Bachelor of Laws: Difference between revisions

Browse history interactively ← Previous editContent deleted Content addedVisual WikitextInline

Revision as of 01:11, 30 May 2008 editKing of Hearts (talk \| contribs)Edit filter managers, Autopatrolled, Administrators68,820 editsm Reverted edits by 71.236.81.244 (talk) to last version by 68.61.196.89← Previous edit		Latest revision as of 22:10, 9 December 2024 edit undoWikiCleanerBot (talk \| contribs)Bots925,164 editsm v2.05b - Bot T12 CW#548 - Fix errors for CW project (Punctuation in link - Link equal to linktext)Tag: WPCleaner
Line 1:		Line 1:
			{{EngvarB\|date=July 2023}}
	{{redirect\|LLB\|the drink\|Lemon, Lime & Bitters}}
			{{short description\|Type of undergraduate qualification}}{{Use dmy dates\|date=May 2019}}{{redirect\|LLB}}{{More citations needed\|date=January 2023}}
	The undergraduate ] of '''Bachelor of Laws''' is the degree required for the practice of law in the many of ] countries, other than the United States, where their equivalent entry-level law degree is the ]. Most law schools in Canada are, or are in the process of, changing their degrees to the J.D. degree. Indeed, this is the trend in both Asia and Australia. The LLB is historically classified as a ] and that accounts for its demise in most countries that have placed law school as a second-entry professional degree.
			A '''Bachelor of Laws''' ({{langx\|la\|Legum Baccalaureus}}; '''LL.B''') is an ] ] offered in most ] countries as the primary law degree and serves as the first professional qualification for legal practitioners. This degree requires the study of core legal subjects and ] to provide a comprehensive understanding of the legal system and its function. The LLB curriculum is designed to impart a thorough knowledge of legal principles, legal research skills, and a sound understanding of the roles and responsibilities of lawyers within society. This degree is often a prerequisite for taking ] or qualifying as a practising ], depending on the jurisdiction. Additionally, the LLB program also serves as a foundation for further legal education, such as a ] (LLM) or other postgraduate studies in law.

			== Region awarded ==
	Where the term ''Bachelor of Laws'' continues to be used, it is abbreviated '''LL.B.''' (or '''LLB'''): "LL." is an abbreviation of the genitive plural ''legum'' (of ''lex, legis f.'', law), thus "LL.B." stands for ''Legum Baccalaureus'' in ]. In the ] it is sometimes erroneously called "Bachelor of Legal Letters" to account for the double "L" (however then it is abbreviated as "L.L.B.").
			Bachelor of Laws degrees are awarded by universities in regions including ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. In the ], the Bachelor of Laws was the primary law degree until the 1960s, when it was phased out in favor of the ]; Canada followed suit in the early 21st century.<ref>Historically in ], Bachelor of Laws was the name of the first degree in common law, but is also the name of the ] awarded by a number of Quebec universities. Canadian common-law LL.B. programmes were, in practice, ], meaning that the vast majority of those admitted to an LL.B. programme were already holders of one or more degrees, or, at a minimum (with very few exceptions), have completed two years of study in a first-entry, undergraduate degree in another discipline.</ref>

			==History==
	Historically, in Canada, Bachelor of Laws was the name of the first degree in common law, but is also the name of the ] awarded by a number of Quebec universities. All Canadian common-law LL.B. programs are ], meaning that the majority of those admitted to an LL.B. programme are already holders of one or more degrees, or, at a minimum, have completed two years of study in a first-entry, undergraduate degree in another discipline.
			The first academic degrees were all law degrees in medieval universities, and the first law degrees were ]s.<ref>{{Cite book\| last = Verger \| first = J. \| contribution = Licentia \| title = Lexikon des Mittelalters \| volume = 5 \| at = 1957–1958 \| publisher = J.B. Metzler \| place = Stuttgart \| year = 1999\| title-link = Lexikon des Mittelalters }}</ref><ref name="Lexikon des Mittelalters: Doctor, doctoratus">{{Cite book\| last = Verger \| first = J. \| contribution = Doctor, doctoratus \| title = Lexikon des Mittelalters \| volume = 3 \| at = 1155–1156 \| publisher = J.B. Metzler \| place = Stuttgart \| year = 1999\| title-link = Lexikon des Mittelalters }}</ref><ref>de Ridder-Symoens, Hilde: '']'', Cambridge University Press, 1992, {{ISBN\|0-521-36105-2}}</ref> The foundations of ] were the ] of the 11th century, which were also schools of law.<ref>Herbermann, et al. (1915). . New York: Encyclopedia Press. Accessed 26 May 2008.</ref> The first university, that ], was founded as a school of law by four famous legal scholars in the 12th century who were students of the ] school in that city. The ] served as the model for other law schools of the ] age.<ref>García y García, A. (1992). , London: Cambridge University Press. Accessed 26 May 2008.</ref> 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 ] (except for certain jurisdictions such as the Admiralty Court). Although the ] and the ] did teach ] until the ], its importance was always superior to ] in those institutions.<ref>García y García (1992), 390.</ref>

			"LLB" stands for {{Lang\|la\|Legum Baccalaureus}} in Latin. The "LL." of the abbreviation for the degree is from the ] {{Lang\|la\|legum}} ("of laws"). Creating an ] for a plural, especially from Latin, is often done by doubling the first letter (e.g., "pp." for "pages").
	Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the first degree in ] and ] (both being ]s that are based partly on common law and partly on civil law) awarded by a number of universities in ] and ], respectively.

			The bachelor's degree originated at the University of Paris, whose system was implemented with the ] degree at Oxford and Cambridge.{{sfnp\|Reed\|1921\|p=160}} The "arts" designation of the degree traditionally signifies that the student has undertaken a certain amount of study of the classics.{{sfnp\|Reed\|1921\|p=161}} In continental Europe, the bachelor's degree was phased out in the 18th or early 19th century but it continued at Oxford and Cambridge.
	==Structure of LL.B. programmes==
	Historically, law students studied both ] and ]. Today, this is much less common. However, a few institutions, such as ]'s Department of Canon (Ecclesiastical) Law and ]'s and the ]'s combined programme, continue to offer alternatives to the common law.

			The teaching of law at Oxford University was for philosophical or scholarly purposes and not meant to prepare one to practise law.{{sfnp\|Stein\|1981\|p=434, 435}} Professional training for practising common law in England was undertaken at the ], but over time the training functions of the Inns lessened considerably and apprenticeships with individual practitioners arose as the prominent medium of preparation.{{sfnp\|Stein\|1981\|p=434, 436}} However, because of the lack of standardisation of study and of objective standards for appraisal of these apprenticeships, the role of universities became subsequently of importance for the education of lawyers in the English speaking world.{{sfnp\|Stein\|1981\|p=436}}
	===Common law countries generally===

	In most common law countries (with the exception of Canada, the U.S.), the Bachelor of Laws programme is generally entered directly after completion of secondary school, but some universities in Britain also offer the programme as an accelerated (shorter duration), second-entry programme for the LL.B. following completion of a previous undergraduate degree. {{Fact\|date=April 2008}}
			In England in 1292, when ] requested that lawyers be trained, students merely sat in the courts and observed, but over time the students would hire professionals to lecture them in their residences, which led to the institution of the ] system.{{sfnp\|Stein\|1981\|p=430}} The original method of education at the Inns of Court was a mix of ]-like practice and lecture, as well as court proceedings observation.{{sfnp\|Stein\|1981\|p=431}} By the seventeenth century, the Inns obtained a status as a kind of university akin to the ] and the ], though very specialised in purpose.{{sfnp\|Stein\|1981\|p=432}} With the frequent absence of parties to suits during the ], the importance of the lawyer role grew tremendously, and the demand for lawyers grew.{{sfnp\|Stein\|1981\|p=433}}

			Traditionally Oxford and Cambridge did not see common law as worthy of study, and included coursework in law only in the context of canon and civil law and for the purpose of the study of philosophy or history only. The apprenticeship programme for solicitors thus emerged, structured and governed by the same rules as the apprenticeship programmes for the trades.{{sfnp\|Stein\|1981\|p=434}} The training of solicitors by apprenticeship was formally established by an act of parliament in 1729. ] became the first lecturer in English common law at the ] in 1753, but the university did not establish the programme for the purpose of professional study, and the lectures were philosophical and theoretical in nature.{{sfnp\|Stein\|1981\|p=435}} Blackstone insisted that the study of law should be university based, where concentration on foundational principles can be had, instead of concentration on detail and procedure had through apprenticeship and the Inns of Court.<ref>Moline, Brian J., {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509032640/http://www.washburnlaw.edu/wlj/42-4/articles/moline-brian.pdf \|date=9 May 2009 }}, 42 Washburn Law Journal 775, 793 (2003).</ref>

			The Inns of Court continued but became less effective, and admission to the bar still did not require any significant educational activity or examination. Therefore, in 1846, Parliament examined the education and training of prospective ] and found the system to be inferior to the legal education provided in the United States. Therefore, formal schools of law were called for, but not finally established until later in the century, and even then the bar did not consider a university degree in admission decisions.{{sfnp\|Stein\|1981\|p=436}} When law degrees were required by the English bar and bar associations in other common law countries, the LLB became the uniform degree for lawyers in common law countries.

			==Common law programs==
			In most common law countries (with the exceptions of all Canadian provinces except Quebec, and the United States), the Bachelor of Laws programme is generally entered directly after completion of secondary school.

			===England and Wales===
			The LLB is an undergraduate course. In England and Wales it is also possible to study a programme for conversion called the Graduate Diploma in Law which allows entry to the legal profession following completion of a previous undergraduate degree unrelated to law, which entitles graduates to take the vocational courses for entry into the legal profession.

			===Scotland===
			Although Scotland has a mixed legal system, with both civil and common law influences, the undergraduate LLB is the primary route into the legal profession. The ] LLB is generally taken as a four-year honours course, similar to other university degrees in Scotland. Students wishing to satisfy the ] requirements to become a solicitor must also complete the postgraduate ] at an approved university.

