JD and Joint Degree Question Forum

[twenty 8]

If you are a practicing attorney with a join degree what degree did you opt for? Has it helped? I only have a JD. I decided to forgo the extra $5K expense for a joint degree, now I wish I would have spent the money.

If you are a 3L are you considering a joint degree? If so, which one (and why).

[foundingfather]

If you are a practicing attorney with a join degree what degree did you opt for? Has it helped? I only have a JD. I decided to forgo the extra $5K expense for a joint degree, now I wish I would have spent the money.

If you are a 3L are you considering a joint degree? If so, which one (and why).

Why do you regret not going for the joint degree and which would you have pursued?

[twenty 8]

I went to school on a free scholarship but it wouldn’t cover the 5k for a joint degree. I almost went for it anyway, but I didn’t. The one I was considering was the MBE since health care is hot.

The other day I was with a couple partners as they were sifting through a pile of résumés (looked to be from mass mailing) and the résumés that immediately grabbed their attention were ones with joint degrees, especially JD/MBE… maybe even more so than law review or some other accomplishment. If I am ever in a situation where a lateral move is necessary, having a JD/Joint Degree would likely be helpful.

Are joint degrees the rage now?
(Apparently not on TLS not since this thread has less than 200 views).

[foundingfather]

I went to school on a free scholarship but it wouldn’t cover the 5k for a joint degree. I almost went for it anyway, but I didn’t. The one I was considering was the MBE since health care is hot.

The other day I was with a couple partners as they were sifting through a pile of résumés (looked to be from mass mailing) and the résumés that immediately grabbed their attention were ones with joint degrees, especially JD/MBE… maybe even more so than law review or some other accomplishment. If I am ever in a situation where a lateral move is necessary, having a JD/Joint Degree would likely be helpful.

I'm on the fence about pursuing a JD/MBA... leaning mostly towards just getting the JD. The extra debt (30-60k) and the extra year of school is what is keeping me from doing it, although the school I'm looking at offers scholarships for a decent GMAT score.

Interesting thing I've noted: most of the lawyers and law students that instantly write off a joint degree when I tell them about my intentions are what I consider to be "scrubs." Contrastively, one of the partners at my firm and other successful attorneys that I've spoken with have not hesitated to tell me to go for it as soon as I tell them I have been thinking about getting a JD/MBA.

I'm just not sure if I want to spend an extra year in law school. The added debt can always be paid off, and I'm sure I can land a scholarship with the b-school.

Are joint degrees the rage now?
(Apparently not on TLS not since this thread has less than 200 views).

That's what I'm starting to think. But then again I'm a 0L who has no idea what's going on (for the most part).

Edited: morning coffee kicking in

[A. Nony Mouse]

I had to look up what an MBE is, so that may be part of it.

The posts I've seen around here mostly discuss JD/MBA, and I think the consensus is that if you can do an MBA at a top school and it won't cost you much/more money, that's great, but that in most cases jobs are looking for either an MBA or a JD, not both - that usually you will end up getting hired at a job you could get with only one of those degrees. However, for some people with particular career goals, it can be helpful - people just need to have a specific goal in mind, not just get an MBA because they think more degrees will be better. (But that's just my rough impression of the posts here - I may be misremembering.)

The JD/PhD is really not at all helpful unless you want to go into academia. Maybe if you had a very specific career path already in mind where the PhD would be relevant - maybe some kind of very specific policy position? - but even then, I suspect in most cases you'd be just as successful with one or the other rather than both. Even if you wanted a STEM PhD to go into IP, it seems it would make more sense to do the PhD first, then do the JD.

[twenty 8]

I'm on the fence about pursuing a JD/MBA... leaning mostly towards just getting the JD. The extra debt (30-60k) and the extra year of school is what is keeping me from doing it, although the school I'm looking at offers scholarships for a decent GMAT score.

Maybe I am off on this but as I understood it…. I was to take classes during my 3L (and be billed $5K). The end result being a JD/MBE. I believe the same option was available for a JD/MBA. In neither case nothing was ever mentioned about taking an extra year.

To reiterate, the partners were most impressed with candidates whose accomplishments included a joint degree.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Everyone who did a joint degree at my school took an extra year (or at the least, if they hustled and loaded their schedule, an extra semester).

[twenty 8]

Turns out I was a bit off. I had the 5K cost correct (and not covered with a standard scholarship) BUT attendance was required during 3L AND 2L. As I remember, this joint degree option was new (or fairly new) at the time.

It would not surprise me if a joint degree becomes the new normal.

[A. Nony Mouse]

It would surprise me. Most jobs requiring a JD wouldn't particularly benefit from an additional degree.

[tomwatts]

There are accelerated joint degrees that finish in 3 years rather than 4 (or 3.5, or whatever). Yale's JD/MBA is an example. I think they are the exception rather than the norm, though.

MBE? I'd never heard of that until this thread. Outside of a really specialized variety of law practice, I doubt that degree will be a particularly valuable asset among hiring partners. A master's degree in, say, biochem would be more broadly applicable to law practice.

Joint degrees can be good, but don't get a second degree just for the sake of it. I'm doing a JD/MPP. It makes sense in my circumstances (doing a complete career change, need a little more coursework and another summer for internships, etc.). If you're just trying to buy a diploma to get a job, especially in biglaw, it makes a lot less sense, though.

I think joint degrees have become more common than they once were, but they're a far cry from the new normal, and I don't think they ever will be. The JD is plenty, for the most part.

[twenty 8]

I think joint degrees have become more common than they once were, but they're a far cry from the new normal, and I don't think they ever will be. The JD is plenty, for the most part.

Take it from someone with only a JD... I hope you’re right.

I really never gave it any thought until the other day when the hiring partners placed the joint degree résumés in the callback pile. I presume it’s a buyer’s market so why not given extra consideration to those who made the extra effort in the lucrative areas of health care, business, finance, etc.

[pennpennpenn]

i'm pretty sure the MBE is only common at penn. it's a great degree but it's not a very common one.

[LSA2014]

There are a number of JD/MPA or MPP degrees as well. Duke also has a JD/MD.

Not sure what career goals really require a JD and MD. It's a 6 year program.

A JD/MPP, what I'm considering, has some clear advantages in some areas. If you want to work for State or in some other role in international diplomacy AND focus in international law then you'll need a JD, but the extra policy credentials will help as well. This is especially true if you get a dual degree in regional studies, example: a master's in Chinese studies will give you more time to improve fluency in Chinese and expertise in China, and then you'll also take on a JD where you can take a lot of international law courses.

My focus is going to be national security. To that end, two years of graduate level security studies (plus more time to pick up a critical language) can put you far ahead of any other JD without veteran's preference for jobs with State, the FBI, etc. For instance, how many law school internships get you Top Secret clearance? Not many, but it's pretty common for top MPP programs to place people in positions where they get clearance. Also policy schools' career offices seem better at getting their students into Presidential Management Fellows positions, though that might also have to do with the number of PMF slots for attorneys.