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Law PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

Embarking on a PhD in Law is an intellectually rigorous journey that positions students at the forefront of legal theory, practice, and reform. These advanced degrees offer a unique opportunity for candidates to delve deeply into the complexities of law as it intersects with society, economy, and politics.

Through PhDs in Law, students engage in in-depth research on diverse legal issues, from international human rights and environmental law to corporate governance and intellectual property. This path is not just an academic pursuit; it’s a quest to contribute to the development of legal frameworks and policies that uphold justice, equity, and the rule of law in an increasingly complex global landscape.

Why complete a PhD in Law?

A PhD in Law gives students the opportunity to make a significant impact on the legal field through original research. These programmes challenge candidates to critically analyse and question existing legal doctrines, to explore emerging legal issues, and to propose reforms that address contemporary challenges.

By focusing on a specific area of law, researchers not only deepen their understanding of legal principles and methodologies but also contribute to the body of knowledge that shapes legal education, practice, and policy-making. The rigorous research environment encourages academic debate, fosters intellectual growth, and hones sophisticated analytical and argumentative skills.

In terms of employment, earning a PhD in Law opens up a wide array of career opportunities beyond traditional legal practice. Graduates are highly sought after in academia, where they can influence the next generation of legal students and practitioners through teaching and research. In the public sector, Law PhD holders play crucial roles in legislative processes, policy development, and government advisory, applying their expertise to inform law-making and public administration.

Similarly, in the private sector, their skills are invaluable in legal consultancy, corporate compliance, and advocacy, where understanding of intricate legal issues and the ability to navigate complex legal systems are crucial. In addition, Law PhDs contribute to the work of international organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and think tanks, where they can effect change on a global scale through research, policy analysis, and advocacy.

Lady Elizabeth Cruickshank Memorial Studentship on women in the UK legal profession

Funded phd programme (students worldwide).

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. Applications for this programme are welcome from suitably qualified candidates worldwide. Funding may only be available to a limited set of nationalities and you should read the full programme details for further information.

Professional Doctorate

A professional doctorate combines academic research with professional and vocational practice and reflection. The qualification is equivalent to a PhD, but usually involves more formal teaching and training in addition to producing an original thesis. Applicants are often more experienced professionals seeking to advance their careers or transmit practical knowledge to an academic setting. Many study part-time alongside their existing roles.

Full time PhD Scholarship in Policing: Policing, vulnerability and the criminal justice system

Funded phd programme (uk students only).

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. It is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

Humanities Research Programme

Humanities Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

Classifying and Understanding Remedies in Comparative Labour Law

Phd research project.

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

This project has funding attached, subject to eligibility criteria. Applications for the project are welcome from all suitably qualified candidates, but its funding may be restricted to a limited set of nationalities. You should check the project and department details for more information.

Professional Doctorate of Policy Research and Practice (DPRP)

Awaiting funding decision/possible external funding.

This programme is waiting to confirm funding from a university or external source. This may depend on attracting suitable students and applications are welcome. Please see the programme details for more information.

PROBabLE Futures – Probabilistic Systems in Law Enforcement Futures (Reference: RDF24/EE/CIS/MONTAGUE

Funded phd project (uk students only).

This research project has funding attached. It is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

PROBabLE Futures – Probabilistic Systems in Law Enforcement Futures (Reference: RDF24/BL/LAW/OSWALD)

Evaluating the just transition to effect policy change, self-funded phd students only.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

International Humanitarian Law & the Moral Machine: Artificial Intelligence & the Role of Emotions in War (VC24094)

Ph.d. studentship: quantification of risk as evidence in the family justice system, phd research programme.

PhD Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

Ph.D. Studentship opportunity in corpus linguistics and safeguarding studies

Ph.d. studentship: mapping and classifying global safeguarding models, postgraduate research opportunities in law, law research programme.

Law Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

Research Study at the School of Law

The PhD opportunities on this programme do not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

Law at Queen's: Postgraduate Research Opportunities

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Top 10 Best PhD in Law Programs [2024]

A PhD in law is an advanced qualification that will make you a true legal expert. You can use that credential to work as a legal research scholar or teach at a post-secondary level. This is not only a prestigious career path but also a lucrative one — today’s law PhD holders have an average salary  of $93,000.

Today’s law schools emphasize an interdisciplinary approach to legal education, equipping students to work in a diverse range of fields.

