Law school

A law school is a special place where people study to learn about the law. It can also be called a law centre, college of law, or faculty of law. These schools are usually part of a bigger college or university. They help people get ready to become judges, lawyers, or other professionals who work with the law.

Depending on the country, students might study law at different levels of their education. Law schools give the important knowledge and skills needed for these jobs.

There are many law schools around the world, each with its own focus and style of teaching. Some well-known examples include the College of Law (Australia), The Colleges of Law in California, United States, and the University of Law in Britain. These schools help prepare students for working in the legal world.

Law schools teach subjects like how laws are made, how to understand legal documents, and how to argue cases in court. Learning in a law school is very important because it helps keep justice and fairness in society.

Law degrees

Argentina

In Argentina, future lawyers must earn an undergraduate degree in law to practice. This is different from the United States, where law degrees are postgraduate. Argentine lawyers are often called "doctors," even though most don’t have a formal Doctorate in Laws. This title comes from the original name of the program, which was "Doctorate in Laws," an undergraduate degree. Graduate studies were not available when the program began but were introduced in 1949. After a reform in 1918, the program was renamed "Attorney." It takes five to six years to complete, and some universities offer an intermediate degree called "University Bachelor in Law" that takes three to four years.

Australia

To practice law in Australia, one must graduate with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Juris Doctor (JD), or Diploma-in-Law from the Legal Profession Admission Board. After graduation, there is a 12-month internship or an extra course in practical legal training, depending on the jurisdiction and university. Finally, one must be admitted as a lawyer to a state’s Supreme Court.

Belgium

In Belgium, one can join the bar after completing a 5-year law degree.

Brazil

Brazil’s legal education began between 1827 and 1828 in Olinda and São Paulo, where the first law schools were established using the Coimbra Faculty of Law as a model. Today, legal education consists of a 5-year course leading to a bachelor’s degree. Practicing law requires admission to the bar in a specific state or territory (Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil - OAB). Before becoming public attorneys, prosecutors, or judges, candidates must pass an entrance exam and complete three years of legal experience. Some courts require judges to be members of a lawyers’ association or from federal/state/labour prosecutors. Electoral and military courts have different requirements. After earning a bachelor’s degree, one can specialize or pursue academic law studies. The academic path includes a two-year master’s degree followed by a doctorate that can take up to four more years.

Canada

The oldest civil law faculty in Canada was established in 1848 at McGill University in Montreal, and the oldest common law faculty was established in 1883 at Dalhousie University in Halifax. The typical law degree for practicing law in Canada is now the Juris Doctor (JD), which requires previous university coursework and is similar to the first law degree in the United States. The programs last three years and include scholarly content like academic research papers. Coursework beyond the first year and minimum graduation requirements is elective, with concentrations such as business law, international law, and criminal law.

Because Canada’s legal system includes both civil law and common law, some law schools offer both an LL.B. or J.D. (common law) and a B.C.L., LL.L. or LL.B. (civil law), like McGill University, the University of Ottawa, and the Université de Montréal. McGill offers a combined civil law and common law program called "transsystemic." Completing a common law degree followed by a civil law degree requires only an extra year of study, and the same is true for civil law graduates wanting to earn a common law degree.

Even with the JD, it is not enough to practice law in Canada. Each province’s law society requires an apprenticeship and completion of a provincial training course, such as the British Columbia Law Society’s Professional Legal Training Course or the Law Society of Upper Canada’s Skills and Responsibilities Training Program. The École du Barreau du Québec also offers training. The switch to the JD in Canada was to differentiate it from European degrees that don’t require prior education. However, in Canada, the JD is still considered a second-entry program, not a graduate program, similar to how M.D. and D.D.S. degrees are viewed. There is ongoing debate about the status of these degrees, such as at the University of Toronto, where the Faculty of Law markets the J.D. as superior to the LL.B. Some universities have joint Canadian and American law degree programs, like York University and New York University, and the University of Ottawa and Michigan State University.

