that a lawyer has acquired advanced, specialized legal training, and is qualified to work in a multinational legal environment.
Three Main Law Degrees
There are three main types of law degrees available in the United States. The first law degree is the Juris Doctor (J.D.) and qualifies graduates to practice law in the U.S. The second advanced law degree is the Master of Laws (LL.M.), and the third degree is the Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.). The S.J.D. is an uncommon law degree only offered by a handful of law schools.

Law School - Tuition and Fees

Equal Justice Works - School Tuition and Fees
Current facts about the costs of attending law school including tuition, fees and the availability of financial aid. Tools include a searchable database and an interactive forum.
Law School Loan Repayment Assistance Programs
Comprehensive information about Law School Loan Repayment Assistance Programs including which law schools have programs, how the programs work, and how to start or expand a law school based Loan Repayment Assistance Program. Tools include searchable data, a model program, podcasts and an interactive forum.
Law School Tuition and Fees
Current facts about the costs of attending law school including tuition, fees and the availability of financial aid. Tools include a searchable database and an interactive forum.
U.S. News - Best Law Schools and Tuition Fees
U.S. News surveyed 184 accredited programs to get the information used in the ranking of top law schools.

First Year Law Student Guide

First Year Legal Research and Writing Program (LRW) - Harvard Law School
The First-Year Legal Research and Writing Program (LRW) is a series of sequenced, interrelated exercises introducing students to the way lawyers analyze and frame legal positions in both litigative and transactional settings, conduct legal research, and present their work in writing and in oral argument. Instruction in legal research and writing is led by thirteen Climenko Fellows, the director of the program, and research librarians, as well as upper-class teaching assistants.
Glossary of Terms for First Year Students - George Mason University
The law library offers the following dictionary to provide first year students with assistance with the basic understanding of legal terminology.
Guide for First Year Law Students - PACE Law Library
This guide will aid new law students in preparing for and surviving the first year of law school. It includes books, audio and video resources, and websites on survival skills and first year courses. Also includes books for international students.

Moot Court and Mock Trial Information

ABA Law Student Division - National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC)
The ABA Law Student Division National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC) emphasizes the development of oral advocacy skills through a realistic appellate advocacy experience. Competitors participate in a hypothetical appeal to the United States Supreme Court. The competition involves writing a brief as either respondent or petitioner and then arguing the case in front of the mock court.
American Collegiate Moot Court Association
Moot Court competition (simulated legal argumentation before hypothetical appellate courts) has long been an educational opportunity limited to the law school environment. The ultimate goal of the American Collegiate Moot Court Association (ACMA) is to build a system of top-quality undergraduate moot court competitions in America. Achieving this goal requires the meeting of specific objectives, including the following: a carefully drafted problem with associated authority list, clear, comprehensive, equitable, and uniform rules refined through experience; well-planned, publicized, and directed tournaments; and informed and uniform judging. In pursuit of these ends,
American Mock Trial Association
The American Mock Trial Association was founded in 1985 by Dean Richard Calkins of Drake Law School. AMTA serves as the governing body for intercollegiate mock trial competition. Through engaging in trial simulations in competition with teams from other institutions, students develop critical thinking and public speaking skills, as well as a knowledge of legal practices and procedures. AMTA sponsors regional and national-level competitions, as well as providing interesting and complex case materials for academic use.
Moot Court and Student Journals - Rutgers
The Rutgers Moot Court program is run by the Moot Court Board, an autonomous student-run organization dedicated to promoting superior advocacy skills. The Moot Court Board develops and coordinates the law school’s internal advocacy competitions which include the Nathan Baker Mock Trial Competition in the fall semester, and the David Cohn Appellate Advocacy Competition in the spring semester.
Moot Court Competition - First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution — the cornerstone of American democracy — is the focus of the National First Amendment Moot Court Competition. Recognized as one of the nation's finest constitutional law competitions, this annual event features a current First Amendment controversy.
Moot Court Definition - LawBrain
Moot court helps students learn to analyze legal issues; its larger purpose is to teach students the practical side of practicing law. Typically, law students are given a detailed hypothetical fact scenario that raises one or more legal issues. Often these fact patterns are based on real cases on appeal to a state's highest court or the U.S. Supreme Court. Students choose or are assigned the position on the issue to be argued. They then conduct legal research, finding statutes, regulations, and case law that both support their position and detract from it. An important part of the moot court process is to teach students to overcome legal authority (statutes, regulations, and cases) that cuts against their position.
Moot Court Program - Columbia Law School
The Moot Court Program develops skills in legal writing, research, analysis and advocacy through the participation in appellate or trial litigation simulations. The program comprises the Foundation Moot Court requirement, in which first-year J.D. students participate, as well as several elective programs for students who want to gain additional experience in their second and third years.