Interested in an advanced criminal justice  career? Below we’ll cover the top PhD in law programs, universities, and what you need to know before pursuing a doctorate in law.

Table of Contents

Top PhD in Law Programs

Yale university, law school.

Yale University’s Law School ranks first  in the nation, with its 20 legal clinics offering an immersive experience for students. This PhD program has a purely academic focus. To qualify for admission, you’ll need to already have a JD (Juris Doctor) degree. If accepted, you’ll be able to benefit from Yale Law School’s acclaimed “Yale Teaching Program.”

• Courses: Criminal law & administration, international human rights, and complex civil litigation.
• Duration:  3 years
• Delivery: On-campus
• Tuition: Fully funded
• Financial aid: Full tuition coverage, health insurance, and stipend.
• Acceptance rate:  7%
• Location: New Haven, Connecticut

Stanford University

Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD)

Stanford University is another highly acclaimed institution in the field of law education with a tough admissions process. Only a few exceptionally gifted students with an international JD or LLB or a SPILS (Stanford Program in International Legal Studies) qualification are accepted into this program every year. The program has an emphasis on an interdisciplinary approach to law.

• Courses:  Advanced antitrust, current issues in business law, and reinventing American criminal justice systems.
• Credits: 44 units
• Duration: 4 years
• Tuition : $64,350 per year
• Financial aid: Scholarships, fellowships, grants, assistantships, federal work-study, and loans.
• Acceptance rate: 5%
• Location:  Stanford, California

The University of Chicago, The Law School

Doctor of Jurisprudence (JSD)

The Law School of the University of Chicago is renowned for its interdisciplinary approach to teaching and cross-lists its courses with other departments. The faculty include philosophers, political scientists, historians, and law scholars. Students also have the option to pursue a Doctorate in Comparative Law (D.Comp.L.) instead of a JSD if they wish.

• Courses: Antitrust & intellectual property, civil rights clinic: police accountability, and American legal history.
• Duration: 5 years
• Tuition : $7,647 per year
• Financial aid: Full tuition scholarship, fellowship, and health insurance.
• Acceptance rate: 7%
• Location: Chicago, Illinois

Columbia University, Law School

JSD Program

The Columbia Law School emphasizes experiential learning with law clinics, moot courts, and externships, offering opportunities for innovative education and valuable intellectual exchange. Students can conduct independent research with the help of their faculty advisors and they need to submit a DPR (Dissertation Progress Report) at the end of each year.

• Courses:  Intellectual property & technology, international & comparative law, and law of the workplace.
• Duration:  5-6 years
• Tuition : $75,572 per year
• Financial aid: Grants, loans, and first child allowance.
• Location:  New York City, New York

Harvard University, Law School

Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD)

Harvard University is one of the world’s most famous centers for education, and its Law School  is equally renowned. The school has a unique grading system that uses the classifications honors, pass, low-pass, and fail. This flexible SJD program allows students to design their own study plan and choose faculty supervisors for independent research.

• Courses: Advanced comparative perspectives on US law, environmental justice, and strategic litigation & immigration advocacy.
• Duration:  4 years
• Delivery:  On-campus
• Tuition : $67,720 per year
• Financial aid:  Scholarships, grants, and loans.
• Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

The University of Pennsylvania, Carey Law School

Doctor of Science of Law (SJD)

Carey Law School’s curricula cut across disciplinary and international lines to create law experts in every field, including business, health, technology, education, and social work. For admission to the Carey Law School PhD, you must already hold an LLM or JD from the same school or an institution of similar standing.

• Courses: Privacy & racial justice, appellate advocacy, and disability law.
• Tuition : Refer tuition page
• Financial aid: Full tuition, stipend, health insurance, and scholarships.
• Acceptance rate: 9%
• Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law

The University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law is one of the country’s most affordable top-tier law schools. This PhD law degree offers the choice of two concentrations: International Trade & Business Law, and Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy.

• Courses:  International business & investment structuring, federal Indian law, and trusts & estates.
• Duration:  3-5 years
• Tuition and fees : $26,000 per year
• Financial aid:  Scholarships, federal work-study, loans, veteran benefits, and fellowships.
• Acceptance rate: 85%
• Location: Tucson, Arizona

The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Economic, Political, and Policy Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Criminology

The University of Texas’ School of Economic, Political, and Policy Sciences creates professionals capable of dealing with modern issues like risk management, political violence, social inequality, healthcare, and international trade & conflict resolution. You’ll need a bachelor’s in criminology or a related discipline to apply for this PhD in criminology.