Finland

In Finland, law school usually starts at the undergraduate level in a university. There is an intermediate bachelor’s degree, but the goal is a master’s degree in law. After finishing university, one gets the title of "varatuomari" (VT) with a one-year externship in a district court. This is the basic qualification to work as a judge. With more experience, one can join the Finnish Bar Association and become an "asianajaja," similar to a barrister.

France

In France, legal education follows a three-tier system. Students can study for an LL.B. (licence de droit), then an LL.M. (master de droit), and for those interested in legal theory, a PhD in law (doctorat de droit). Many French universities offer law courses through Research and Education Units or Faculties of Law or Law Schools. An LLM-level degree is needed for some legal professions and is combined with vocational education, like the école nationale de la magistrature for judges and the Certificat d'aptitude aux fonctions d'avocat for advocates.

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, which follows the English common law system, an undergraduate L.L.B. is common. After that, one needs a one or two-year Postgraduate Certificate in Laws before starting a training contract for solicitors or a pupillage for barristers. Hong Kong’s three law schools (HKU, CUHK, CityU) also offer a two-year Juris Doctor program for students with a bachelor’s degree in any field, which can lead to the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws.

Indonesia

In Indonesia, law degrees have three tiers. The first tier is a Bachelor of Law (S.H.), which takes 4–7 years. The second tier is a Master in Law (M.H.), which can take 1–2 years and has titles like Master in Notary (M.Kn) for notarial work. The third tier is a Doctor in Law (DR.), the highest degree. To work in legal professions, a Bachelor of Law is required. Graduates can become in-house counsel, judges (with training), prosecutors (with training), or advocates after passing a special course and the Bar exam.

India

Legal education in India is traditionally a three-year graduate degree, but this changed in 1987. Law degrees are granted under the Advocates Act, 1961, which is a law passed by Parliament to regulate legal education and the legal profession. The Bar Council of India is the main body for regulating the legal profession and ensuring professional standards.

Traditionally, degrees were LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws) or B.L. (Bachelor of Law), requiring a prior bachelor’s degree. The course lasted three years. However, in the 1980s, the Law Commission suggested reforms, leading to specialized law universities. The first was the National Law School of India University in Bangalore, offering a five-year integrated degree called "B.A., LL.B. (Honours)." Other law universities followed, offering five-year integrated degrees with different names. Despite these universities, the traditional three-year degree is still offered and recognized. The key difference is that the three-year degree requires a prior bachelor’s degree, while the five-year program starts after high school (Class XII). Both degrees allow enrollment with the Bar Council of India and practice law in any court in India.

Iran

In Iran, legal education is influenced by both civil law and Islamic Shari'ah law. After high school, one can enter law school. The first law degree is a Bachelor of Science, taking about four years. The first graduate program is a Master of Science, taking two to three years and including coursework and a dissertation. The Ph.D. in law is the highest degree, taking 5–7 years depending on the school and student.

Italy

In Italy, to become a practicing lawyer, one needs a 5-year Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree. Law school usually starts at the undergraduate level.

Japan

In Japan, legal education happens at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Getting into postgraduate law schools doesn’t require specializing in law during undergraduate studies.

Malaysia

Philippines

Law degree programs in the Philippines are graduate programs. Getting into law school requires finishing a bachelor’s degree with enough credits in certain subjects. Graduating from law school is the main requirement to take the Philippine Bar Examination, which is the national test for practicing lawyers. It’s given by the Supreme Court of the Philippines every September, though from 2011 it was held in November. The University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law is the oldest law school in the country.

Singapore

In Singapore, the main way to become a lawyer is through a 4-year Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from NUS Faculty of Law or SMU School of Law. The SUSS School of Law focuses on family and criminal law. SMU also offers a 3-year Juris Doctor for those who already have a bachelor’s degree in another field. This JD is recognized for the Singapore Bar. There are also private law schools, but they are not government-recognized, and their graduates usually cannot join the Singapore Bar.

Serbia

In Serbia, students must pass an admission test to enter law school. Legal education has three tiers: a 4-year bachelor’s degree, a 1-year Master of Law, and 5-year doctoral studies. Belgrade Law School is the most famous and largest in Serbia, offering courses in Serbian and English.

