New York Lawyer
December 4, 2001

Q:
Is a JD considered a doctorate?

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A:
Depends on by whom and for what.

Most of the world, even including proud Jewish mothers, consider the JD an "instrumental" degree, like an MBA. That is, it signals achievement of the requisite level of knowledge and expertise required to perform certain roles (in this regard, a JD is even more technically-oriented than a generalist MBA). It is not regarded as functionally equivalent to a Ph.D.

You will find it is considered pretentious and even misleading (and in some instances fraudulent) to call yourself "Doctor" on the strength of your JD. First, you may be confused with a medical doctor. Second, even if your relationship to the legal profession is clear, there are various Master's level degrees beyond a JD. There are LLM degrees, which either focus on a discrete practice area (NYU�s tax program is one of the best-known) or serve as a fast introduction to the US legal system for students trained in law abroad. And a number of law schools also offer an SJD -- Doctor of Juridical Science -- program that lasts 3-6 years and is sort of a "super-Ph.D." Most people obtaining that degree pursue scholarly careers.

While most pundits would not categorize a JD as a "terminal" -- or highest level -- degree, in terms of practical clout and cocktail-party leverage, it approximates a PhD in the level of smarts and discipline required to obtain the degree, especially once your knowledge is ratified by passing a bar exam.

The customary titular flag that you have a JD is appending "Esquire" or "Esq." after your name, not "Doctor" before it.

In Western Pennsylvania (and perhaps elsewhere) many hold to the quaint custom of addressing admitted lawyers as "Attorney," as in, "This is Attorney Joe Doaks." It is not a habit that finds favor in metropolitan settings.

Sincerely,
Douglas B. Richardson
President, The Richardson Group