	===Australia===		===Australia===
			A qualifying law degree for the purposes of admission as a lawyer in Australia is either the undergraduate LLB program at accredited universities, or the graduate JD (Juris Doctor). Every recognised qualification of each state admission board is reciprocally recognised by all other states. However, prior to degrees, there existed an alternative to a degree to become a lawyer in Australia, which was either the Barrister's Admission Board, or the Solicitor's Admission Board, whose examinations rendered one eligible to be admitted respectively. The successor of these boards that still operates the alternative is the ], which issues the distinct Diploma in Law, equivalent to either an LLB or a JD Law degrees typically last 4 years for undergraduate admission or 3 years for university graduates.
	The programme of study for the common law LLB can be either a graduate-entry degree programme requiring a previous bachelors degree or can be undertaken directly after high-school either by itself (the duration of which is usually 4 years) or with another degree (ie. BComm/LLB or BSc/LLB), the duration of which can vary between 4-7 years depending on the specific combination.

			Of the thirty-eight ], thirteen of those universities have also started offering the ] as a graduate-entry degree.
	===Canada===
	Canada has a dual system of laws. In the province of Quebec, a system of civil law is used. At the federal level, as well as in every province or territory except Quebec, a system of common law is used. Because of this, there are two Canadian law degrees generally in use.

			===Bangladesh===
	The programme of study for the common law LL.B. is graduate-entry degree programme. While the degree awarded is at the first-degree level and admission may be granted to applicants with two or three years of undergraduate studies towards a degree, in practice the programme generally requires completion of a previous undergraduate degree before registration in that programme. In fact, almost all admitted law students hold at least a bachelor level degree, and a significant number hold a graduate level degree as well.
			In Bangladesh, obtaining an LLB degree is a prerequisite for practising as an advocate in a court of law. Both LLB and LLB (Hons.) degrees are offered at public and private universities. Only seven public universities offer LLB (Hons.) degree. Some private universities also offer four-year LLB (Hons.) degrees and one-year LLM courses. The ] also offers a two-year LLB degree to graduates of subjects other than law. The ] is the first institute in South Asia to offer a bachelor's degree in law, originally offering the B. Jur. (Bachelor of Jurisprudence) beginning in 1970.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://forum.daffodilvarsity.edu.bd/index.php?topic=26376.0 \|title=Rajshahi University Law Department: Pioneer of legal studies in Bangladesh \|publisher=Forum.daffodilvarsity.edu.bd \|date= \|accessdate=2022-02-17}}</ref> Later on, the program was replaced with an LL. B (Hons.) program.

			===Canada===
	The common law programme is three years in length. At that time, the graduate holds a Bachelor of Laws degree, but cannot practice law yet. In order to practice law, the graduate must then be licensed by the Law Society of the province where he/she wishes to practice law, which also requires a traineeship. (See '''Becoming a Lawyer''' below.) Those law graduates wishing to become law professors instead of lawyers often obtain a more advanced academic degree, such as the ] (LL.M.) or the ] (LL.D, S.J.D or D.C.L).
			{{See also\|Juris Doctor#Canada}}
			] has two legal systems. The Province of ] uses a civil law system. At the federal level, as well as in every province or territory except Quebec, a system of common law is used. Because of this, there are two types of Canadian law degrees generally in use.

			==== Common law ====
	The civil law programme in Canada is three years in length. The programme of study for the ] (called LL.B., B.C.L. or LL.L.) is a first-entry degree programme. Like other first-entry university programmes in Quebec it requires a ] diploma for entry.
			The programme of study for common law has traditionally been an undergraduate LLB degree, which has now been re-designated as a JD at nearly all Canadian common law schools. Entrants to the JD programme generally hold an undergraduate degree before registration in the law programme and a significant number hold a graduate-level degree as well. However, admission may be granted to applicants with two years of undergraduate studies towards a degree. Unlike the ], the JD is considered a bachelor's degree-level qualification, albeit a "second-entry" one. The common law programme is three years in length. Upon graduation, one holds a Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor degree. To practise law, the graduate must obtain a licence from the Law Society of the province where they wish to practise law, which requires a year of ].

			==== Civil law ====
	Law schools that offer civil law B.C.L. or LL.L. degrees include McGill University and the University of Ottawa.
			The civil law programme in Canada is three years in length. The programme of study for the ] (called LLB, BCL, or LLL) is a first-entry degree programme. Like other first-entry university programmes in Quebec, it requires a ] diploma for entry. Law schools that offer civil law BCL, LLB, or LLL degrees include ], ], ], ], ] and the ].

			==== Bijuridical ====
	Because of Canada's dual system of laws, some law schools offer joint or dual degrees of common law and civil law. McGill University and the University of Ottawa are two law schools which offer such degrees.
			Because of Canada's dual system of laws, some law schools offer joint or dual degrees in common law and civil law: McGill University, Université de Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke and the University of Ottawa. The law degree offered by McGill University is a mandatory joint common law LLB and Quebec civil law BCL degree. The programme is four years in length. Admission to that programme is a first-entry programme in the case of Quebec students while it is a second-entry programme in the case of students from other provinces (since two years of university studies is required). The University of Ottawa offers a civil law degree (LLL) on its own.

			A number of Canadian law schools allow holders of baccalaureate degrees in Quebec civil law to earn the LLB in common law in two or three semesters. Similarly, the ] offers a one-year LLL programme in Quebec civil law for holders of an LLB or JD degree in common law from a Canadian law school.
	The law degree offered by McGill University is a mandatory joint common law LL.B. / Quebec civil law B.C.L. degree. The programme is four years in length. Admission to that programme is a first-entry programme in the case of Quebec students (as the CEGEP diploma is required) while it is a second-entry programme in the case of students from other provinces (since two years of university studies is required - effectively one extra year of studies more than for a CEGEP diploma). The University of Ottawa offers a civil law degree (LL.L.) on its own.

			Additionally, some Canadian universities with ''common law'' law schools have an arrangement with a Canadian university with a ''Quebec civil law'' law school enabling students to obtain the home school's law degree in three years and the exchange school's law degree in the fourth year.
	A number of Canadian law schools offer students the opportunity to earn, besides their three-year first degrees in common law, programmes in common law for holders of baccalaureate degrees in Quebec civil law enabling those individuals to earn the LL.B. in common law in two or three semesters, depending on the offering university's program. Similarly, the ] offers, besides its three year LL.L. program in Quebec civil law, a one year LL.L. program in Quebec civil law for holders of an LL.B. or J.D. degree in common law from a Canadian law school.

			===Hong Kong===
	Additionally, some Canadian universities with ''common law'' law schools have an arrangement with a Canadian university with a ''Quebec civil law law school'' enabling students to obtain the home school's law degree in three years and the exchange school's law degree in the fourth year.
			In Hong Kong, three universities, including ], ], and ], provide legal studies with both LLB degree or JD degree. The LLB is 4 years in length, while JD is 2 years. Students who have an LLB or JD degree, whether conferred by local universities or the accredited universities overseas, are eligible to apply for admission to ], the legal qualification programme in Hong Kong.

	===India===		===India===
			{{Main\|Legal_education_in_India\|l1=Legal Education in India}}

			{{see also\|Autonomous law schools in India\|Common Law Admission Test}}
	'' Main article ]''

			In ], legal education is traditionally offered as a three-year graduate degree conferring the title of Bachelor of Laws, requiring prospective students to have a bachelor's degree in any subject from a recognised institution.

			However, specialised universities of law known as ] solely devoted to legal education offer an undergraduate five-year law course for students that have completed Class XII from a recognised board of education in India. The five-year law course leads to an integrated honours degree combining the LLB degree with another bachelor's degree, such as a ], ], ], ] and ]. In these programs, students are taught subjects associated with the additional non-law bachelor's degree during the first two years, in addition to standard legal subjects such as torts, contracts and constitutional law, such as ] for the Bachelor of Arts and a combination of physical, life and applied sciences for the Bachelor of Science. In the latter three years of all these programmes, legal subjects dominate the curriculum.
	''See also: ], ]''

			The first national law school was the ]. This was followed by others, including the ] and ]. Today, many Indian universities offer five-year integrated BA LLB programmes similar to that of the national law schools of India, while others continue to offer a traditional three-year programme. Both integrated and traditional types of three-year law degrees are recognised by the ] for to qualify for enrolment to the Bar. One needs to have a full-time law degree to practice as a lawyer in India. Distance or online education options are not available to become a practising lawyer in India.
	In ], ] has been traditionally offered as a three years graduate degree conferring the title of title of LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws) or B.L. (Bachelor of Law). However the legal education system was revised by the ], the governing body of ] in ]. Pursuant thereto, various ] were established which administer five years undergraduate degree programme and confer an integrated honours degree, such as "B.A.,LL.B. (Honours)", "B.B.A, LL.B. (Honours)", "B.Sc., LL.B. (Honours)", etc.

			===Malaysia===
	Both the types of degrees (i.e. three years and five years integrated honours) are recognized and are also qualifying degrees for practice of legal profession in India. A holder of either type of degree may approach a Bar Council of any ] and get upon compliance with the necessary standards, be enrolled on the rolls of the said Bar Council. The process of enrollment confers a license to the holder to practice before any court in India and give legal advice. The entire procedure of enrollment and post-enrollment professional conduct is regulated and supervised by the Bar Council of India.
			{{Main\|Legal education in Malaysia}}

			] inherited a common law system from the British colonial period. However, unlike the ] and some other ] countries, Malaysia adopted the fused legal profession with legal practitioners acting both as ] and in a way ]. Hence all are lawyers eligible and can be admitted to the High Court as a legal professional is entitled to be bestowed with the title "Advocate & Solicitor". This applies to both lawyers practising in the ] (Malaya) and the States of ] & ].

			Under the Legal Profession Act 1976, a person is deemed to be a qualified person to be admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor if they completed and passed the course of Bar Vocational Course in UK & Wales from any Inns of Court, passed the Certificate in Legal Practice or completed a 4-year LLB (Honours) course from an accredited Malaysian university.
	===Bangladesh===
	Like other Common Law countries, Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree is a condition precedent to practice as an Advocate in the Courts of Law of Bangladesh. Both LL.B. and LL.B. (Hons.) degrees are offered in different Public and Private Universities. Only four Public Universities offer LL.B. (Hons.) degree. These Universities are-the University of Dhaka, the University of Rajshahi, the University of Chittagong, the Islamic University of Kustia. All these Universities also offer one year LL.M. course. Private Universities like Green University of Bangladesh, Eastern University, South East University, University of Asia Pacific, Stamford University, Northan University, World University of Bangladesh also offer LL.B. (Hons.) degree. Besides, the National University of Bangladesh also offers two years LL.B. degree to the graduates of subjects other than Law through some Law Colleges.

