Justin Scranton, J.D. Law School & Legal Studies Editor

The Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree is a graduate degree awarded by law schools in the United States. To become a licensed attorney in most states, you have to earn a JD from an accredited law school. There are non-accredited law schools that also confer a Juris Doctor degree. However, you may not be allowed to . . . Read More

Legal education at American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law schools have faced tremendous challenges since the COVID pandemic. After a decade-long slump in graduating law students, the post-COVID numbers have soared as job demand outpaced graduates. In fact, the graduating class of 2023 had the highest job placement rate in the history of the ABA. . . . Read More

In 2020, College Consensus engaged the American Bar Association to better understand the long standing requirement for residential classwork at ABA approved law schools. At the time, the ABA had recently allowed several law schools to experiment with "hybrid" Juris Doctorate programs that combined online and remote classwork with shorter residential periods to satisfy the . . . Read More

Although the College of William & Mary had a law school as early as 1780, the modern version of law school began taking shape in the latter half of the 19th century. By the turn of the century, the modern law school curriculum was well formed and is still in effect in most law schools . . . Read More

The Doctor of Juridical Science Degree--abbreviated as either S.J.D. or J.S.D.--is the highest law degree offered by law schools in the United States. The S.J.D. is the legal equivalent to a Ph.D. in other academic disciplines. By design, the S.J.D. is designed for lawyers who aspire to pursue a career in legal academics rather than . . . Read More

A Master of Legal Studies degree is a degree in law intended for students who do not wish to practice law. The M.L.S. degree is also known as a Master of Science of Law (M.S.L.), a Juris Master (J.M.), or a Master of Jurisprudence (M.J.). Despite the many names, the degree programs all share the . . . Read More

In order to practice law in the United States, most jurisdictions require a candidate to have a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school. However, many law schools also offer an advanced law degree called a Master of Laws (LL.M) that allow students to specialize in complex practice areas or bolster their professional resumes. . . . Read More

The Consensus Best Colleges and Universities in the West applies the College Consensus methodology to ranking the best higher education institutions in the Western United States. Compiling the most reliable published rankings and legitimate student reviews, College Consensus gives students a comprehensive picture of the top colleges. The Western US is home to some of . . . Read More