Judicial Internships Information

Judicial internships provide an important opportunity to law students. Law students can learn more about the judicial world before graduation and gain on-hand experience. Often, judicial internships can lead to clerkships after graduation.

Note: The law schools used in this section are used as examples. In order to verify the judicial internships available through a specific law school visit our Law Schools Worldwide page.

ABA - Judicial Intern Opportunity Program FAQ
The Judicial Intern Opportunity Program is a full-time, six-week minimum, summer internship program open to all first- or second-year minority and/or economically disadvantaged law students who want to do legal research and writing for state or federal judges in participating cities. Participating judges are from Illinois; Texas; Miami, FL; Phoenix, AZ; Washington, DC; Philadelphia, PA: Seattle, Washington; Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA. Interns will receive an award of $1,500.
Judicial Internships - General Information - Coastal Law
There are several opportunities to work with the court while you are still in law school. You can work with the federal district court, the state appellate court, the state supreme court, the state trial court, or the state staff attorney's office. These opportunities are available during the fall, spring and summer terms and are extremely competitive. Externships with judges are highly coveted because they are excellent opportunities for students to gain practical experience and work closely with a judge.
NALP - Judicial Clerkship Section
The Judicial Clerkship Section is for NALP members who have an interest in or responsbility for preparing law students for judicial clerkships or for managing the departure and return from employer organizations of associates who pursue judicial clerkships. This Section serves as a clearinghouse for judicial clerkship information important to the NALP membership.
University of Huston - Judicial Internship FAQ
Although you are taught objective legal argument in law school, the primary thrust is to train you as an advocate. The largest benefit of an internship is for students to see advocacy through the eyes of a judge. When you are gaining the perspective of the judiciary, you are ultimately a better attorney.
USAID - General Counsel Internships
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is responsible for administering the United States Government's economic and humanitarian foreign assistance program. The Office of the General Counsel, which provides legal advice and guidance for all of the agency's operations worldwide, has legal internship positions for J.D. candidates who have completed at least one year of law school and, occasionally, for students seeking law degrees subsequent to receiving the J.D. degree.
USDOJ Careers - Internships
The Department's management offices, litigating divisions and offices, legal and policy offices, and investigatory and law enforcement offices offer internship opportunities to undergraduates, graduates, and law students.

Law Student Associations

In this section you will find law student organizations/associations from a few selected law schools. Visit our Law School Association page to obtain additional information on national law school associations.

Student Organizations - Berkeley Law
The Boalt Hall Student Association (BHSA), the law school's student government organization, is composed of all registered law students. BHSA organizes activities of general law school interest and helps new students adjust to life at Berkeley Law by sponsoring social, athletic, and law-related events.
Student Organizations - Columbia Law School
Student organizations are an integral and significant piece of the student experience at Columbia Law School. With over 70 student organizations, ranging from professional interest organizations to social organizations, almost all of our students are active in at least one group.
Student Organizations - Duke Law
The clubs and organizations at Duke Law run the gamut, from the Innocence Project to the Duke Law Bowling League to the Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw Society. If your particular interests aren’t represented by the 40+ groups, you are welcome and encouraged to start your own. Contact Jason Belk, the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, if you are interested in starting a new organization.
Student Organizations - Stanford Law School
With over 50 distinctive student organizations, there are a multitude of opportunities for law students to get involved in extracurricular activities including community service projects and political groups.
Student Organizations and Governance - Yale Law School
The list of student organizations changes every year, based on the activities and interests of current students. The Law School provides a budget (including an events budget and a conference attendance budget), shared office space, and administrative resources to approved student organizations.
Student Organizations and Journals - Havard Law School
Students at Harvard Law School have a wide variety of interests outside the classroom, many of which are explored through the more than 90 on-campus student organizations, groups, and activities. These organizations based on social, political, service and professional interests hold nearly daily events ranging from workshops, panels, and conferences to concerts, networking opportunities, and athletics.