	==~~Becoming~~ ~~a lawyer~~==		===New Zealand===
			An LLB is required to practise law in New Zealand. An LLB typically takes four years to complete, although it is often completed concurrently with another degree, such as a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) or Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), with the combined completion time usually being five years. Most New Zealand universities allow graduates of other degrees to complete an LLB in three years. Six New Zealand universities offer the LLB degree.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.lawsociety.org.nz/for-the-community/thinking-of-a-career-in-law\|title=Thinking of a career in law?\|work=lawsociety.org.nz}}</ref>
	''See also: ] and ]''
			===Pakistan===
			] is a common law country and to become a lawyer in Pakistan, one needs an LLB from a Pakistani or a foreign university from common law country recognised by the ].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://pakistanbarcouncil.org/recognized-universities/\|title=List of Recognized Universities\|website=pakistanbarcouncil.org\|language=en-US\|access-date=2018-06-09}}</ref> Lawyers in Pakistan are called ''advocates''. An advocate has to be member of one of the provincial Bar Councils, i.e., ], ], ], ] or the Islamabad Bar Council.

			The Bachelor of Laws obtained from ] consists of a 5-year ]-LLB qualification. This rule was laid down by the ] in 2016 requiring 5 years of education to obtain a Bachelor of Laws qualification.<ref>{{Cite news\|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1033561/llb-degree-to-require-five-years-of-education-lahore-city/\|title=LLB degree to require five years of education\|date=25 January 2016\|work=The Express Tribune\|access-date=2018-07-24\|language=en-US}}</ref> This change in the legal education rules led to the abolishing of 3 year LLB programs being offered by universities in Pakistan. This rule however does not affect the recognition of LLB degrees of less than 5 years obtained from foreign universities recognised by the Pakistan Bar Council for the purposes of enrolling as an advocate in Pakistan.
	Upon completion of the LL.B. degree (or its equivalent), graduates are generally qualified to apply for membership of the ] or ]. The membership eligibility bestowed may be subject to completion of professional exams. A student may have to gain a further qualification at postgraduate level, for example a traineeship and the ] or ] in England and Wales or the ] in ].

			===Singapore===
	In ], LL.B. graduates are required to undertake a one year articled clerkship or the Legal Practice Course (Commonly Practical Legal Training or PLT) before applying for registration as a ]. Depending on the State to which a practitioner is admitted membership of the Bar is either restricted to Barristers, or open to both Solicitors and Barristers in the states where both roles are fused. In the states that maintain membership of the bar as a separate entity, entry is attained through the successful completion of an exam and a nine-month period of tutelage (the reading period) under a senior Barrister.
			In Singapore, the LLB is an undergraduate degree conferred by three universities: the ] (NUS), the ] (SMU), and the ] (SUSS). Graduate JD courses are also available at all three law schools.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://news.nus.edu.sg/nus-law-launches-juris-doctor-programme/ \|title=NUS Law launches Juris Doctor programme }}</ref> To be called to the Singapore Bar, graduates are minimally required to possess an LLB or JD from a recognised university.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.mlaw.gov.sg/practising-as-a-lawyer/admission/req/qp/nus.html \|title=I graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) or one of its predecessors – Ministry of Law \|work=mlaw.gov.sg \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131115092850/http://www.mlaw.gov.sg/practising-as-a-lawyer/admission/req/qp/nus.html \|archive-date=15 November 2013 }}</ref>

			===South Africa===
	In ], the lawyer licensing process usually requires the law graduate to 1.) take further classroom law courses, taught by the law society itself, and pass a set of written examinations, commonly referred to as '''bar exams''', related to the taken courses and 2.) complete articled clerkship commonly known as '''articling'''. Although the vast majority of law graduates fulfill the articled clerkship requirement by articling (i.e. working and learning) in a law firm, a government's legal department, a corporation's (in house) legal department, a community legal clinic or some other type of non-profit organization involved in legal work, a small minority of law graduates (with exceptional academic records) satisfy the articled clerkship requirement by undergoing what is commonly called '''clerkship''' with a specific courthouse and under the supervision of a judge instead of working in a more "lawyer-type environment" under the supervision of a lawyer called a '''"principal"'''. In either articling or clerkship, there is the expectation that the law graduate will work in a variety of legal fields and be exposed to the harsh realities of legal practice that are absent from law school's academic atmosphere.
			{{See also\|Legal education in South Africa\|List of law schools in South Africa}}
			]]]
			In ] the LLB is offered both at the ] and ] levels.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://web.wits.ac.za/Academic/CLM/Law/DegreesAndCourses/LLB.htm \|title=University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, LLB \|access-date=2011-12-08 \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100726092702/http://web.wits.ac.za/Academic/CLM/Law/DegreesAndCourses/LLB.htm \|archive-date=26 July 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://brochure.unisa.ac.za/brochure/showprev.aspx?d=l_1_3&f=p_03492 \|title=Unisa Cart – Info \|access-date=2012-11-12 \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309083338/http://brochure.unisa.ac.za/brochure/showprev.aspx?d=l_1_3&f=p_03492 \|archive-date=9 March 2009 }}</ref><ref> {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100424052842/http://www.law.uct.ac.za/generic.php?m=%2Fgeneral%2Fpractice.php\|date=24 April 2010}}</ref> As of 1996 it is the universal and only legal qualification for legal practice, superseding the existing B.Juris. and B.Proc. degrees.<ref name="unisa.ac.za">{{cite web\|url=http://www.unisa.ac.za/Default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=7007 \|access-date=2016-02-08 \|title=This website was recently revamped }}</ref> The undergraduate programme, offered since 1998, requires four years of study. At the postgraduate level, the programme generally requires three years. Several ] offer ] and ] degrees with a ] in "Law"; graduates may then undertake a two-year postgraduate-programme. Some universities also offer a one-year programme for holders of the B.Proc. degree.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://law.ufh.ac.za/pages/pospective.html \|title=The Tudors \|work=ufh.ac.za \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131127143640/http://law.ufh.ac.za/pages/pospective.html \|archive-date=27 November 2013 }}</ref>

			The ] is typically structured around preliminary, core and advanced courses,<ref name="law.uct.ac.za">{{cite web\|url=http://www.law.uct.ac.za/prospectivestud/progs/basic_legal/ \|title=Faculty of Law / Prospective students / Programmes offered \|access-date=2011-12-14 \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111121085754/http://www.law.uct.ac.za/prospectivestud/progs/basic_legal/ \|archive-date=21 November 2011 }}</ref> and most universities also offer elective coursework. The preliminary courses acquaint the students with both the background and the foundations of the ], and with legal thinking and analysis in general. The core subjects are those regularly required for legal practice.<ref name="unisa.ac.za" />
	In the province of ], for example, the licensing process for the ] (Ontario's governing law society) consists of three mandatory components: The Skills and Professional Responsibility Program with assignments and assessments, Licensing Examinations (a Barrister Licensing Examination and a Solicitor Licensing Examination), and a 10-month Articling term.
			The advanced courses (usually) comprise further study in these core subjects,<ref name = "SA electives">See for example these degree outlines: , , .</ref> deepening and / or broadening the student's knowledge as appropriate. The electives – often comprising these advanced courses, amongst others – allow students to specialise in a particular area of law, to an extent, by choosing from a range of optional courses. Some universities also require that students complete an experience based course ("Practical Legal Studies" / "]"); a credit comprising independent research exclusively is often offered as an elective, and at some universities is a degree requirement.<ref name = "SA electives"/>

			Depending on university, the curriculum will comprise legal subjects exclusively,<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web\|url=http://www.unisa.ac.za/qualifications/index.asp?link=http://www.unisa.ac.za/qualifications/Navigation/l_CLAW_99.html\|title=Undergraduate and honours qualifications\|work=unisa.ac.za}}</ref> or may include ] subjects so as to prepare graduates with a "broad-based" legal education.<ref name="law.uct.ac.za" /> Some undergraduate programmes do not offer any optional coursework. Credits in ] and ] are also often included.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> Along with ], these were, but are no longer, "subjects compelled by statute",<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.labour.gov.za/downloads/documents/research-documents/Law_DoL_Report.pdf \|title=Microsoft Word – Law_DoL_Report.doc \|website=Labour.gov.za \|access-date=2017-05-24 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728233206/http://www.labour.gov.za/downloads/documents/research-documents/Law_DoL_Report.pdf \|archive-date=28 July 2013 \|url-status=dead }}</ref> and were typically entrance requirements for the LLB, having been studied as undergraduate modules. Similarly, ] was previously a preliminary course, whereas, in both the post- and undergraduate degree, it is now offered as an elective.
	At the conclusion of the licensing process, the law graduate is "called to the bar" whereby he/she signs his/her name in the ] and swears lawyer-related oaths in a formal ceremony where he/she must appear in a complete barrister's gown and bow before judges of the local superior court and benchers of the licensing law society. After the call ceremony, he/she can designate him/herself as a "solicitor and barrister", and can practice law in the province in which he/she is licensed. In the Province of ], licensed lawyers are automatically permitted to practice the powers of a ]. In Ontario and other provinces, a licensed lawyer requires further licensing from another authority, such as the provincial attorney general, before he/she can work in a Notary Public capacity.

