What is the difference? Which is better? Would it hurt me to have both? What are the advantage or disadvantages of either or? If I want to go to England get an LLB, could I come back to the states to get my JD?

Thanks, any ideas, comments, suggesstions would be great!

There is not much point in having both.

I think in the UK you have the Graduate Diploma in Law option available if you have a non-law degree and would like to be admitted into the legal profession. This is a 1-year degree which fulfills the requirement for practise in the UK.

Alternatively, a US JD would be more valuable if you want to practise in US because most employees would only employ JD graduates.

Hope this helps!

Regards
Greg

If I had my JD, could I eventually go to the UK and practice law? I know that there is that qualifiying exam, but is that regarded as much of anything int he UK?? Like, is if were to get my JD, then practice for like 5 years in the staes, then sit for that exam, would i be able to go and practice the the UK??

sure - it would be best to pick a firm with a london office when you start work (and they're quite a few of them now!) and ask them to transfer you to london after a couple of years. you won't need any extra exams but could do the qltt if you wanted to (it takes about 3 months). it would be harder to find a job (but not impossible) if you just quit your us job and starting looking for a job in the uk afresh.

Why is it pointless to have both of the degrees? Columbia offers a combined degree program for those that want the same thing, an LLB and a JD?

I don't think Columbia offers an LL.B and a J.D. I don't think any U.S. law school offers the LL.B any longer. My dad had an LL.B from the University of Arizona, but he graduated from law school in the late 50s. You can get an LL.B in the UK, which is considered an undergraduate major, followed by a J.D. in the US if you want.

http://www.law.columbia.edu/center_program/intl_progs/Double_degrees/LLB_JD


This is the link to the program that I was refering to, Columbia offers a joint LLB and JD program. The LLB is in the UK and the JD is at Columbia and it takes four years to complete.

You need to be a first year law student at Columbia law school, which requires a 4 year undergraduate degree, to be eligible for this program. The LL.B is actually awarded by the UK law school you attend. So basically, in the Columbia program, it will take you 8 years to obtain three degrees - BA or BS, LL.B and J.D. What makes more sense to me, if you want to obtain an LL.B and J.D., is to first attend a UK law school for a 3 year LL.B (no need to obtain a BA or BS degree) followed by 3 years of law school in the US for the J.D.

I am able to attend a UK law school, such as Queen Mary for two years to obtian my LLB. Then, if I want to, which I plan to do, go to a law school, such as George Washington, which will allow me to obtian my JD in two years.http://www.law.gwu.edu/Admissions/JD+Admissions/nonusgrads.htm

THis is my plan at the moment, things might change, as life tends to do. Thanks for looking out for me though.