What is a Juris Doctor? Is a Juris Doctor a Lawyer?


Monday, 24 October 2022

If you are curious about what is a Juris Doctor and have ever wondered what the difference between a Juris doctor and a lawyer is, then you must read this article. Here we will explain the definition of a Juris Doctor and how it differs from a lawyer.



Are you trying to decide what degree to pursue? Is Juris Doctor one of your options? If you have ever thought about pursuing a law degree, you may have come across the term “Juris Doctor”. You might not be sure what the meaning of this term is or what is the relation to a career in law. Here, we will try to explain what is a Juris Doctor and will answer the question “is a Juris Doctor a lawyer?” Keep on reading to find out more! 


What is a Juris Doctor? 


A Juris Doctor or Doctor of Jurisprudence is a professional law degree that is awarded by law schools. To become a lawyer, you should have a Juris Doctor degree. To begin a Juris Doctor programme, you should have earned a bachelor’s degree first. 

The first law school ever created was in Europe. The University of Bologna was founded in the 11th century and was proclaimed the first law school. After this, many other universities took it as a model for new law schools. From the beginning of times, teaching law was not essential for practicing it. For example, in the universities of Cambridge and Oxford, teaching law focused on philosophical and scholarly purposes. Then, the Juris Doctor degree originated in the United States in early 1900 as a movement aimed to improve training.


You may also be interested in Is a Juris Doctor Worth it?


Is a Juris Doctor a Lawyer?


Technically, we could say that a Juris Doctor is a lawyer. To become a lawyer you should have a Juris Doctor degree, students must earn a bachelor’s degree or a Juris Doctor degree. The difference between these two is that bachelor’s degrees are for students who have recently graduated from high school, whereas Juris Doctor degrees are for those who already have a degree. A Juris Doctor would be the equivalent of a master’s degree in any other field. 

In Australia, the only way of becoming a lawyer was a Bachelor’s degree, but some years ago, some of the best universities in the country included a Juris Doctor programme. Today, both of these degrees can be found in some universities in Australia. In other cases, the Bachelor’s degree has been completely replaced by the Juris Doctor programme. 

To conclude, a Juris Doctor is a degree that is given to all lawyer professionals. Technically, those who get a Juris Doctor degree are lawyers. To become a lawyer, you need a Juris Doctor degree. However, in Australia, not all universities offer a Juris Doctor degree, but the majority of them do. 

For more information about this field, you can navigate through Law and Legal Studies.  


If you want to learn more about Juris Doctor visit Top Australian Universities. 






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