			The structure of the undergraduate programme is under review. The issues noted are: graduates of these programmes are seen to be less prepared for the profession as compared to those pursuing the graduate LLB; only 20% of entrants complete the programme within four years; only about 50% of graduates here enter the legal profession at all.<ref>See for example: , finweek.com; , University World News.</ref> Further, there are those who question the academic standard of the new degree.<ref>, news24.com.</ref> Some universities have now discontinued the programme;<ref>]: {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218193448/http://www.wits.ac.za/newsroom/newsitems/201404/23367/news_item_23367.html \|date=18 December 2014 }}, wits.ac.za</ref> in other cases undergraduate students are required to initially register as Arts, Commerce or Science students – with first year law subjects – and, in the second year of study, only those meeting specified criteria may choose to pursue the four-year LLB.<ref>]: {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029163204/http://www.ru.ac.za/orientationgateway/departmentsandfaculties/courseandcurriculum/law/ \|date=29 October 2014 }}, ru.ac.za.</ref>
	Although not required by the licensing process, many 1<sup>st</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup> year law students work in law firms during the summer off-school season to earn extra money and to guarantee themselves an articling position (with the same law firms) upon their graduation from law school, because there is always fierce competition for articling positions, especially for those in large law firms offering attractive remuneration and prestige, and a law graduate cannot become a licensed lawyer in Canada if he/she has not gone through articled clerkship.

	==Alternative titles and formats==		==Alternative titles and formats==
	===Doctor of Jurisprudence or Juris Doctor (J.D.)===
	''For main article, see ]''

			===Irish BCL and LLB===
	In the United States, the LL.B. as a requisite for admission to practice was replaced by the requirement of a graduated degree, the ] or ] (J.D.). The accepted post-nominal abbreviations noting the conferral of the degree are either "J.D." or "D.Jur."
			The four universities under the ] umbrella, award the degree of ] (BCL). Four Irish universities and two Northern Irish universities award an LLB NUIG offer the LLB as a 1-year postgraduate course for holders of the Bachelor of Corporate Law or Bachelor of Arts in law degrees.

			Some English and Welsh universities award an LLB in Irish law.
	Universities in some other common-law jurisdictions generally continue to award the LL.B. degree as the 'first degree' in law. Some law schools in ], ], and ] have begun to offer Juris Doctor programmes. For instance, in 2001, Canada’s University of Toronto began conferring the J.D. instead of the LL.B. it had previously.<ref>"JD Program," ''University of Toronto Faculty of Law''.</ref> The Faculty of Law at Canada’s Queen’s University voted to replace its LL.B. with a J.D.<ref>“A law degree by any other name: Proposed changes from LL.B. to J.D. ‘consistent with international norms,’ dean says” ''The Queen’s Journal'', November 29, 2007.</ref> The decision received the approval of the University’s Senate in February 2008.<ref>“J.D. Proposal,” ''Queen’s University Faculty of Law''.</ref> A similar change is pending at Toronto's Osgoode Hall Law School, where 73% of students casting a ballot in a 2008-03 plebiscite supported the change. Finally, in a unique, joint degree programme, The University of Detroit Mercy School of Law <ref>"Joint & Multiple Degree Programs," ''University of Detroit Mercy School of Law''.</ref>and the University of Windsor Faculty of Law<ref>"J.D./LL.B. Program," ''University of Windsor Faculty of Law''.</ref> have collaborated to create a program wherein, after three years of study, the American law school issues the Canadian student an American J.D., while the Canadian law school issues the same student an LL.B.

			In the nineteenth century, the ] conferred degrees of LLB on clerical and lay students at ] from 1840 onwards.<ref>{{cite book\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2uksAAAAYAAJ&q=%22University+of+London%22+Carlow \|title=Minutes of the Senate ...: With Indexes. 1837–1850 – University of London \|date=16 September 2008 \|access-date=2017-05-24}}</ref>
	===Irish B.C.L.===

			The ] Barrister-at-Law degree B.L. is a postgraduate degree and is required to practice as a barrister in Ireland.
	Three of the four universities under the ] (]) umbrella, award the degree of ] (B.C.L.). These are ], ] and ].
	Five (three in the republic) Irish universities (]; ]; ]; the ], and the ]), one English university (]) and one Welsh university (]) award the LL.B. in Ireland as a basic professional degree in law (the latter two are run via local private colleges).
	] therefore, awards both. It should be noted, though, that Ireland is a ] jurisdiction (in fact there are two common law jurisdictions on the island) and the expression "civil law" is used to differentiate common law from ] in the republic.
	In the past ] B.C.L. graduates who went to work in Britain sometimes didn't disabuse people of the casual notion that it was a post-graduate degree, similar to the more famous ] B.C.L.

	===Zimbabwe B.L. and ~~LL.B.~~===		===Zimbabwe B.L. and LLB===
	At the ], the first degree in common law is the Bachelor of ~~Law~~ (~~B.L.~~) which is equivalent to the ~~LL.B.~~ in other common law jurisdictions. It is followed by a one year programme at the university (analogous to post-~~LL.B.~~ vocational programmes in other common law jurisdictions) at the end of which a second degree, the Bachelor of Laws (~~LL.B.~~), is awarded.		At the ], the first degree in common law was the Bachelor of Laws (BL), which was equivalent to the LLB in other common law jurisdictions. It was followed by a one-year programme at the university (analogous to post-LLB vocational programmes in other common law jurisdictions) at the end of which a second degree, the Bachelor of Laws (LLB), was awarded. The curriculum has since been changed and now only one four-year honours LLB degree is awarded.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.uz.ac.zw/law/history.htm \|title=facultyoflaw: Brief History \|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> \|date=2006 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100424055127/http://www.uz.ac.zw/law/history.htm \|archive-date=24 April 2010}}</ref>

	===~~The~~ ~~LL.B.~~ in ~~Pakistan~~===		===Variations on the LLB===
			Some universities in the ] and ] offer variations, which generally take four years to complete and include a wider range of topics as well as some degree of specialisation or the study of multiple jurisdictions, such as the LLB Law with French Law and Language offered by the ].<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Undergraduate LLB Law Course \|url=https://www.uea.ac.uk/course/undergraduate/llb-law \|access-date=3 August 2023 \|website=University of East Anglia}}</ref>

			Various universities in the United Kingdom and Australia will allow a degree that combines study with a non-law discipline. For example, some universities in the United Kingdom offer a combined study of law and history leading to a B.A. degree that is accepted by the Law Society and Inns of Court as equivalent to an LLB. {{Citation needed\|date=April 2010}}
	In Pakistan, a person going for an LL.B. degree should have a bachelor's degree. Most law students choose to obtain a two year bachelor degree before enrolling for an LL.B. degree in a law college. The LL.B. itself is a three year programme. In Punjab, a five year joint B.A./LL.B. degree is being offered by law colleges.

			The University of London External Programme in Laws (LLB) has been awarding its law degree via ] since 1858.
	After obtaining an LL.B. degree, a person wishing to practise has to intimate the concerned Bar Council that he is undergoing a six month training period under the supervision of a High Court lawyer with ten year standing. After he completes the pupillage, he will be asked to take a written test and undergo a viva-voce exam.

			At the universities of ] and ], the principal law degree remains the Bachelor of Arts, in either Jurisprudence or Law, which is equivalent to an LLB in other universities. Traditionally, the LLB at Cambridge, as well as the Bachelor of Civil Law at Oxford, were postgraduate degrees for specialising in law. The ], recently, replaced their LLB title with that of the ], which Oxford retains the BCL as a master's level course, equivalent to the LLM.
	===Variations on the LL.B.===
	Some universities in the ] and ] offer variations of this degree, such as the LL.B. (Europe), which generally take four years to complete and include a wider range of topics as well as some degree of specialisation.

			Some universities in the UK including ] have a four-year LLB course, which consists of a 40-week industrial work placement.<ref name="bournemouthllb">{{cite web\|url=http://onlineservices.bournemouth.ac.uk/courses/Course.aspx?course=73&name=Law \|title=Law LLB(Hons) \|publisher=Bournemouth University \|access-date=22 October 2010 \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823180247/http://onlineservices.bournemouth.ac.uk/courses/Course.aspx?course=73&name=Law \|archive-date=23 August 2011 }}</ref> ] also offers a two-year full-time LLB course.<ref name="staffsllb">{{cite web \|url=http://www.staffs.ac.uk/courses_and_study/courses/law-twoyear-degree-tcm4213478.jsp \|title=Law (Two-year degree) \|publisher=Staffordshire University \|access-date=22 October 2010 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101115145450/http://www.staffs.ac.uk/courses_and_study/courses/law-twoyear-degree-tcm4213478.jsp \|archive-date=15 November 2010 \|url-status=dead }}</ref>
	Various universities in the United Kingdom and Australia will allow a degree that combines study with a non-law discipline. For example, some universities in the United Kingdom offer a combined study of law and history leading to a B.A. degree that is accepted by the Law Society and Inns of Court as equivalent to an LL.B.

			LLB programs in ] and common law have been introduced by some universities in Pakistan and Malaysia.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.iium.edu.my/aikol/programmes-courses/undergraduate-programmes/bachelor-law-shariah-llbs\|title=International Islamic University Malaysia\|work=iium.edu.my\|date=11 June 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.usim.edu.my/usimweb/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88&Itemid=148 \|title=En. Muhammad Haizuan Rozali, Pendaftar Usim \|website=Usim.edu \|access-date=2017-05-24}}</ref>
	The University of London External Programme in Laws (LL.B.) has been awarding its law degree via ] since 1858. The LL.B. awarded by the University of London External Programme is of the same standard and quality irrespective of the mode or manner of learning.

