Legal Definitions - Bachelor of Laws

The Bachelor of Laws, often abbreviated as LL.B. (from the Latin Legum Baccalaureus), is an undergraduate academic degree in law.

In many countries, particularly those with common law legal systems outside of the United States and most of Canada, the LL.B. is the primary professional qualification required to become a practicing lawyer. Students typically pursue this degree directly after completing their secondary education, making it their first university degree. While historically a common law degree in the United States, the LL.B. was largely phased out in favor of the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree during the 1960s, which is typically a postgraduate degree.

Here are some examples illustrating the Bachelor of Laws:

• Example 1: International Student's Path
  Maria, a high school graduate in the United Kingdom, decides she wants to become a solicitor. Instead of pursuing a different undergraduate degree first, she applies directly to a university's law program. After three years of study, she earns her LL.B. and then proceeds to complete the necessary vocational training to qualify for legal practice.

  This example demonstrates the LL.B. as an undergraduate degree pursued immediately after secondary education, serving as the foundational qualification for a legal career in many common law jurisdictions.

• Example 2: A Practicing Attorney in Australia
  David is a barrister practicing in Sydney, Australia, specializing in corporate law. His professional journey began after completing his secondary schooling, when he enrolled in a five-year combined Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws program at a local university. Upon graduating with his LL.B., he completed a period of practical legal training and was admitted to the bar.

  This illustrates how the LL.B. directly qualifies individuals for legal practice in countries where it remains the standard professional law degree, often integrated into a combined undergraduate program.

• Example 3: Historical Context in the United States
  Before the 1960s, a prominent judge in the United States, Justice Eleanor Vance, earned her LL.B. from a prestigious law school after completing her undergraduate studies in history. She then went on to practice law and eventually join the bench. Today, however, new lawyers in the U.S. typically hold a J.D. degree.

  This example highlights the historical significance of the LL.B. in the U.S. as the primary law degree before it was replaced by the J.D., emphasizing the shift in legal education standards over time in that country.