• Courses: Advances in criminology theory, evidence-based crime prevention, and regression & multivariate analysis.
• Credits: 75 semester credit hours
• Financial aid: Scholarships, grants, and loans.
• Acceptance rate: 79%
• Location:  Richardson, Texas

Abraham Lincoln University, School of Law

Juris Doctor (JD)

This school was founded with to provide affordable education to working professionals who cannot attend regular law school. This doctorate in law is a flexible JD degree that can be completed entirely online through the university’s high-level education technology.

• Courses:  Criminal law, civil procedure, and wills & trusts.
• Delivery: Online
• Tuition : $10,100 per year
• Acceptance rate: 90.3%
• Location:  Glendale, California

Walden University

Online PhD in Criminal Justice

Walden University aims to help working professionals pursue advanced degrees and has been ranked #1  in research doctorates for African-American students. This program was one of the first online doctorates in criminal justice and allows students to explore national and international issues in criminal justice administration with a dual emphasis on contemporary theory and practice.

• Courses: History & contemporary issues in criminal justice, policy & analysis in criminal justice systems, and research theory, design & methods.
• Credits: 77 quarter credits
• Tuition : $636 per quarter hour
• Financial aid: Grants, scholarships, loans, and veteran benefits.
• Acceptance rate: 100%
• Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

What Do You Need to Get a PhD in Law?

The exact requirements vary depending on the program, but you’ll typically need a LLB, LLM, or JD as a basic prerequisite.

As part of the admission process, you usually need to submit:

• Academic transcripts from previous studies
• Personal essay and/or research proposal
• Recommendation letters

To earn your doctorate, you’ll have to complete coursework, qualifying examinations, and usually a dissertation to a high standard.

Preparing for a Law Doctorate Program

The best PhD in legal studies programs are competitive, so it’s important to start preparing early. Keep up to date on developments in the field and research the best universities that offer your preferred specialization.

Look into leading faculty members in your areas of interest, and network by joining relevant professional communities. Once you’ve decided on your dream program, check admission requirements to prepare the strongest possible application.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Law PhD Program

Choosing the best law PhD program will depend on a range of factors, including your passions and interests. However, there are a few general factors that are essential for everyone deciding on a law school for their PhD to consider:

• Location:  First, a school close by could save you on accommodation costs. But that’s not the only location consideration. You should look at your school destination for evidence of a booming legal or education industry. For example, New York is a hub for business, while Boston is known as a center for technology.
• Cost and funding:  Ensure the program costs align with your budget and explore financial aid opportunities.
• Specialization:  Some schools offer unique specializations like social justice, law and economics, and international law. Choose a program with a focus on your preferred specialization.
• Faculty:  The university’s reputation is important, but its faculty credentials are equally critical. Explore faculty backgrounds by researching published papers and social media profiles like LinkedIn.
• Class sizes:  Smaller class sizes mean better one-on-one attention; however, a larger cohort offers better networking opportunities.
• Placement support:  What happens after graduation? Are you on the hook for finding a job on your own, or does the school offer placement options? Find out where alumni are employed to get an idea.

Why Get a Doctorate in Law?

A doctorate degree in law will allow you to pursue roles in the legal field as a scholar, researcher, or academic, and build a worthwhile career.

Several candidates apply for admission to PhD in jurisprudence programs every academic year, but top law schools have low acceptance rates, and only a few are accepted. For example, Harvard only has around 70 SJD students  while hundreds or thousands may apply. Therefore, with this qualification, you’ll belong to an exclusive group of in-demand professionals.

Jobs for PhD in Law Degree Holders

Here are some common roles for PhD holders in law with the average annual salaries for each:

• General Counsel ($170,183 )
• Staff Attorney ($71,106 )
• Professor of Law ( $131,926 )
• Project Manager ( $76,264 )
• Senior Research Associate ( $75,029 )

Course Costs

The cost greatly depends on where you study, but prestigious law schools can charge annual tuition of around $65,000. Once you factor in living expenses, books, and facility fees, the total cost can add up to around $100,000 a year. However, you can find programs with tuition and fees for as little as $7,500 a year. Moreover, most top institutions offer full-tuition scholarships, stipends, and similar financial aid that cover almost all of your expenses.

Course Length

Typically, a PhD in law takes 3-5 years to complete. However, most programs will give you extra time to complete your doctorate if needed.