			==United States==
	At various universities in the UK such as ], and ] the principal law degree is a ], in either Jurisprudence or Law respectively; the B.C.L. and LL.B. are second-entry postgraduate degrees. The ] has recently replaced their LL.B. degree with an ]
			The United States no longer offers the LLB, though some universities have introduced bachelor's degrees in legal studies, featuring curricula that include courses in constitutional law, tort law, and criminal law. These degrees may provide an accelerated pathway into the JD program, allowing students to complete both degrees in six instead of seven years.<ref>{{cite web \|date=4 May 2014 \|title=University of Arizona to Offer Nation's First Bachelor of Arts in Law {{!}} College of Law \|url=https://law.arizona.edu/news/2014/05/university-arizona-offer-nations-first-bachelor-arts-law \|access-date=2019-02-04 \|website=law.arizona.edu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \|date=16 May 2019 \|title=3+3 B.A. Law & Juris Doctor \|url=https://sgpp.arizona.edu/accelerated-masters/juris-doctor \|access-date=15 September 2021 \|publisher=The University of Arizona College of Social & Behavioral Sciences School of Government & Public Policy}}</ref>

			While the LLB was conferred until 1971 at ], since that time, all universities in the United States have awarded the professional doctorate ],<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.pb.uillinois.edu/aaude/documents/graded_glossary.doc \|title=Glossary of Terms for Graduate Education \|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> \|publisher=Association of American Universities Data Exchange \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304031242/http://www.pb.uillinois.edu/aaude/documents/graded_glossary.doc \|archive-date=4 March 2009 }}. National Science Foundation (2006). " {{webarchive \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308130032/https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf06312/nsf06312.pdf \|date=March 8, 2016 }}," ''InfoBrief, Science Resource Statistics'' NSF 06-312, 2006, p. 7. (under "Data notes" mentions that the J.D. is a professional doctorate); San Diego County Bar Association (1969). {{webarchive \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308130032/http://spellmirelaw.com/ \|date=8 March 2016 }}. Accessed 26 May 2008. (under "other references" discusses differences between academic and professional doctorate, and statement that the J.D. is a professional doctorate); University of Utah (2006). {{webarchive \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626081148/http://www.gradschool.utah.edu/catalog/degree.php \|date=26 June 2008 }}. Accessed 28 May 2008. (the J.D. degree is listed under doctorate degrees); {{cite web\|url=http://www.blk-bonn.de/papers/hochschulsystem_usa.pdf \|title=U.S. Higher Education / Evaluation of the Almanac Chronicle of Higher Education \|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> \|publisher=German Federal Ministry of Education \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325051732/http://www.blk-bonn.de/papers/hochschulsystem_usa.pdf \|archive-date=25 March 2009 }} (report by the German Federal Ministry of Education analysing the Chronicle of Higher Education from the U.S. and stating that the J.D. is a professional doctorate); Encyclopædia Britannica. (2002). ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', 3:962:1a. (the J.D. is listed among other doctorate degrees).</ref><ref name="WSJYale">{{cite web \| publisher = Wall Street Journal \| last = Lattman \| first = Peter \| title = Why Did Law Schools Switch from LLBs to JDs? \| url = https://blogs.wsj.com/law/2007/09/28/why-did-law-schools-switch-from-llbs-to-jds/ \| date = 28 September 2007 \| access-date = 17 September 2013}}</ref> which then became the generally standardised degree in most states as the compulsory prerequisite to sit for the bar exam prior to practice of law.<ref>Schoenfeld, Marcus, "J.D. or LL.B. as the Basic Law Degree," Cleveland-Marshall Law Review, Vol. 4, 1963, pp. 573–579, quoted in Joanna Lombard, , Proceedings of the 85th ACSA Annual Meeting, Architecture: Material and Imagined and Technology Conference, 1997. pp. 585–591.</ref> Many law schools converted their basic law degree programmes from LLB to JD in the 1960s, and permitted prior LLB graduates to retroactively receive the new doctorate degrees by returning their LLB in exchange for a JD degree.<ref>{{cite web \| url = http://law.marquette.edu/facultyblog/2012/01/11/why-the-law-degree-is-called-a-j-d-and-not-an-ll-b/ \| title = Why the Law Degree Is Called a J.D. and Not an LL.B. \| last = Hylton \| first = J. Gordon \| date = 30 December 2011 \| publisher = Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog \| access-date = 17 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \| url = http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/lawyers_are_doctors_too/ \| title = Lawyers are Doctors, Too \| last = Maher \| first = Kathleen \| date = 24 November 2006 \| access-date = 17 September 2013}} (Notes that by 1969 many law schools were phasing out the LL.B. in favor of the J.D.)</ref> Yale graduates who received LLB degrees prior to 1971 were similarly permitted to change their degree to a JD, though many did not take the option, choosing to retain their LLB degrees.<ref name="WSJYale" />
	==Eligibility to Practice Law in the U.S. with Foreign Credentials==
	For the most part, foreign law graduates seeking admission to the bar in the United States will find their LL.B. law degree does not of itself fulfill the core admission requirements of most states, thereby not allowing them to take the bar exam. The major exception to this is ], where those foreign graduates who have fulfilled the educational requirements to practice law in another common law country through study at an approved educational institution, similar in both duration and content to the equivalent teaching at an approved U.S. law school, are permitted to sit the bar.. Additionally, both New York and ] permit Canadian LL.B. holders to take the bar. The requirements of each of the states vary, and in some states sufficient years of practice in one's home country may allow for those otherwise excluded to sit for the bar. Interested applicants should check the requirements of each state bar association carefully as requirements vary markedly.

			Before the degree was phased out, notable recipients of the LLB include former United States presidents ], ], and ]; former United States ]s ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]; former FBI director ]; American ] and ] ]; as well as the first female commissioner of the ], ].

			===Eligibility of foreign graduates in the US===
	==Situation within the European Union==
			For the most part, foreign law graduates seeking ] will find their law degree does not itself fulfill the core admission requirements of most states, thereby not allowing them to take the bar exam. The major exception to this is ], where those foreign graduates who have fulfilled the educational requirements to practice law in another common law country through study at an approved educational institution, similar in both duration and content to the equivalent teaching at an approved United States law school, are permitted to sit for the bar exam.<ref>. The New York State Board of Law Examiners.</ref> Additionally, both New York and ] permit Canadian LLB holders to take the bar exam.<ref>. The Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners.</ref> The requirements of each of the states vary, and in some states sufficient years of practice in one's home country may allow for those otherwise excluded to sit for the bar exam.
	] permits ] citizens with LL.B. degrees from ] or the UK, who practise law in one of these countries for three or more years, to practise also in every other member state. The actual procedure to receive the respective national ] is regulated by the member state and therefore differs from country to country, but every EU member has to apply the relevant EU Directives to its own national law.

			Most states require completion of a law degree from a law school accredited by the ]. As a result, some American law schools offer one-year ] programmes for foreign attorneys, which qualify foreign lawyers for admission to some state bars.
	Recently many universities in ] have introduced LL.B. degrees as part of the ].The LL.B. is a three or four year basic law degree. Some students pursue the LL.M. after pursuing the LL.B. The LL.B. in Germany doesn't cover all classes which are also required for the First State Exam. A credit point system is used for the LL.B. degree. In order to obtain the LL.B. students have to pass different sorts of exams and collect fewer points than needed for the First State Exam. The LL.B. degrees are intended for those students not necessarily seeking to be lawyers by profession. The background in law obtained is, however, solid. Currently, in Germany, there is a huge dispute as to the value of Bachelor degrees in general. One will often hear State Exam students criticizing the Bachelor as being a lesser degree. In fact, the objective is simply different. By obtaining the LL.B., a student is not automatically qualified to sit for the First State Exam. It is expected that the First State Exam will be completely replaced by the LL.B. by 2010. The LL.B. is a cornerstone to the future of law practice in Germany.

			==European LLB programs==
	In Malta, the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree, offered by the ], is an undergraduate degree that of itself is not sufficient for admission into any of the legal professions.
			] permits ] citizens with LLB degrees from one EU member state, who practise law and have been qualified lawyers in their jurisdiction for three or more years, to practise also in every other member state. The actual procedure to receive the respective national ] is regulated by the member state and therefore differs from country to country, and temporary restrictions may in certain cases exist, but every EU member has to apply the relevant EU Directives to its own national law.

			As a consequence of the ], recently many ] and a few traditional ] in ] have introduced LLB programmes, replacing the {{Lang\|de\|Diplom-Wirtschaftsjurist}} degree. The LLB is a three or four-year full-time law degree. As opposed to courses of study leading to the ]—the master's-level professional law degree in Germany—most LLB degree programmes concentrate on ] and may feature a component of education in ]. Graduates of LLB courses can continue LLM studies and in some cases sit for the first ] after one or more years of additional law studies in order to qualify for practising law in Germany.
	==Alternative to a law degree in England/Alternative degree route in Scotland==

			In Malta, the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree, offered by the ], is an undergraduate degree that of itself is not sufficient for admission into any of the legal professions. Likewise, in Italy a five-year course in law (''Laurea magistrale in giurisprudenza a ciclo unico'') is offered by law schools{{Citation needed\|date=September 2022\|reason=Bring evidence of the claim. Law studies in Italy are generic and do not grant access to legal professions, France's and Germany's being the opposite.}}. The Italian Diploma in Law, equivalent to the LLB, does not directly qualify one for a career in any legal profession, as graduates are required to undergo a traineeship for 18 months before taking a government exam to sit for the Italian bar or take the exam as public notary. Alternatively, this requirement can be met by undertaking two further year of studies (''Diploma di specializzazione per le professioni legali'' – equivalent of a 2-year Master of Arts).<ref>{{Cite web \|title=DECRETO LEGISLATIVO 5 aprile 2006, n. 160 – Normattiva \|url=https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legislativo:2006-04-05;160!vig= \|access-date=2022-09-13 \|website=www.normattiva.it}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|title=LEGGE 30 luglio 2007, n. 111 – Normattiva \|url=https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:legge:2007-07-30;111!vig= \|access-date=2022-09-13 \|website=www.normattiva.it}}</ref>
	There are also conversion courses available for non-law graduates, available as an alternative to the full-length LL.B. degree course. One such example of a conversion course in England and Wales is the GDL (Graduate Diploma in Law), which takes one year to complete.

			In Spain, there is no comparable degree to the LLB Law studies in Spain last for four years in total, culminating in the "Grado en Derecho". Prior to that, the sole degree of "Licenciatura en Derecho" allowed graduates of law direct access to the legal profession without further training and masters. Currently, holders of a Spanish law degree must attend a specific LLM in Legal practice course (similar to the former British LPC) to gain admission to the Spanish bar.
	In the UK, as well as in other Common Law jurisdictions, the main approach to this, is the so-called ] (undergraduate) LL.B. degree, where graduates from another discipline can complete the LL.B. in two years, although this may occasionally require taking qualifying law courses within the first degree to meet professional requirements in full. Therefore it is not entirely correct to regard it as an 'accelerated' degree.