South Korea

On July 3, 2007, South Korea’s National Assembly passed a law to create "Law Schools," similar to the American postgraduate system. Since March 2, 2009, 25 approved 3-year professional Law Schools have opened to train future lawyers. The first bar test for these graduates was planned for 2012.

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, to practice law, one must become an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. This requires passing law exams at the Sri Lanka Law College, run by the Council of Legal Education, and spending six months with a practicing attorney who has at least 8 years of experience. Students can enter the Sri Lanka Law College to study law or take exams after earning an LL.B. from a local or foreign university.

Sweden

In Sweden, to become a practicing lawyer, one needs a 4.5-year Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree (270 ECTS).

Taiwan

In Taiwan, law is usually studied as an undergraduate program leading to a Bachelor of Law (B.L.). Students get academic training, and practical training happens after passing exams to become lawyers, judges, or prosecutors. A law degree (bachelor, master, or doctor) is one way to qualify for the bar exam, but one can also take the exam without a law degree if they’ve taken enough law courses. The bar exam has two written stages: multiple-choice in stage one and essay format in stage two. If someone fails stage one, they can’t take stage two, and their stage one result doesn’t carry over. The pass rate is around 10% each year. The exam is in Chinese, so fluency is expected. Non-citizens can take the Attorney Qualification Examination with a law degree from Taiwan but cannot take prosecutor or judge exams unless they become naturalized citizens. Once approved, non-citizens must follow all legal practice laws, ethics codes, and bar association rules.

Ukraine

In Ukraine, to enter the legal profession, graduates must pass an External independent evaluation. Legal education includes a 4-year bachelor’s degree and a 1-year master’s degree. Law schools are found in national universities and specialized institutions like Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University and National University Odesa Law Academy.

United Kingdom

United States

In the United States, law school is a three-year postgraduate program leading to a Juris Doctor (J.D.). Some schools in Louisiana also award a Graduate Diploma in Civil Law (D.C.L.). To get into an American Bar Association (ABA)-approved law school, applicants usually need to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and have a bachelor’s degree in any major. There are 203 ABA-approved law schools. There are also law schools not approved by the ABA but registered or approved by state bars, like in California, Alabama, and Massachusetts. ABA-approved schools generally have higher bar passage rates.

A study shows that a Juris Doctor degree increases lifetime earnings by about $1,000,000 compared to a bachelor’s degree. In 2012, the average salary for lawyers was over $130,000, though salaries vary by location, with higher pay in big cities and lower in rural areas. Lawyer employment has grown slightly faster than other jobs. Not all law graduates become lawyers; about 40% don’t practice law, but they often hold leadership roles in business and government. Employment for recent graduates is usually around 90%, with many working in jobs that require or prefer a law degree. While some law schools now accept the GRE, most still require the LSAT. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Law School Admission Council introduced the LSAT-Flex.

Postgraduate and professional study

Some schools have special programs called Master of Laws (LL.M.) that help students study one area of law in more detail. After these programs, students can earn even higher degrees like Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) in places like the U.S. or Canada, or similar degrees in other countries.

Before people can work as lawyers, they usually need to pass a test called a bar examination. In the United States, this includes a big test called the Multistate Bar Examination, along with some questions about laws that are special to each state. In other countries that use common law, new lawyers often spend time working at a law firm instead of taking a test.

Alternative legal education systems

UK and Europe

Law schools in the U.S. and Canada are places where students study after finishing their basic education. In the United Kingdom and most of Europe, students learn about law inside regular universities from the start. These law departments are just one part of the university, like any other subject.

Some countries have special law colleges for people who already finished university. For example, the University of Law in the United Kingdom helps future lawyers get the skills they need to work as solicitors or barristers.

Australia

In Australia, law schools like the Melbourne Law School, the Adelaide Law School, and the Sydney Law School mix ideas from British and American teaching styles. Other universities, such as the University of New South Wales, the Australian National University, and Monash University, focus more on hands-on learning.

List of law schools

Main article: Lists of law schools

This section talks about different places where people go to learn about the law. These schools help students become lawyers or judges. The list includes many schools from around the world.