Skills You’ll Gain through a PhD in Law

Aside from giving you in-depth and expansive legal knowledge, PhD in law programs can also help you develop the following skills:

• Communication
• Presentation
• Critical Thinking
• Project Management
• Problem Solving

Key Takeaways

A PhD in law is an excellent choice for legal professionals seeking a career in research or academia. While a JD or Juris Doctor is equivalent to a PhD, the former equips you to become a law practitioner.

On the other hand, if you want to teach at a post-secondary level or conduct further legal research, you will need a PhD. Prepare early and choose a program that will best help you to achieve your career goals.

For more law education advice, take a look at our guide on the best master’s in criminal justice programs , or weigh up your options with the highest-paying PhDs .

PhD in Law FAQs

What is a phd in law called.

A PhD in law is usually called a Doctor of Law or Doctor of Laws. Some universities offer a JD (Juris Doctor or Doctor of Jurisprudence) degree, while others offer SJD (Doctor of Juridical Science) or JSD (Doctor of Science in Jurisprudence) programs.

Is a PhD in Law the Same as a JD?

A JD (Juris Doctor) degree is suitable for anyone who wants to practice as a licensed legal professional. These programs usually take three years to complete and are mostly coursework-focused.

On the other hand, a PhD in law may take 5-6 years to complete and usually involves a dissertation or major research project. If your aim is professional research or a job in academia in the discipline rather than practicing law, a PhD is better for you.

What is the Highest Degree in Law?

A PhD in law is generally considered the most advanced law degree. While some universities call it by other names, such as SJD (Doctor of Juridical Science) or JSD (Doctor of Jurisprudence degree), this is essentially the same thing.

How Long is a PhD in Law?

PhD Law programs typically take 3-5 years to complete. You may take longer for individual reasons, such as if you choose to study part-time.

What Does a PhD in Law Do?

A PhD in law will equip you to work in legal research or academia.

Lisa Marlin

Lisa is a full-time writer specializing in career advice, further education, and personal development. She works from all over the world, and when not writing you'll find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a glass of Malbec.

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Ph.D. Program Details

Why a Ph.D. in Law?   •   Course of Study   •   Placement and Support on the Law Teaching Market   •   Tuition and Financial Aid

Why a Ph.D. in Law?

In addition to offering an opportunity to study and contribute to the evolution of law as an academic field of study, the Ph.D. in Law program provides an excellent pathway to a career in legal scholarship and law teaching. Whether it is right for any individual candidate depends on a variety of factors. If you are trying to decide between the Ph.D. in Law program and a fellowship or a visiting assistant professorship (VAP), you should keep in mind a number of considerations, including that the Ph.D. in Law program is a three-year course of study beyond the J.D. and that it provides a more structured program—including coursework, qualifying exams, and close faculty supervision—than do most fellowships or VAPs. The Ph.D. in Law program requires coursework, a written and an oral comprehensive exam, a dissertation—which may take the form of a traditional monograph or three law review articles—and teaching experience. You should also consider the availability of appropriate mentors in different programs. At Yale Law School, you will have a three-member faculty committee advising you throughout your time in the Ph.D. program, and you will have an opportunity to work closely with a wide range of Yale faculty in your courses and in your research and writing. In addition, you will have the opportunity to engage fully in the intellectual life of Yale Law School and Yale University's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences .

If you are trying to decide between the Ph.D. in Law and a Ph.D. in another discipline, many of the same considerations come into play. Please keep in mind that Ph.D. programs in economics, political science, history, and other fields train scholars to produce research responsive to the questions central to those disciplines. The scholarship produced by law faculties—and expected of candidates for teaching positions at law schools—is largely motivated by different sets of questions. While many students are able to apply their training in other disciplines to the study of law, a significant advantage of the Ph.D. in Law program is that it is designed specifically to prepare students for careers in legal scholarship, rather than in scholarship in another field. We should also stress that the Ph.D. in Law program welcomes applications from candidates with interdisciplinary research interests—significant advanced training in other disciplines as a part of the Ph.D. in Law program is encouraged, where appropriate.

Course of Study

Applicants to the Ph.D. in Law program should know the area of law in which they would like to specialize and should be prepared to articulate that interest in a research proposal. Applicants’ research proposals, however, are not expected to be as refined as a dissertation prospectus, and it is anticipated that the nature of students’ projects and interests will evolve over their time in the program. Each student will have a faculty Advisory Committee, which will work with the student to develop the research project into a dissertation prospectus and, eventually, a dissertation—which may take the form of three significant, publishable articles that might appear in a leading law review, or a single, book-length manuscript.