			In Denmark, universities now offer three-year LLB programmes, although this is not sufficient to practice law. Students wishing to practice law should continue with a Masters in Law programme, leading to the ] degree. Alternatively, students may choose to use the LLB as a basis for other courses within the social sciences or humanities.
	This 'double degree' system was, at one time, an alternative route to the former B.L. degree (now obsolete) but students were required to have independent means to complete the second degree. The current Scots LL.B. degree, a direct-entry undergraduate degree, meets all professional requirements when coupled with the Diploma in Legal Practice. The Diploma was introduced circa 1980; prior to this, all professional exams were taken within the degree itself (or as part of an earlier non-law degree), limiting the scope for academic study.

	Therefore the pursuit of the double degree nowadays, for school-leavers at least, is mainly to indicate that one (or, more precisely, one's parents) can afford to do so - in other words, a marker of affluence. The first non-law degree will almost invariably be an arts degree although science or other degrees are not unknown. Rarely, the double degree principle is found in reverse; just as an arts or science degree can provide exemption from the full academic (not professional) requirements of a subsequent law degree, similarly a law degree can provide exemption from the full academic requirements of a subsequent arts or science degree {{Fact\|date=October 2007}}. In this case, it is more likely that the second degree will be taken as a self-funding mature student, possibly on a part-time basis.

	==References==
	{{reflist}}

	==See also==		==See also==
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]
	* ]		* ]
	* ]		* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* Admission to the Bar - US/Canada/UK
	* ] - other common law jurisdictions
	* ]		* ]
	*]

	== ~~External links~~ ==		== Sources ==
			* {{cite book \|last=Reed \|first=Alfred Zantzinger
			\|title=Training for the public profession of the law: Historical development and principal contemporary problems of legal education in the United States, with some account of conditions in England and Canada
			\|date=1921
			\|location=New York
			\|publisher=Carnegie Foundation
			\|url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924069476095
			\|oclc=60738310
			}}
			* {{cite journal \|last=Stein \|first=Ralph Michael
			\|title=The Path of Legal Education from Edward I to Langdell: A History of Insular Reaction
			\|journal=Chicago-Kent Law Review
			\|volume=57
			\|issue=2
			\|pages=429–454
			\|date=1981
			\|oclc=8092906761
			\|url=https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/lawfaculty/228/
			}}

			==References==
			{{Reflist\|30em}}

	{{Refimprove\|date=September 2007}}
	{{Academic degrees}}		{{Academic degrees}}

			{{DEFAULTSORT:Bachelor Of Laws}}
	]		]
	]		]

	]
	]
	]
	]

Latest revision as of 22:10, 9 December 2024

Type of undergraduate qualification"LLB" redirects here. For other uses, see LLB (disambiguation).

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Bachelor of Laws" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

A Bachelor of Laws (Latin: Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B) is an undergraduate law degree offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree and serves as the first professional qualification for legal practitioners. This degree requires the study of core legal subjects and jurisprudence to provide a comprehensive understanding of the legal system and its function. The LLB curriculum is designed to impart a thorough knowledge of legal principles, legal research skills, and a sound understanding of the roles and responsibilities of lawyers within society. This degree is often a prerequisite for taking bar exams or qualifying as a practising lawyer, depending on the jurisdiction. Additionally, the LLB program also serves as a foundation for further legal education, such as a Master of Laws (LLM) or other postgraduate studies in law.

Region awarded

Bachelor of Laws degrees are awarded by universities in regions including Europe, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, Botswana, Israel, Brazil, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and United Kingdom. In the United States, the Bachelor of Laws was the primary law degree until the 1960s, when it was phased out in favor of the Juris Doctor; Canada followed suit in the early 21st century.

History

The first academic degrees were all law degrees in medieval universities, and the first law degrees were doctorates. The foundations of the first universities were the glossators of the 11th century, which were also schools of law. The first 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. The University of Bologna served as the model for other law schools of the medieval age. 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). Although the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge did teach canon law until the English Reformation, its importance was always superior to civil law in those institutions.

"LLB" stands for Legum Baccalaureus in Latin. The "LL." of the abbreviation for the degree is from the genitive plural legum ("of laws"). Creating an abbreviation for a plural, especially from Latin, is often done by doubling the first letter (e.g., "pp." for "pages").

The bachelor's degree originated at the University of Paris, whose system was implemented with the Bachelor of Arts degree at Oxford and Cambridge. The "arts" designation of the degree traditionally signifies that the student has undertaken a certain amount of study of the classics. In continental Europe, the bachelor's degree was phased out in the 18th or early 19th century but it continued at Oxford and Cambridge.

The teaching of law at Oxford University was for philosophical or scholarly purposes and not meant to prepare one to practise law. Professional training for practising common law in England was undertaken at the Inns of Court, but over time the training functions of the Inns lessened considerably and apprenticeships with individual practitioners arose as the prominent medium of preparation. However, because of the lack of standardisation of study and of objective standards for appraisal of these apprenticeships, the role of universities became subsequently of importance for the education of lawyers in the English speaking world.

In England in 1292, when Edward I requested that lawyers be trained, students merely sat in the courts and observed, but over time the students would hire professionals to lecture them in their residences, which led to the institution of the Inns of Court system. The original method of education at the Inns of Court was a mix of moot court-like practice and lecture, as well as court proceedings observation. By the seventeenth century, the Inns obtained a status as a kind of university akin to the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, though very specialised in purpose. With the frequent absence of parties to suits during the Crusades, the importance of the lawyer role grew tremendously, and the demand for lawyers grew.

Traditionally Oxford and Cambridge did not see common law as worthy of study, and included coursework in law only in the context of canon and civil law and for the purpose of the study of philosophy or history only. The apprenticeship programme for solicitors thus emerged, structured and governed by the same rules as the apprenticeship programmes for the trades. The training of solicitors by apprenticeship was formally established by an act of parliament in 1729. William Blackstone became the first lecturer in English common law at the University of Oxford in 1753, but the university did not establish the programme for the purpose of professional study, and the lectures were philosophical and theoretical in nature. Blackstone insisted that the study of law should be university based, where concentration on foundational principles can be had, instead of concentration on detail and procedure had through apprenticeship and the Inns of Court.

The Inns of Court continued but became less effective, and admission to the bar still did not require any significant educational activity or examination. Therefore, in 1846, Parliament examined the education and training of prospective barristers and found the system to be inferior to the legal education provided in the United States. Therefore, formal schools of law were called for, but not finally established until later in the century, and even then the bar did not consider a university degree in admission decisions. When law degrees were required by the English bar and bar associations in other common law countries, the LLB became the uniform degree for lawyers in common law countries.

Common law programs

In most common law countries (with the exceptions of all Canadian provinces except Quebec, and the United States), the Bachelor of Laws programme is generally entered directly after completion of secondary school.

England and Wales

The LLB is an undergraduate course. In England and Wales it is also possible to study a programme for conversion called the Graduate Diploma in Law which allows entry to the legal profession following completion of a previous undergraduate degree unrelated to law, which entitles graduates to take the vocational courses for entry into the legal profession.

Scotland

Although Scotland has a mixed legal system, with both civil and common law influences, the undergraduate LLB is the primary route into the legal profession. The Scots Law LLB is generally taken as a four-year honours course, similar to other university degrees in Scotland. Students wishing to satisfy the Law Society of Scotland requirements to become a solicitor must also complete the postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at an approved university.

Australia

A qualifying law degree for the purposes of admission as a lawyer in Australia is either the undergraduate LLB program at accredited universities, or the graduate JD (Juris Doctor). Every recognised qualification of each state admission board is reciprocally recognised by all other states. However, prior to degrees, there existed an alternative to a degree to become a lawyer in Australia, which was either the Barrister's Admission Board, or the Solicitor's Admission Board, whose examinations rendered one eligible to be admitted respectively. The successor of these boards that still operates the alternative is the Legal Profession Admission Board, which issues the distinct Diploma in Law, equivalent to either an LLB or a JD Law degrees typically last 4 years for undergraduate admission or 3 years for university graduates.

Of the thirty-eight law schools, thirteen of those universities have also started offering the Juris Doctor as a graduate-entry degree.

Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, obtaining an LLB degree is a prerequisite for practising as an advocate in a court of law. Both LLB and LLB (Hons.) degrees are offered at public and private universities. Only seven public universities offer LLB (Hons.) degree. Some private universities also offer four-year LLB (Hons.) degrees and one-year LLM courses. The National University of Bangladesh also offers a two-year LLB degree to graduates of subjects other than law. The University of Rajshahi is the first institute in South Asia to offer a bachelor's degree in law, originally offering the B. Jur. (Bachelor of Jurisprudence) beginning in 1970. Later on, the program was replaced with an LL. B (Hons.) program.

Canada

Common law

The programme of study for common law has traditionally been an undergraduate LLB degree, which has now been re-designated as a JD at nearly all Canadian common law schools. Entrants to the JD programme generally hold an undergraduate degree before registration in the law programme and a significant number hold a graduate-level degree as well. However, admission may be granted to applicants with two years of undergraduate studies towards a degree. Unlike the United States, the JD is considered a bachelor's degree-level qualification, albeit a "second-entry" one. The common law programme is three years in length. Upon graduation, one holds a Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor degree. To practise law, the graduate must obtain a licence from the Law Society of the province where they wish to practise law, which requires a year of articling.

Civil law

The civil law programme in Canada is three years in length. The programme of study for the first degree in Quebec civil law (called LLB, BCL, or LLL) is a first-entry degree programme. Like other first-entry university programmes in Quebec, it requires a college diploma for entry. Law schools that offer civil law BCL, LLB, or LLL degrees include McGill University, Université de Montréal, Université du Québec à Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke, Université Laval and the University of Ottawa.

Bijuridical

Because of Canada's dual system of laws, some law schools offer joint or dual degrees in common law and civil law: McGill University, Université de Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke and the University of Ottawa. The law degree offered by McGill University is a mandatory joint common law LLB and Quebec civil law BCL degree. The programme is four years in length. Admission to that programme is a first-entry programme in the case of Quebec students while it is a second-entry programme in the case of students from other provinces (since two years of university studies is required). The University of Ottawa offers a civil law degree (LLL) on its own.

