Law degree

A law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license. A legal license is granted (typically by examination) and exercised locally; while the law degree can have local, international, and world-wide aspects- e.g., in Britain the Legal Practice Course is required to become a British solicitor or the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) to become a barrister.The first academic degrees were all law degrees- and the first law degrees were doctorates. The foundations of the first universities in Europe were the glossators of the 11th century, which were schools of law.^[4] The first European university, that of Bologna, was founded as a school of law by four famous legal scholars in the 12th century who were students of the glossator school in that city. It is from this history that it is said that the first academic title of doctor applied to scholars of law. The degree and title were not applied to scholars of other disciplines until the 13th century.^[5] And at the University of Bologna from its founding in the 12th century until the end of the 20th century the only degree conferred was the doctorate, usually earned after five years of intensive study after secondary school. The rising of the doctor of philosophy to its present level is a modern novelty.^[6] At its origins, a doctorate was simply a qualification for a guild—that of teaching law.^[7]

The University of Bologna served as the model for other law schools of the medieval age.^[8] While it was common for students of law to visit and study at schools in other countries, such was not the case with England because of the English rejection of Roman law (except for certain jurisdictions such as the Admiralty Court) and although the University of Oxford and University of Cambridge did teach canon law until the English Reformation, its importance was always superior to civil law in those institutions.^[9]

In the medieval Islamic madrasahs, there was a doctorate in the Islamic law of the Sharia, called the ijazat attadris wa 'l-ifta' ("license to teach and issue legal opinions").^[10]

Types of degrees

The type of law degree conferred differs according to the jurisdiction. Some examples include;

A typical Juris Doctor diploma from the United States, here fromSuffolk University Law School in 2008.

• Bacharel em Direito (Bachelor of Laws) or Bacharel em Ciências Jurídicas e Sociais (Bachelor of Laws and Social Sciences), in Brazil, is an undergraduate degree. The abbreviation for Bachelor is Bel.. To be a Lawyer and be admitted at the Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil (Brazilian Bar Association), the Bachelor must be approved at the Brazilian Bar Exam, if the Selection and Registration Committee accept the new member he/she will be consider an Advogado (Attorney at Law/Advocate).
• Bachelor of Laws also referred to as a B.A. in Law (B.L.) or an LL.B. (Hons) in the United Kingdom and various current or former Commonwealth countries. It is an undergraduatedegree.^[11]
• Master of Laws in the United Kingdom and various current or former Commonwealth countries. Also referred to as an LLM from its Latin name, Legum Magister. It is an advanced academic degree pursued by those holding a professional law degree or a degree in a relevant field.
• Laurea di Dottore in Giurisprudenza for graduates before the Bologna Process reforms, or Laurea Magistrale in Giurisprudenza after the Bologna Process reforms, in Italy. It is a masters level degree,^[12] however all graduates of Italian universities, even of the undergraduate degree, are authorized to use the title of "dottore" (Italian for doctor).^[13]
• Erstes Juristisches Staatsexamen is the equivalent to the law degree, since the second part (Zweites Juristisches Staatsexamen) is the German equivalent to the Bar exam in the U.S. At some universities you either become a "Lizentiat des Rechts (Licentiatus iuris)", a Magister iuris or a Diplom-Jurist. It is a master's-level degree.^[14]
• Juris Doctor (J.D.) in the United States and Japan (also offered at some schools in Canada, Australia, and Hong Kong). It is a professional degree, above Master's, below PhD.^[15]
• Legum Doctor (known as the LL.D., or in some jurisdictions Doctor of Laws) is in some jurisdictions the highest academic degree in law and is equivalent to a Ph.D., and in others is an honorary degree only.
• Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) is a research doctorate in law awarded mostly in the United States and Canada.
• Licenciado en Derecho ("Licentiate in Law") in Spain.
• Licenciatura en Derecho ("Bachelor in Law") in Mexico.
• Lizentiat der Rechtswissenschaften (German) / Licence en droit (French) until 2004 and Master of Law (MLaw) since 2004 (as a result of the Bologna Process) in Switzerland. It is a masters level degree.
• Magister iuris (Mag. iur.) ("Master of Law") in Austria and Croatia. It is a masters level degree and the first academic title within both systems. After three years of practice you can take the "Anwaltsprüfung" (in Austria) or "Pravosudni ispit" (in Croatia), an equivalent of the bar exam.
• Specialist in law or Jurist in Ukraine and Russia. It is a graduate degree which allows doing a PhD research after admission to the PhD department (aspirantura), though formally it is not at the masters level.