The First Year

Most students will dedicate much of their first year in the program to coursework. Students will work with their Advisory Committees to select as many as six courses that will best prepare them to carry out their research projects. In cases where students have already completed relevant graduate training, their Advisory Committees may waive up to four of the six required courses.

All first-year Ph.D. candidates will be required to take a two-semester pro-seminar on legal scholarship and methodologies. The first semester of this pro-seminar will be dedicated to reading and discussing canonical works of legal scholarship. The second semester will be devoted to the presentation and discussion of student papers in a workshop format. The pro-seminar, required of all Ph.D. candidates, will be the cornerstone of a genuine intellectual and professional community, serving as well as an opportunity for students working in different areas of law to interact with and to learn from each other and from the faculty leading these and other seminars and workshops.

During their second semester, all Ph.D. candidates will complete the first of two qualifying examinations. The pro-seminar will constitute the primary preparation for this first, written, examination. During their second semester and first summer in the program, students will also work with their Advisory Committees to prepare for a second qualifying exam in their area of specialization. Unlike the first qualifying exam, which measures the breadth of a candidate’s knowledge, the second is an opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the candidate’s area of specialization. The second qualifying exam will be conducted orally by the candidate’s Advisory Committee members and ordinarily will be administered at the beginning of the third semester in the program.

The Second Year

After passing the second qualifying exam, candidates will assemble a faculty Dissertation Committee. This committee often will—but does not have to—include the same faculty members who served on the candidate’s initial Advisory Committee. In their second year, students will work with their Dissertation Committees to bring their dissertation prospectus to fruition. The dissertation itself is expected to take the form of either a book-length manuscript or three publishable law review articles; it will usually constitute a portfolio of writing which students can use on the job market. Once the dissertation prospectus is approved, students are expected to spend the remainder of their time in the program, including summers, researching and writing the dissertation.

Each candidate in the Ph.D. in Law program also will gain training and experience in teaching, and will be required to participate in two semester-long teaching experiences. There will be a number of ways in which students may fulfill the teaching requirement. These may include (1) serving as a teaching assistant for a Law School course; (2) serving as a teaching assistant for a course in Yale College or another school at Yale; (3) co-teaching a class with a Yale Law School faculty member; (4) leading a Yale Law School Reading Group course; (5) teaching an independent seminar in one of the Yale Residential Colleges; or, (6) in unusual situations, teaching their own course. In all cases, students completing their teaching requirements will have faculty supervision, as well as close contact with and feedback from their advisors. The particular teaching assignment and the timing of this requirement will be determined by the candidate in consultation with his or her Advisory and/or Dissertation Committee, but ordinarily candidates will complete the first of their teaching requirements in the second semester of the second year of the program.

The Third Year

Those students interested in pursuing a career as a professor of law generally should expect to go on the job market during their third year in the program. Ph.D. candidates will be offered access to the same wide range of support in this endeavor as Yale Law School currently provides to its students, alumni, and fellows who enter the law teaching market. Students will otherwise devote the third year to completing their dissertation and, in many cases, completing a second teaching experience. Students will generally be expected to complete the program after three years, but requests to extend the course of study beyond three years will be considered on a case-by-case basis. In such cases, funding may be limited.

Placement and Support on the Law Teaching Market

Yale Law School has enjoyed tremendous success in helping its students secure law teaching positions. The Law School often places 25-40 of its graduates in tenure-track positions at law schools each year. Despite its relatively small size, Yale Law School has produced approximately ten percent of all professors currently teaching in American law schools. A recent study found that of the 189 faculty at the top sixteen law schools who had received their J.D. in the preceding fifteen years, a plurality—80 professors—graduated from Yale Law School. Many deans at law schools across the country and around the world also are Yale graduates.

The Law School provides comprehensive support to all its students, alumni, and fellows, guiding them through all stages of the legal teaching job market. Ph.D. in Law candidates enjoy access to the full range of support services currently available to Yale Law School students, alumni, and fellows.

For more information, consult the Law Teaching Program’s website .