A number of Canadian law schools allow holders of baccalaureate degrees in Quebec civil law to earn the LLB in common law in two or three semesters. Similarly, the University of Ottawa offers a one-year LLL programme in Quebec civil law for holders of an LLB or JD degree in common law from a Canadian law school.

Additionally, some Canadian universities with common law law schools have an arrangement with a Canadian university with a Quebec civil law law school enabling students to obtain the home school's law degree in three years and the exchange school's law degree in the fourth year.

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, three universities, including The University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and City University of Hong Kong, provide legal studies with both LLB degree or JD degree. The LLB is 4 years in length, while JD is 2 years. Students who have an LLB or JD degree, whether conferred by local universities or the accredited universities overseas, are eligible to apply for admission to PCLL, the legal qualification programme in Hong Kong.

India

Main article: Legal Education in India See also: Autonomous law schools in India and Common Law Admission Test

In India, legal education is traditionally offered as a three-year graduate degree conferring the title of Bachelor of Laws, requiring prospective students to have a bachelor's degree in any subject from a recognised institution.

However, specialised universities of law known as National Law Universities solely devoted to legal education offer an undergraduate five-year law course for students that have completed Class XII from a recognised board of education in India. The five-year law course leads to an integrated honours degree combining the LLB degree with another bachelor's degree, such as a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Social Work. In these programs, students are taught subjects associated with the additional non-law bachelor's degree during the first two years, in addition to standard legal subjects such as torts, contracts and constitutional law, such as social sciences for the Bachelor of Arts and a combination of physical, life and applied sciences for the Bachelor of Science. In the latter three years of all these programmes, legal subjects dominate the curriculum.

The first national law school was the National Law School of India University. This was followed by others, including the Nalsar University of Law and West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences. Today, many Indian universities offer five-year integrated BA LLB programmes similar to that of the national law schools of India, while others continue to offer a traditional three-year programme. Both integrated and traditional types of three-year law degrees are recognised by the Bar Council of India for to qualify for enrolment to the Bar. One needs to have a full-time law degree to practice as a lawyer in India. Distance or online education options are not available to become a practising lawyer in India.

Malaysia

Main article: Legal education in Malaysia

Malaysia inherited a common law system from the British colonial period. However, unlike the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth countries, Malaysia adopted the fused legal profession with legal practitioners acting both as solicitors and in a way "barristers". Hence all are lawyers eligible and can be admitted to the High Court as a legal professional is entitled to be bestowed with the title "Advocate & Solicitor". This applies to both lawyers practising in the Peninsular Malaysia (Malaya) and the States of Sabah & Sarawak.

Under the Legal Profession Act 1976, a person is deemed to be a qualified person to be admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor if they completed and passed the course of Bar Vocational Course in UK & Wales from any Inns of Court, passed the Certificate in Legal Practice or completed a 4-year LLB (Honours) course from an accredited Malaysian university.

New Zealand

An LLB is required to practise law in New Zealand. An LLB typically takes four years to complete, although it is often completed concurrently with another degree, such as a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) or Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), with the combined completion time usually being five years. Most New Zealand universities allow graduates of other degrees to complete an LLB in three years. Six New Zealand universities offer the LLB degree.

Pakistan

Pakistan is a common law country and to become a lawyer in Pakistan, one needs an LLB from a Pakistani or a foreign university from common law country recognised by the Pakistan Bar Council. Lawyers in Pakistan are called advocates. An advocate has to be member of one of the provincial Bar Councils, i.e., Punjab Bar Council, Sindh Bar Council, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council, Balochistan Bar Council or the Islamabad Bar Council.

The Bachelor of Laws obtained from universities in Pakistan consists of a 5-year B.A.-LLB qualification. This rule was laid down by the Pakistan Bar Council in 2016 requiring 5 years of education to obtain a Bachelor of Laws qualification. This change in the legal education rules led to the abolishing of 3 year LLB programs being offered by universities in Pakistan. This rule however does not affect the recognition of LLB degrees of less than 5 years obtained from foreign universities recognised by the Pakistan Bar Council for the purposes of enrolling as an advocate in Pakistan.

Singapore

In Singapore, the LLB is an undergraduate degree conferred by three universities: the National University of Singapore (NUS), the Singapore Management University (SMU), and the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). Graduate JD courses are also available at all three law schools. To be called to the Singapore Bar, graduates are minimally required to possess an LLB or JD from a recognised university.

South Africa

In South Africa the LLB is offered both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. As of 1996 it is the universal and only legal qualification for legal practice, superseding the existing B.Juris. and B.Proc. degrees. The undergraduate programme, offered since 1998, requires four years of study. At the postgraduate level, the programme generally requires three years. Several South African universities offer Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Commerce degrees with a major in "Law"; graduates may then undertake a two-year postgraduate-programme. Some universities also offer a one-year programme for holders of the B.Proc. degree.

The curriculum is typically structured around preliminary, core and advanced courses, and most universities also offer elective coursework. The preliminary courses acquaint the students with both the background and the foundations of the South African legal system, and with legal thinking and analysis in general. The core subjects are those regularly required for legal practice. The advanced courses (usually) comprise further study in these core subjects, deepening and / or broadening the student's knowledge as appropriate. The electives – often comprising these advanced courses, amongst others – allow students to specialise in a particular area of law, to an extent, by choosing from a range of optional courses. Some universities also require that students complete an experience based course ("Practical Legal Studies" / "Law clinic"); a credit comprising independent research exclusively is often offered as an elective, and at some universities is a degree requirement.

Depending on university, the curriculum will comprise legal subjects exclusively, or may include humanities subjects so as to prepare graduates with a "broad-based" legal education. Some undergraduate programmes do not offer any optional coursework. Credits in English and Afrikaans are also often included. Along with Latin, these were, but are no longer, "subjects compelled by statute", and were typically entrance requirements for the LLB, having been studied as undergraduate modules. Similarly, Roman Law was previously a preliminary course, whereas, in both the post- and undergraduate degree, it is now offered as an elective.

The structure of the undergraduate programme is under review. The issues noted are: graduates of these programmes are seen to be less prepared for the profession as compared to those pursuing the graduate LLB; only 20% of entrants complete the programme within four years; only about 50% of graduates here enter the legal profession at all. Further, there are those who question the academic standard of the new degree. Some universities have now discontinued the programme; in other cases undergraduate students are required to initially register as Arts, Commerce or Science students – with first year law subjects – and, in the second year of study, only those meeting specified criteria may choose to pursue the four-year LLB.

Alternative titles and formats

Irish BCL and LLB

The four universities under the National University of Ireland umbrella, award the degree of Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL). Four Irish universities and two Northern Irish universities award an LLB NUIG offer the LLB as a 1-year postgraduate course for holders of the Bachelor of Corporate Law or Bachelor of Arts in law degrees.

Some English and Welsh universities award an LLB in Irish law.

In the nineteenth century, the University of London conferred degrees of LLB on clerical and lay students at St. Patrick's College, Carlow from 1840 onwards.

The King's Inns Barrister-at-Law degree B.L. is a postgraduate degree and is required to practice as a barrister in Ireland.

Zimbabwe B.L. and LLB

At the University of Zimbabwe, the first degree in common law was the Bachelor of Laws (BL), which was equivalent to the LLB in other common law jurisdictions. It was followed by a one-year programme at the university (analogous to post-LLB vocational programmes in other common law jurisdictions) at the end of which a second degree, the Bachelor of Laws (LLB), was awarded. The curriculum has since been changed and now only one four-year honours LLB degree is awarded.

Variations on the LLB

Some universities in the United Kingdom and New Zealand offer variations, which generally take four years to complete and include a wider range of topics as well as some degree of specialisation or the study of multiple jurisdictions, such as the LLB Law with French Law and Language offered by the University of East Anglia.

Various universities in the United Kingdom and Australia will allow a degree that combines study with a non-law discipline. For example, some universities in the United Kingdom offer a combined study of law and history leading to a B.A. degree that is accepted by the Law Society and Inns of Court as equivalent to an LLB.

The University of London External Programme in Laws (LLB) has been awarding its law degree via distance learning since 1858.

At the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the principal law degree remains the Bachelor of Arts, in either Jurisprudence or Law, which is equivalent to an LLB in other universities. Traditionally, the LLB at Cambridge, as well as the Bachelor of Civil Law at Oxford, were postgraduate degrees for specialising in law. The University of Cambridge, recently, replaced their LLB title with that of the LLM, which Oxford retains the BCL as a master's level course, equivalent to the LLM.

Some universities in the UK including Bournemouth University have a four-year LLB course, which consists of a 40-week industrial work placement. Staffordshire University also offers a two-year full-time LLB course.

LLB programs in syaria and common law have been introduced by some universities in Pakistan and Malaysia.

United States

The United States no longer offers the LLB, though some universities have introduced bachelor's degrees in legal studies, featuring curricula that include courses in constitutional law, tort law, and criminal law. These degrees may provide an accelerated pathway into the JD program, allowing students to complete both degrees in six instead of seven years.

While the LLB was conferred until 1971 at Yale University, since that time, all universities in the United States have awarded the professional doctorate JD, which then became the generally standardised degree in most states as the compulsory prerequisite to sit for the bar exam prior to practice of law. Many law schools converted their basic law degree programmes from LLB to JD in the 1960s, and permitted prior LLB graduates to retroactively receive the new doctorate degrees by returning their LLB in exchange for a JD degree. Yale graduates who received LLB degrees prior to 1971 were similarly permitted to change their degree to a JD, though many did not take the option, choosing to retain their LLB degrees.

Before the degree was phased out, notable recipients of the LLB include former United States presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and William Howard Taft; former United States Supreme Court Justices Earl Warren, Anthony Kennedy, William Rehnquist, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Thurgood Marshall, Sandra Day O'Connor and Stephen Breyer; former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover; American judge and jurist Richard Allen Posner; as well as the first female commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, Frieda B. Hennock.

Eligibility of foreign graduates in the US

For the most part, foreign law graduates seeking admission to the bar in the United States will find their law degree does not itself fulfill the core admission requirements of most states, thereby not allowing them to take the bar exam. The major exception to this is New York, where those foreign graduates who have fulfilled the educational requirements to practice law in another common law country through study at an approved educational institution, similar in both duration and content to the equivalent teaching at an approved United States law school, are permitted to sit for the bar exam. Additionally, both New York and Massachusetts permit Canadian LLB holders to take the bar exam. The requirements of each of the states vary, and in some states sufficient years of practice in one's home country may allow for those otherwise excluded to sit for the bar exam.

