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So, I have a chance to get into a Ph.D program in Law at a school overseas. I would not be a practicing lawyer there..or in the U.S. obv. I basically would never become a lawyer, ever. It is more an academic pursuit.

Right now I have a BA in Phil which should mean traditionally I'm expected to go on to a J.D. However, in exploring my alternatives, I've come across this path.

Basically, there are non lawyer Master level law degrees (ie MA/S in Legal Studies, Jurisprudence, Juridical Studies and whatnot) that I could pursue that would allow me to gain admission into the Ph.D program I would like to be in. (As confirmed by the department..) These are "non qualifying" law degrees I guess you could say.

I have a couple questions.

1) Where would you expect a Ph.D in Law to work, if not in Academia? Or rather, my academic credentials would be as follows; A BA in Phil, an MJ (Master Juris, or similar, depending on what I find ideal), and a Ph.D in Law. Where does a person like that end up working? And what does he do, if not teach? (Assuming he lives in the U.S.) What would you hire him for? (Keep in mind it is a foreign Ph.D, and probably not too well respected...but I don't care as there are other non career related considerations being taken into account...(in that I might end up splitting my career between here and there...but I'm more concerned about here for now.)) Could a foreign Ph.D in law reasonably expect to be hired by American law firms and/or law schools especially if he had related American degrees? In what capacity?

2) What master level law programs will most successfully prepare me for the Ph.D in Law? Most seem to be one year programs, I'm hoping to find something that is at least two years as my training is largely in Philosophy and I'm not too sure one year of legal education would sufficiently prepare for the Ph.D in Law. I'm not looking for a degree mill program...I need something that will prepare for the rigors of a Ph.D. Any specific suggestions, or advice otherwise?

3) Am I insane for pursuing a very non traditional path? Should I just buckle down and get on with the J.D., then the LL.M, then the Ph.D? That's literally 4 years and tens of thousands of dollars (that I don't have) vs 2 years and not as many of tens of thousands of dollars to end up in the exact same place. But...I would not be a practicing lawyer...here, there, or ever.

It feels too good to be true, to be honest. So what's the catch?

There isn't really anywhere a PhD in law would work besides academia.

If you wanted a PhD in law in the US (to go be an academic, as that is what it will prepare you to do), you don't need to do a JD and an LLM - the LLM would serve no purpose. You would just go from a JD to a PhD program.

The catch is that this foreign PhD program isn't too good to be true; it won't enhance your employability in any way. It might be fun/interesting, but it's likely money down the drain in terms of getting work.

(There is maybe a tiny possibility of some kind of policy work, but a PhD in something other than law would be much more useful, and I doubt a foreign PhD would be seen as particularly relevant, unless it's from a country with which you want to work directly.)

Why do you want this PhD and what do you intend to do with it?