juris doctor

noun | \ ˈju̇r-əs-ˌdäk-tər \ | ju·ris doc·tor
  1. : the lowest degree conferred by a law school usually after three years of full-time study or its equivalent — compare master of laws, doctor of laws, doctor of the science of law

    Note: The juris doctor replaced the bachelor of laws as the first degree conferred by a law school in 1969. Not all states mention the J.D. or LL.B. specifically as a requirement for admission to the bar, but all states do require graduation from a law school.