is a J.D. considered a master's degree or a doctoral degree?

[Anonymous]

I have a law degree. Whenever I fill out forms requiring that I check a box showing my highest educational level, when there's no choice of "professional" or "other," I'm never sure whether to check "master's degree" or "doctoral degree." I know J.D. means juris doctor, but I always think of doctoral degrees as being Ph.D.s.

TIA!

[Anonymous]

In that case, probably a doctoral degree. But as you point out, it's really a professional degree and the LLM is the masters of law.

[Anonymous]

The Juris Doctor (or Juris Doctorate) is a law degree that originally surfaced in the United States during the 1960s. This "new" law degree was designed as a replacement or alternative to its academic equivalent, the LLB or Bachelor of Laws degree. The degree quickly gained popularity as it afforded the holder the professional recognition of a doctoral degree in law. From an academic perspective, above the Juris Doctor (JD) is the LLM degree (Master of Laws) and then the SJD, JSD, LLD, etc., the true research based doctor of Laws terminal degrees.
Notwithstanding, the official word, according to Merriam Webster's Dictionary, the Juris Doctor is “a degree equivalent to bachelor of laws”.

It's not a doctoral degree.

[Anonymous]

If they don't have the choice of professional degree, I just check doctorate. But I haven't run across a form that doesn't have professional degree as an option lately.

[Anonymous]

Just as an M.D. is viewed as something more than a Master's Degree, so, too, is a J.D. more than a master's.

A couple of years ago, I ran into an old flame from college. I joking said, "So, Mr. [Smith], it's great to see you." He said, "Uh, that's Dr. [Smith.]"

I said, "In that case, you may call me Esquire."

Unless you are a professor who lives a life of an academic, I think the use of Dr. or Esq. is pretentious - which is why I don't use it my every day life, even when it is offered as a "title" I can check off for myself. Old college flame is not in any way shape or form an academic. He didn't spend any more years in school than I did, even if he does have a master's and a Ph.D. in - wait for it - Computer Science.

[Anonymous]

You're just as bad as Old Flame is. too bad it didn't work out b/c you deserve each other

Anonymous wrote:Just as an M.D. is viewed as something more than a Master's Degree, so, too, is a J.D. more than a master's.

A couple of years ago, I ran into an old flame from college. I joking said, "So, Mr. [Smith], it's great to see you." He said, "Uh, that's Dr. [Smith.]"

I said, "In that case, you may call me Esquire."

Unless you are a professor who lives a life of an academic, I think the use of Dr. or Esq. is pretentious - which is why I don't use it my every day life, even when it is offered as a "title" I can check off for myself. Old college flame is not in any way shape or form an academic. He didn't spend any more years in school than I did, even if he does have a master's and a Ph.D. in - wait for it - Computer Science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just as an M.D. is viewed as something more than a Master's Degree, so, too, is a J.D. more than a master's.

A couple of years ago, I ran into an old flame from college. I joking said, "So, Mr. [Smith], it's great to see you." He said, "Uh, that's Dr. [Smith.]"

I said, "In that case, you may call me Esquire."

Unless you are a professor who lives a life of an academic, I think the use of Dr. or Esq. is pretentious - which is why I don't use it my every day life, even when it is offered as a "title" I can check off for myself. Old college flame is not in any way shape or form an academic. He didn't spend any more years in school than I did, even if he does have a master's and a Ph.D. in - wait for it - Computer Science.

Esquire is a title used to address people, not to refer to oneself. IOW, you put it on correspondence addressed to someone, but do not sign anything as "Esq."

And you are definitely as bad as Old Flame. Pathetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Esquire is a title used to address people, not to refer to oneself. IOW, you put it on correspondence addressed to someone, but do not sign anything as "Esq."

That would be huge news to 90% of the lawyers in DC, who do, in fact, sign with an Esq. after their own names.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Esquire is a title used to address people, not to refer to oneself. IOW, you put it on correspondence addressed to someone, but do not sign anything as "Esq."

That would be huge news to 90% of the lawyers in DC, who do, in fact, sign with an Esq. after their own names.

90%??? Really? I don't think I've ever seen it --definitely not from someone who has been out of law school for more than five years.

[Anonymous]

No one signs their name with Esquire, unless they're actually practicing law. A half-dozen of my NGO colleagues went to law school, and not a single one has Esq on their business cards or correspondence. Those with PhDs generally do put their degree on their cards.

OP, if it were me, I'd probably check Masters on that form. You're selling yourself a tad short, but that's preferable to claiming a level of education you don't have. A Masters usually takes two years, a JD three, and a PhD 6-10 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Esquire is a title used to address people, not to refer to oneself. IOW, you put it on correspondence addressed to someone, but do not sign anything as "Esq."

That would be huge news to 90% of the lawyers in DC, who do, in fact, sign with an Esq. after their own names.

I'm a lawyer and have never seen anyone do this, except one guy I knew who was a few months out of law school.

[Anonymous]

I know a ton of people who have Esquire on their business cards. Typically non-practicing lawyers. And I'm a non-practicing lawyer who doesn't, and would never do it.

[Anonymous]

Fortunately most lawyers in DC are sufficiently obnoxious that they don't need the esq. after their names for you to guess that they are lawyers.

[Anonymous]

22:24 - SO TRUE!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fortunately most lawyers in DC are sufficiently obnoxious that they don't need the esq. after their names for you to guess that they are lawyers.

This may be the best quip I've ever read on on DCUM - love it!