The JD

What is the JD?

A Juris Doctor is a three-year graduate entry-level degree to practice as a lawyer. Typically, each year is broken down into 1L, 2L, and 3L by year. During 1L, considered the most challenging year of law school, students take the same courses as their section peers. 1Ls are graded on a curve, which creates a competitive atmosphere as GPA is an important factor in law firm recruiting for 2L summer associate positions. There are very few course requirements during 2L and 3L, and students don’t take classes with their sections. Students often branch out to do externships, clinics, and other non-doctrinal classes during this more relaxed time of law school.

Career Motivations

You should get a JD if you want to practice law either as a litigator or corporate lawyer, not because you want to make a lot of money. There are many easier ways to make a lot of money, without all of the law school debt! A JD opens the doors to careers at a law firm, in government, or in public interest. There are big law firms, mid-size law firms, and small law firms. Big law firms all pay the same salary and bonus by class year at the top of the legal profession, while mid-size and small law firms do not offer the same compensation. Big law firms typically represent corporate clients with their hundreds of lawyers. Government lawyers work for the federal, state, and local entities like agencies, courts, etc. Public interest lawyers work for non-profit agencies like the ACLU or Sierra Club. Experienced lawyers often occupy important positions like executives, government officials, and more, opening many doors for career advancement.

Costs and Considerations

A legal career is not a get rich quick scheme. It takes three years of school post-undergrad with tuition hitting over $70,000 per year and cost of attendance hitting over $100,000 per year at top law schools. Most students at top law schools (e.g. T14) will get some form of merit or financial aid due to a combination of test scores, grades, and socioeconomic factors, but not all of them. Many students find a career in big law making $235,000 per year the best way to pay off their debts, while other students decide to work in government or public interest utilizing LRAP (loan repayment assistance program). Top schools offer LRAP to students working exclusively in government and/or public interest, which enables their former students to make minimum payments on their loans based on income level, subsidized by the law school, until payments have reached ten years. At that point, the federal government will forgive the loans. Don’t forget you are also forgoing your career and earning for three years while in school! At the end of the day, pursuing a legal career is doable, but students must be smart and not naive about their debt burdens and future obligations.

Admissions Advice

The most important factors in law school admissions are test scores and grades, followed by essays, experiences, and letters of recommendation. Most students decide to take the LSAT, but a small minority take the GRE like I did. It is typically considered harder to get into law school with a GRE. I believe the strongest applications to law school come from those with unique backgrounds and experiences that can thread the needle on why they want to go to law school through a compelling story. That means an applicant’s essays, experiences, and letters of recommendation should be complementary to tell the law school why they deserve a spot. Law schools are not looking for students that are cookie cutters. They want students who did unique things that can contribute to the school. That means there’s no requirement to do a thesis, research project, particular internship, particular major, etc. Do things that make you stand out that you are passionate about because that will show through your applications.

Parting Thoughts

I recommend students take a year or two gap years between undergrad and law school to work. It not only helped me solidify my decision to go to law school, but it also helped me tremendously in law school applications and landing internships.

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