What is a JD Degree?
A JD degree, or Juris Doctorate degree, is a professional law degree and, in many states, is a prerequisite for taking the bar exam to become a practicing attorney. The path pre- and post-JD isn’t a singular one, however, and there are many reasons to pursue a JD degree and many avenues to explore once it’s in your hands.
“What is a JD?” is an incredibly broad question. So first, here are thoughts from two close friends of mine, who are both partners in their respective firms:
“My initial reaction is that a JD is merely a tool, one of the items that helps along a greater path. To be certain, the JD is neither the ends nor the means, but is necessary to continue the path to become an attorney, and more importantly, a counselor. A JD means that you have studied the law and are qualified to continue this path. It opens the door for you to become something greater. However, as many often forget, having a JD or even passing the bar exam, does not necessarily make one a good attorney or a good counselor. The JD is simply the first step.”
– William Blasses
“JD can mean so many different things to so many different people. For some people, it is a calling. They get a JD to fight against the injustices they see, or to right the wrongs done to victims. Others see a JD as an opportunity to a better life, either through higher social status (in their view), or higher income opportunities. And some look at a JD as a way to follow their passions in a different way. Environmentalists use their JDs to enforce regulations against industries to protect the earth. Sports fans use their JD to help represent athletes get paid.
A JD to me is a combination of the above. Before I went to law school, I was an engineer. While I loved dealing with technology, I felt there was something missing. I didn’t really have a say in what I wanted to do, did not feel like I was helping people, and wasn’t too happy with the timeline for me to advance in the company. After talking with some attorneys, I found that a potential solution was to go to law school to be a patent attorney, which allowed me to use my engineering background to help people protect their inventions. So, pursuing a career as a patent attorney allowed me to meld my interest in technology with advocacy, plus I was able to make a little more money, and have more control over my future.”
– Matthew Warenzak
Pursuing a JD Degree: What to Consider
As you can see from their comments, there are a few things one should consider when planning to pursue a law degree.
First, why are you pursuing this degree? Are your reasons your own? I’ve known many LSAT students who, in the course of our work together, made it clear they were pursuing law school because their family expected them to. I’ve often wondered how many of them are happy, assuming they are working in the legal profession. And I’ve known many LSAT students who were committed to a particular field; they wanted to work in immigration, or they wanted to use their multilingual background to work in international trade.
You don’t need to know what branch of law you expect to practice before you go to law school. Odds are, you don’t know enough to know what branch of law you’ll practice. But you should have some idea of why you’re going.
I was most of the way through law school when I had to quit teaching, because I couldn’t handle the workload of both. And a few months later, I realized how much I missed teaching. Unsurprisingly, I now very happily work as a teacher for LSAT, GMAT, and GRE classes. I love my job, in a way I don’t believe I would have loved being an attorney. In fact, Matt, one of the people quoted above, read the first draft of my personal statement for my law school applications. His response: “I don’t like it.” I was taken aback, because I know I’m a decent writer. There would not have been many, if any, grammar errors; nor would the statement have been confusing. His explanation: “It sounds like you want to be a teacher, not a lawyer.”
Sigh…
While I found the study of law very interesting, ultimately, its practice was not my particular drive. My experience is more from the academic side. To me, a JD means you can analyze a situation and make some moderately reliable predictions regarding the possible outcomes.
Matt and “Blassey” (our nickname for William), on the other hand, dove into the practice of law. It fit them, in a way that it did not fit me. Matt always knew he was going to practice IP law. He was right, and it’s a brilliant fit for him. I don’t believe Blassey knew he was going to practice bankruptcy law. While his background and interests were in economics, I don’t think he had really considered that particular branch of law before going to school. But when he discovered it, he found a branch of law that was fascinating to him, and is fascinating to him to this day.
A JD opened doors for them. For Matt, it was a door he was expecting. For Blassey, it was a door he had not initially noticed. For them, their JDs were a transition, not an end.
What does a JD mean? It means you passed law school. You exhibited the ability and dedication to work your way through a rigorous program of study towards a particular technical end.
From an analytical point of view, a JD means you can assess various outcomes and make a cogent argument for the outcome your client desires. Notice the last portion of the previous sentence: the outcome your client desires. Don’t ask “what is a JD?” Ask instead “who will be my client?” You don’t have to know the answer to that question now, but it’s the question I would recommend you continue to ask.
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Chris Gentry is a Manhattan Prep LSAT, GMAT, and GRE instructor who lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Chris received his Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from Clemson and JD from Emory University School of Law before realizing that he genuinely enjoys the challenge of standardized tests, and his true passion is teaching. Chris’ dual-pronged approach to understanding each test question has helped countless of his students to achieve their goal scores. What are you waiting for? Check out Chris’ upcoming LSAT courses here.