Due to the wide range of courses and opportunities available today, it can sometimes be confusing for students to choose their path. There are different professions and industries which have further differences in their own qualifications. As for practicing law, there are different courses popularly, JD, LLB, and LLM.
JD vs LLB
Juris Doctor is a postgraduate degree, and the Legum Baccaleaureus is an undergraduate, bachelor, degree. In order to take the Juris Doctor course, students need to complete a three-year bachelor’s degree in LLB or any other subject.
JD- The Juris Doctor Degree is a professional postgraduate degree in Law. In common law countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia, the Juris Doctor degree is obtained by completing Law school.
This undergraduate degree is perceived in countries of common law, except for the United States. LLB is also the degree that is awarded by universities including India, Bangladesh, South Africa, Ghana, Pakistan, and Zambia.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | JD | LLB |
|---|---|---|
| Etymology | The term includes a Latin origin that means Teacher of Law. | The term includes a Latin origin that means Bachelor of Legal Letters. |
| Educational Demand | For pursuing JD, a prior three year graduate degree is necessary. | For pursuing LLB, no prior degree is required. There are some exceptions. |
| Duration | It usually takes three years. | It usually takes three to four years. |
| Origin | It originated in the UK, and was initially awarded in the early 20th century in the United States. | It originated at the University of Paris, and later enforced at Oxford and Cambridge |
| Practice | It is a demand for active law within the United States of America. | Students are compelled to pursue another degree like LLM. There are some exceptions. |
What is JD?
JD is thought of as a Juris Doctor or Doctor of Law or Doctor of Jurisprudence. It means teacher of law or teacher of legal knowledge in Latin.
The course usually takes three years; however, some US schools provide an accelerated course, due to which it can be completed within two years. The JD course comprises content that is more additional skilled and job-specific.
The US JD graduates can immediately appear for the bar examinations, and after clearing that can start practicing immediately. In contrast, in other countries, the students have to undergo training furthermore before applying for the license for practicing.
What is LLB?
The Legum Baccalaureus (LLB) is an undergraduate, bachelor, degree in countries, including Australia, Europe, and New Zealand.
In some countries like India, students need to pursue another degree before taking the LLB, and it is a second degree. After completion of the courses, the students are able to appear for the bar examinations and become licensed lawyers.
A five-year course that integrates the LLB and BA or BSc Hons is also provided by some universities. The United States no longer provides the LLB degree.
LLB provides the scholars a general introduction to the law and is an instructional course that offers a general introduction to the law. It’s steered that after completing LLB, students opt for further courses like LLM and training to qualify as a lawyer.
Main Differences Between JD and LLB
- Both the terms have a Latin origin, Juris Doctor means Teacher of Law, and Legum Baccalaureus means Bachelor of Legal Letters.
- JD is a postgraduate degree and requires a prior three-year bachelor’s degree, and LLB is an undergraduate degree that only requires completion of high school.
References
- https://heinonline.org/hol-cgi-bin/get_pdf.cgi?handle=hein.journals/psilr23§ion=44
- https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/INFORMIT.448721769854848
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