Contract Law Schools and Colleges in the U.S.

Factors to consider when choosing a contract law school in the U.S. include law school ranking, bar exam preparation and scheduling. Read on for more details on the process of selecting the appropriate law school.

How to Select a Contract Law School

As contracts tend to cover a broad range of subjects and matters, it is often hard to find a degree program that focuses solely on contract law. Most students earn a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree and find a specialization in contract law or a similar discipline within the J.D. program. Students should also strongly evaluate the reputation of the school when choosing a law school as contract law schools with stronger reputations may potentially open doors to better employment or judicial clerkship opportunities upon graduation. Students should also be sure that the chosen programs offer opportunities to participate in externships and clinics. Those who want to practice law will eventually have to pass the bar exam, which is administered in each jurisdiction. The following factors are worth considering when choosing a law school:

• Bar passage rate is one way to consider a school's reputation as a law school.
• Many law schools offer night programs for students who work or have other obligations during the day, which is something potential students should consider.
• In addition to narrowing their list of possible law schools according to the desired specializations within the J.D. degree, students should also verify that the program and school has been accredited by the American Bar Association, the accrediting body for law schools. The ABA has accredited just 200 law schools.

List of Top Contract Law Schools

Read on to learn about law schools where you can study contract law. Get information about what makes these top schools stand out, and see what kind of learning opportunities they offer.

School Overviews

The schools discussed below are both among the top-ranked law schools in the country. Contract law is a common subject in a Juris Doctor (J.D.) program's required curriculum. In addition, many law schools offer advanced classes, workshops and research opportunities in commercial and contract law to upper level and doctorate students.

1. Columbia University in New York, NY

School Highlight: The Center for Contract and Economic Organization focuses on the research of contracts, firms and organizations, to help the exchange of ideas between economists and legal scholars.

In addition to first year contract law courses, students at Columbia University can take part in conferences and workshops offered by the school's Center for Contract and Economic Organization. The center's faculty and research fellows study the economics of contract theory and business organization.

2. Georgetown University in Washington, DC

School Highlight: Students come to study international law, environmental law and health care law at Georgetown University from all over the world.

Georgetown is a private Catholic university ranked 21st in U.S. News & World Report's 2015 list of top universities in the U.S. Georgetown University Law Center's J.D. program is offered in both full time and part time formats. Upper-level students can tailor their education in a number of areas of study, including Commercial and Advanced Contract Law. Joint degrees are offered by the Law Center for students to study their J.D. in tandem with a number of graduate degrees from schools like Georgetown's McDonough School of Business. Specialized programs are available like the Global Law Scholars and Public Interest Law Scholars. There are also courses in Commercial and Advanced Contract Law.

Top Contract Law Schools

School Name	Distinction	Location
Boston University	Transnational Law Program available as part of J.D. and LLM degree programs	Boston, MA
Fordham University	Contract practice available through the Community Economic Development Clinic	Bronx, NY
George Washington University	Publishes quarterly student-edited Public Contract Law Journal	Washington, DC
Harvard University	Students can practice contract law through Transactional Law Clinics	Cambridge, MA
New York University	Center for Law, Economics, and Organization offers specialized classes that include contracts	New York, NY
Northwestern University	Contract practice available through the Bluhm Legal Clinic's Entrepreneurship Law Center	Evanston, IL
Stanford University	Hosts a Organizations and Transactions Clinic as part of its Mills Legal Clinic	Stanford, CA
University of Chicago	Students practice contract work through clinical training	Chicago, IL
Washington University in St Louis	Contract practice is available through the Entrepreneurship and Intellectual Property Clinic	Saint Louis, MO

Top 10 Law Schools

College/University	Institution Type
Yale University	4-year, Private
Harvard University	4-year, Private
Stanford University	4-year, Private
Columbia University	4-year, Private
University of Chicago	4-year, Private
New York University	4-year, Private
University of Pennsylvania	4-year, Private
Duke University	4-year, Private
University of California--Berkeley	4-year, Public
University of Virginia	4-year, Public