One can refer to a lawyer as a JD the same way you will call a doctor an MD. JD stands for Juris Doctor, meaning someone who has a doctorate in law. Therefore, JD becomes the official title of lawyers.
Lawyers usually defend people in court, and you have to undergo a rigorous learning process before becoming a lawyer.
The first step to becoming a doctor is to have a passion for the occupation. After that, you can go to the university and learn law at an undergraduate level. So, a bachelor of law degree is the first official certificate one can get from a learning institution.
Next, one can take another step by going for a master. Then you become a Juris Doctor at the doctorate level. And, it won’t be wrong to refer to it as an advanced graduate study. Once you have a doctor of law certificate, you are a Juris Doctor.
Everyone in society needs a lawyer as they are your court representatives if you ever get into any jeopardizing situation. It is why parents encourage their children to go into this profession.
We will highlight some law terms below to help you familiarize yourself with the profession.
| Law Terms | Meanings |
| Felony | It is a serious crime in the US that is usually punishable by death. |
| Defendant | A defendant is a lawyer that represents that party that is being sued. |
| Malfeasance | It refers to the act of engaging in illegal or morally corrupt activities. |
| Tort | It is an illegal act that many happen intentionally or unintentionally. However, it usually leads to injury. |
Common Initials Of A Lawyer
There are various lawyer titles that attorneys can have at the back of their names. Each of these titles designates a degree that the lawyer had attained. After extensive research, we’ve gathered some of the most common lawyer initials. Let’s check them out!
1. J.D.: This initial stands for “juris doctor” which means the degree earned immediately a lawyer finishes from law school. If you want to practice law in the United States, you’ll be needing the degree.
2. LL.M.: People who already have J.D. can now go further to attain the Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree. With a LL.M. degree, you’ll have additional certification and advanced legal study in a particular area of law like international law, intellectual property law, or human rights law. International lawyers are normally the ones that usually try to attain LL.M. degree for global credentials.
3. J.S.D.: One can refer to a lawyer as J.S.D. or S.J.D. the same way you will call a doctor an MD. J.S.D. or S.J.D. stands for Doctor of the Science of Law. A Doctor of the Science of Law (J.S.D. or S.J.D.) can be related to a Ph.D. in law. Most of the lawyers who get this lawyer degree are the ones who become professors or lecturers of law and social sciences.
4. LL.B.: This degree is the foreign equivalent of a J.D. which means Legum Baccalaureus (LL.B.) The only thing is that it’s not available in the U.S.
Some Law Specializations
Interestingly, studying law is not a rigid course as it has other branches, also called specializations.
Some law specializations are:
1. Criminal Law
It is one of the commonest law specializations as it allows a person to study and represent their clients in court for criminal cases. You familiarize yourself with fundamental human rights and law enforcement regulations by studying criminal law. The idea is to cover all regulations to know how to defend someone in case there is a breach.
Also, someone who goes into criminal law learns how to engage in criminal investigations. It comes in handy as the lawyer needs such investigations to get information about the case they are handling. It would not be out of place to refer to such investigations as a research process.
So, if you love to defend people, especially when it concerns criminal cases, you can specialize in this area.
Some people say that the thrill that comes with studying criminal law is not like other specializations. However, we cannot say as we believe it is dependent on individual preference.
2. Environmental Law
Studying environmental law is as the name implies. It is assumed that a criminal law student is passionate about the environment and wants to contribute their quota to society through this method.
Thus, such a student begins to study the different regulations that guide and protect the environment. For example, the student learns about laws guiding deforestation and illegal wildlife hunt. Such knowledge is what helps them when they become representatives.
Environmental pollution is one of the top global challenges, so environmental law is a key law specialization.
As an environmental lawyer, you could be representing a community that wishes to sue an industry polluting its environment. For example, it could be that such an industry has a pipe that leaks into their water bodies and has caused water pollution. Likewise, that industry would also have a lawyer representing them. In such situations, both lawyers are environmental lawyers.
Environmental lawyers also engage in cases like land disputes.
3. Taxation Law
If you love accounting and finance, we would assume that you would not mind being a taxation lawyer. The idea of this specialization surrounds taxes. After all, it is common knowledge that everyone has to pay taxes. But, what are the rules guiding the payment of taxes in society? How does the government calculate taxes at different levels? These are what you will learn when you engage in studying taxation law. Therefore, it is not out of place to say that you need to be good at calculations if you want to be a taxation lawyer.
One can engage the services of a taxation lawyer if they feel that they have been overcharged in their tax payment. It is also important to note that both individuals and organizations can use lawyers. Often, we see that businesses have their in-house taxation lawyers. After all, no one likes to be overcharged as making money isn’t easy.
4. Animal Law
The same way we have people interested in the fundamental rights of humans is the same way we have people who have an interest in knowing the laws and regulations that guide animals. Yes, it should not be surprising that there are laws guiding animals. If such laws were not in place, there would barely be animals in our world today.
Often, we hear that it is wrong to engage in illegal wildlife hunts as it disrupts the ecosystem. But have you wondered how such laws are enforced? Of course, the government will place such laws, and the law enforcement agencies ensure that people keep the laws. However, people who specialize in animal law are also involved in the process. For example, animal lawyers are usually concerned about the welfare of animals and ensure that people do not indulge in actions that lead to animal cruelty. So, if you are an animal lover, this is a specialization that might suit your passion.
5. Education Law
When studying education law, you get to learn about various education policies. For example, an education lawyer might engage in ensuring gender equality in educational institutions and much more. Studying education law aims to improve the educational system in various regions.
FAQs
Below are some frequently asked questions about this topic:
Is Juris Doctor The Same As A Lawyer?
Yes, a Juris doctor is the same as a lawyer. And a Juris Doctor is a person who has studied law at a higher level and has earned a doctorate law degree from the American Bar Association.
Is A Juris Doctor Called Dr?
Typically, Americans reserve the Dr title for medical doctors. So, a Juris Doctor refers to a doctor of law, but they are not called Drs.
What Is The Highest Law Degree?
The highest law degree is having a doctorate certificate in law, making you a doctor of law. Thus, you are a Juris Doctor. So, a JD is the highest law degree.
Closing Thoughts
A JD in law is the equivalent of an MD in medicine like a doctor. And a JD is the highest law degree. We hope that you now understand the difference between both terms.
References
1. https://abovethelaw.com/2011/11/any-lawyer-who-calls-himself-doctor-like-a-ph-d-should-get-punched-in-the-mouth/
2. https://onlinemasteroflegalstudies.com/law-degrees/specializations/