Most states require completion of a law degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. As a result, some American law schools offer one-year LLM programmes for foreign attorneys, which qualify foreign lawyers for admission to some state bars.

European LLB programs

European Union law permits European Union citizens with LLB degrees from one EU member state, who practise law and have been qualified lawyers in their jurisdiction for three or more years, to practise also in every other member state. The actual procedure to receive the respective national licence is regulated by the member state and therefore differs from country to country, and temporary restrictions may in certain cases exist, but every EU member has to apply the relevant EU Directives to its own national law.

As a consequence of the Bologna Process, recently many universities of applied sciences and a few traditional universities in Germany have introduced LLB programmes, replacing the Diplom-Wirtschaftsjurist degree. The LLB is a three or four-year full-time law degree. As opposed to courses of study leading to the State Examination—the master's-level professional law degree in Germany—most LLB degree programmes concentrate on private law and may feature a component of education in business administration. Graduates of LLB courses can continue LLM studies and in some cases sit for the first State Examination after one or more years of additional law studies in order to qualify for practising law in Germany.

In Malta, the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree, offered by the University of Malta, is an undergraduate degree that of itself is not sufficient for admission into any of the legal professions. Likewise, in Italy a five-year course in law (Laurea magistrale in giurisprudenza a ciclo unico) is offered by law schools. The Italian Diploma in Law, equivalent to the LLB, does not directly qualify one for a career in any legal profession, as graduates are required to undergo a traineeship for 18 months before taking a government exam to sit for the Italian bar or take the exam as public notary. Alternatively, this requirement can be met by undertaking two further year of studies (Diploma di specializzazione per le professioni legali – equivalent of a 2-year Master of Arts).

In Spain, there is no comparable degree to the LLB Law studies in Spain last for four years in total, culminating in the "Grado en Derecho". Prior to that, the sole degree of "Licenciatura en Derecho" allowed graduates of law direct access to the legal profession without further training and masters. Currently, holders of a Spanish law degree must attend a specific LLM in Legal practice course (similar to the former British LPC) to gain admission to the Spanish bar.

In Denmark, universities now offer three-year LLB programmes, although this is not sufficient to practice law. Students wishing to practice law should continue with a Masters in Law programme, leading to the cand.jur. degree. Alternatively, students may choose to use the LLB as a basis for other courses within the social sciences or humanities.

Sources

Reed, Alfred Zantzinger (1921). Training for the public profession of the law: Historical development and principal contemporary problems of legal education in the United States, with some account of conditions in England and Canada. New York: Carnegie Foundation. OCLC 60738310.
Stein, Ralph Michael (1981). "The Path of Legal Education from Edward I to Langdell: A History of Insular Reaction". Chicago-Kent Law Review. 57 (2): 429–454. OCLC 8092906761.

References

Historically in Canada, Bachelor of Laws was the name of the first degree in common law, but is also the name of the first degree in Quebec civil law awarded by a number of Quebec universities. Canadian common-law LL.B. programmes were, in practice, second-entry professional degrees, meaning that the vast majority of those admitted to an LL.B. programme were already holders of one or more degrees, or, at a minimum (with very few exceptions), have completed two years of study in a first-entry, undergraduate degree in another discipline.
Verger, J. (1999). "Licentia". Lexikon des Mittelalters. Vol. 5. Stuttgart: J.B. Metzler. 1957–1958.
Verger, J. (1999). "Doctor, doctoratus". Lexikon des Mittelalters. Vol. 3. Stuttgart: J.B. Metzler. 1155–1156.
de Ridder-Symoens, Hilde: A History of the University in Europe: Volume 1, Universities in the Middle Ages, Cambridge University Press, 1992, ISBN 0-521-36105-2
Herbermann, et al. (1915). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Encyclopedia Press. Accessed 26 May 2008.
García y García, A. (1992). "The Faculties of Law," A History of the University in Europe, London: Cambridge University Press. Accessed 26 May 2008.
García y García (1992), 390.
Reed (1921), p. 160.
Reed (1921), p. 161.
Stein (1981), p. 434, 435.
Stein (1981), p. 434, 436.
^ Stein (1981), p. 436.
Stein (1981), p. 430.
Stein (1981), p. 431.
Stein (1981), p. 432.
Stein (1981), p. 433.
Stein (1981), p. 434.
Stein (1981), p. 435.
Moline, Brian J., Early American Legal Education Archived 9 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine, 42 Washburn Law Journal 775, 793 (2003).
"Rajshahi University Law Department: Pioneer of legal studies in Bangladesh". Forum.daffodilvarsity.edu.bd. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
"Thinking of a career in law?". lawsociety.org.nz.
"List of Recognized Universities". pakistanbarcouncil.org. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
"LLB degree to require five years of education". The Express Tribune. 25 January 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
"NUS Law launches Juris Doctor programme".
"I graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) or one of its predecessors – Ministry of Law". mlaw.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 15 November 2013.
"University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, LLB". Archived from the original on 26 July 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
"Unisa Cart – Info". Archived from the original on 9 March 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
Archived 24 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine
^ "This website was recently revamped". Retrieved 8 February 2016.
"The Tudors". ufh.ac.za. Archived from the original on 27 November 2013.
^ "Faculty of Law / Prospective students / Programmes offered". Archived from the original on 21 November 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
^ See for example these degree outlines: UCT, UNISA, Wits.
^ "Undergraduate and honours qualifications". unisa.ac.za.
"Microsoft Word – Law_DoL_Report.doc" (PDF). Labour.gov.za. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
See for example: The declining South African LLB, finweek.com; Low-skilled lawyers prompt calls for law degree reform, University World News.
Scrap 4 year LLB degree – Ngoepe, news24.com.
University of the Witwatersrand: Changes to undergraduate LLB. Archived 18 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine, wits.ac.za
Rhodes University: Law Degree Structure: BACHELOR OF LAWS (LLB) Archived 29 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine, ru.ac.za.
Minutes of the Senate ...: With Indexes. 1837–1850 – University of London. 16 September 2008. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
"facultyoflaw: Brief History". 2006. Archived from the original on 24 April 2010.
"Undergraduate LLB Law Course". University of East Anglia. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
"Law LLB(Hons)". Bournemouth University. Archived from the original on 23 August 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
"Law (Two-year degree)". Staffordshire University. Archived from the original on 15 November 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
"International Islamic University Malaysia". iium.edu.my. 11 June 2024.
"En. Muhammad Haizuan Rozali, Pendaftar Usim". Usim.edu. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
"University of Arizona to Offer Nation's First Bachelor of Arts in Law | College of Law". law.arizona.edu. 4 May 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
"3+3 B.A. Law & Juris Doctor". The University of Arizona College of Social & Behavioral Sciences School of Government & Public Policy. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
"Glossary of Terms for Graduate Education". Association of American Universities Data Exchange. Archived from the original on 4 March 2009.. National Science Foundation (2006). "Time to Degree of U.S. Research Doctorate Recipients Archived March 8, 2016, at the Wayback Machine," InfoBrief, Science Resource Statistics NSF 06-312, 2006, p. 7. (under "Data notes" mentions that the J.D. is a professional doctorate); San Diego County Bar Association (1969). Law Firm Chicago Archived 8 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 26 May 2008. (under "other references" discusses differences between academic and professional doctorate, and statement that the J.D. is a professional doctorate); University of Utah (2006). University of Utah – The Graduate School – Graduate Handbook Archived 26 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 28 May 2008. (the J.D. degree is listed under doctorate degrees); "U.S. Higher Education / Evaluation of the Almanac Chronicle of Higher Education" (PDF). German Federal Ministry of Education. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2009. (report by the German Federal Ministry of Education analysing the Chronicle of Higher Education from the U.S. and stating that the J.D. is a professional doctorate); Encyclopædia Britannica. (2002). Encyclopædia Britannica, 3:962:1a. (the J.D. is listed among other doctorate degrees).
^ Lattman, Peter (28 September 2007). "Why Did Law Schools Switch from LLBs to JDs?". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
Schoenfeld, Marcus, "J.D. or LL.B. as the Basic Law Degree," Cleveland-Marshall Law Review, Vol. 4, 1963, pp. 573–579, quoted in Joanna Lombard, LL.B. to J.D. and the Professional Degree in Architecture, Proceedings of the 85th ACSA Annual Meeting, Architecture: Material and Imagined and Technology Conference, 1997. pp. 585–591.
Hylton, J. Gordon (30 December 2011). "Why the Law Degree Is Called a J.D. and Not an LL.B." Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
Maher, Kathleen (24 November 2006). "Lawyers are Doctors, Too". Retrieved 17 September 2013. (Notes that by 1969 many law schools were phasing out the LL.B. in favor of the J.D.)
"Foreign Legal Education". The New York State Board of Law Examiners.
Board of Bar Examiners Rule VI Foreign Law School Graduates. The Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners.
"DECRETO LEGISLATIVO 5 aprile 2006, n. 160 – Normattiva". www.normattiva.it. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
"LEGGE 30 luglio 2007, n. 111 – Normattiva". www.normattiva.it. Retrieved 13 September 2022.

Levels of academic degree

Undergraduate

ISCED level 5	Associate degree Foundation degree Higher National Diploma / Diploma of Higher Education / Certificate of Higher Education
ISCED level 6	Bachelor's degree Honours degree

Postgraduate

ISCED level 7	Master's degree Postgraduate diploma/certificate Diplom degree Engineer's degree
ISCED level 8	Doctorate Candidate of Sciences

Other

Postdoctoral	Higher doctorate Doctor of Sciences Habilitation Docent Tenure Fellow
No dominant classification	Academic certificate Artist diploma External degree Laurea Licentiate Magister degree Microdegree Professional degree Graduate diploma/certificate Higher diploma Specialist degree/diploma Terminal degree
Unearned	Honorary degree Ad eundem degree Master of Arts (Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin)

Categories: