How Long Is Law School: What to Expect as a Law Student

As a law student, you can expect to spend at least three years in law school. Full-time students typically complete their studies within three years, while part-time students take up to five years. Graduating from law school is an impressive achievement for many aspiring lawyers. 

Several factors can shorten or lengthen this timeline, such as the time it takes to study for and pass the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), a requirement for law school. Explore factors that can affect your law school timing and get a general idea of how long it takes to become a lawyer to plan your learning path.

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How long does law school take?

To pursue your interest in law, you can take a few different paths, which can impact the three-year average for full-time learners. If you'd like to become a lawyer, you’ll need to earn a Juris Doctor (JD) degree, and if you want to specialize in a field, pursue a Master of Laws (LLM) degree. If you're interested in law but don't intend to be an attorney, you could earn a master's degree in law or a law certificate. Various types of law degrees and available paths take different lengths of time.

Juris Doctor (JD) degree

Completion time: 7 years (4 years for bachelor's degree + 3 years for JD)

In the United States, lawyers must earn a JD degree—the most common law degree—before they can practice law. It’s also a graduate degree, meaning law students must first earn a bachelor's degree. Earning a bachelor's degree typically takes four years when you attend full-time. Add three years to earn your JD, and you can typically finish law school after seven years of schooling. The American Bar Association (ABA) approves JD programs and maintains a list of accredited programs throughout the US.

Master of Laws (LLM) degree

Completion time: 8 years (4 years for bachelor's + 3 years for JD + 1 year for LLM)

Some lawyers decide to extend their studies and earn a Master of Laws (LLM) degree. This degree gives you an opportunity to explore and expand your knowledge in a specialized area of law. Lawyers who have gone to law school in another country may also pursue an LLM to earn the necessary qualifications to practice law in the United States. Lawyers from the United States and abroad must have a JD degree from an ABA-approved law school before seeking an LLM. Earning an LLM usually takes an additional year after earning your JD when you attend full-time.

Master's degree in law

Completion time: 6 years (4 years for bachelor's + 2 years for master's)

Individuals who want to learn more about law but don't want to be an attorney may want to earn a master's degree, such as a Master of Science in Laws (MSL), a Master of Legal Students (MLS), or a Juris Master (JM). Earning a master's degree typically takes two years after earning your bachelor's. 

Legal certificate

Completion time: 4+ years (4 years for bachelor's + over 3 months for certificate)

Earning a legal certificate allows you to learn a specialized law topic quickly without committing to earning a graduate degree. JD or master's degree holders can also pursue legal certificates to strengthen their skill sets. Legal certificates can take from three months to three semesters to complete and usually require a bachelor's degree as a prerequisite. 

People who aspire to be court reporters, paralegals, or legal administrative assistants often pursue legal certificates. Likewise, those who want to specialize in a certain area, such as cybersecurity, entertainment law, health care compliance, or bank regulations, can benefit from earning a certificate. 

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Full-time vs. part-time law school

Although most law students attend school full-time, some choose a part-time program with evening or weekend classes. The decision to attend full-time or part-time is a personal one that depends on several factors. As you debate which type of program to attend, consider the benefits of each:

Accelerated law school programs

Reducing the time it takes to earn a JD to three years is possible by choosing an accelerated law school program. Although you’ll typically complete the same amount of credits, you’ll take advantage of summer terms to graduate within two years instead of three. 

An accelerated JD may benefit those who have the time to devote to studying full-time and wish to start practicing as soon as possible. Depending on your chosen program, you’ll still participate in essential law school experiences, such as trial teams and law reviews. 

Some schools offer a variation of the two-year JD by allowing you to apply your first year of law school credits to the last year of your bachelor's. This creates a six-year program—three years for your bachelor's program and three years for law school. This is known as a 3+3 program.

What is the hardest year of law school?

Many law students agree that the first year (1L) is the hardest year in law school because the teaching methods in law school differ from the typical lectures in undergrad.  Law school uses a combination of the case method, where you prepare for several hours before class by reading law cases and must come ready to give your own opinion on the case. The other method applied in law school is the Socratic method, where you learn based on question-and-answer sessions where all students must prepare to answer. 

Taking the bar exam

If you want to practice law, you must take the bar exam offered through the Board of Bar Examiners in the state where you want to practice. This usually requires you to apply for and take the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), apply for and take the state bar exam, and complete the character review process and additional requirements for the state.

Create a goal to study through your degree program. Formal study for the exam generally begins the final semester of your third year of law school, but if you're working full-time or have other obligations outside of law school, it can begin earlier. Aim to study 400 to 600 hours for the bar exam. This can take 10 to 16 40-hour weeks of studying. Alternatively, if you can only study 10 hours a week for the bar exam, you might need to devote 10 months to a year.

Each state has different requirements for licensing attorneys. Some states accept bar exams from other states, while others (like California and Florida) require all attorneys to take their state exam. Additionally, some states accept the Multistate Bar Exam or the Uniform Bar Exam. It would help if you prepared to demonstrate you have good moral character and to consent to a background check. 

Get started in law on Coursera.

Law school on its own typically takes three years to complete; however, if you want to go to law school, you first need a bachelor's degree. Students who enter law school may have an undergraduate degree in criminal justice, economics, English, political science, psychology, or any degree program with coursework that requires critical thinking and reasoning skills. Get started today by exploring degree programs available from top universities on Coursera. You can also explore some law courses like AI & Law from Lund University or Corporate & Commercial Law I: Contracts & Employment Law from the University of Illinois, both on Coursera.