Tuition and Financial Aid

Ph.D. in Law candidates will receive a full-tuition fellowship and a living stipend at an amount set by the Graduate School, Yale Basic Health coverage, and a Health Award covering the cost of hospitalization and specialty coverage. Financial support is conditioned on the student's making satisfactory academic progress. The Ph.D. in Law program is administered jointly by the Graduate School and the Law School. More information on financial aid and the cost of living in New Haven can be found on the Graduate School's  website .

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Ph.D. Program in Law & Economics

• Student Profiles

Program Overview

Vanderbilt Law School's Ph.D. Program in Law and Economics is unlike any other. Dual-degree students pursue a J.D. and a Ph.D. concurrently in a fully integrated curriculum that combines economic theory and methodology with the study of law. The program is designed so that students complete both degrees in just 6 years. Admitted students receive a full funding package , including tuition for both degrees and a competitive annual stipend, for all 6 years of study.

• Explore The Program's History

About our Program

Applicants must complete separate applications to Vanderbilt Graduate School and Vanderbilt Law School. Each applicant's Law School and Graduate School applications will be considered together in a collaborative admissions process.

Program faculty guide students through an innovative law and economics curriculum in which students pursue policy-relevant research. The program offers 4 primary research fields: behavioral law and economics, labor markets and human resources, law and economics, and risk and environmental regulation.

Program graduates are in tenured or tenure-track positions at University of Alabama, University of Arkansas, University at Buffalo, Florida State University, George Mason University, University of Texas, Vanderbilt University, and Western Kentucky University, as well as in positions in government, legal practice, and consulting.

The Law & Economics/Applied Microeconomics Seminar Series brings scholars from around the world to Vanderbilt to present research spanning a variety of fields and topics. The program also hosts a variety of conferences, including the biennial Frontiers in Law and Economics (FILE) conference. 

Application Closed for Fall 2024

• How To Apply

August 15, 2024

Applications Open for Fall 2025

January 15, 2025

Deadline for Priority Consideration

April 1, 2025

Final Deadline

In the News

Have questions.

Contact the Ph.D. in Law & Economics Program Manager.

Law Program in Modern Thought and Literature

As an interdisciplinary doctoral program, MTL attracts students who are interested in studying topics in legal humanities. The joint degree program provides an opportunity for students to develop deep expertise combining study in one or more humanities or humanistic social sciences discipline with law, providing strong preparation for academic, business, law, or public policy positions relating to both fields.

Course Requirements

Broad pieces of each curriculum are relevant to the other field. The Law School shall approve courses from the MTL student’s interdisciplinary program of study that may count towards the J.D degree, and the Program in MTL hall approve courses from the Law School that may count toward the Ph.D. degree in Modern Thought and Literature. In either case, approval may consist of a list of applicable to all joint degree students or may be tailored to each individual student’s program.

Note to applicants:  The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program awards full funding to Stanford graduate students from all disciplines, with additional opportunities for leadership training and collaboration across fields. Joint Degree applicants are encouraged to apply to the  Knight – Hennessy Scholars Program.  Please be aware that the Knight-Hennessy Scholars applications are due in early Autumn one year prior to enrollment. View dates and deadlines: knight-hennessy.stanford.edu/dates-and-deadlines .

Bernadette Meyler

• Carl and Sheila Spaeth Professor of Law
• Professor, by courtesy, English
• Associate Dean for Research and Intellectual Life

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PhD Programme in Law

The opportunity to undertake advanced legal research at one of the world's best law schools.

The London School of Economics is a world centre for advanced research and teaching with an outstanding reputation, with a campus situated in the heart of London, one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Only a short distance from Europe's financial, legal and cultural centres, LSE stands at the crossroads of international debate, a location that is fundamental to our identity as an outward looking institution with an active involvement in UK and world affairs. Each year the School attracts many influential outside speakers. Regular events and seminars involving politicians, regulators, practitioners and academics take place to complement your studies. 

LSE Law School is one of the UK's pre-eminent research institutions for law. Our academics are the authors of influential and often path-breaking scholarship, and many have globally leading reputations.  LSE Law is also one of UK's largest law schools, with over 70 academic members of staff. It is a uniquely cosmopolitan academic community, with staff and students coming from all over the world.  Our academics draw on a wide range of literatures and traditions, and pursue analyses that seek to situate the law within the political, social and economic context within which it is formed and operates. 

PhD Programme

The PhD programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science offers the opportunity to undertake advanced legal research at one of the world's best law schools. Students in our PhD programme receive excellent training and work under the supervision of leading scholars with strong international, comparative and interdisciplinary commitments. Our doctoral students become members of a lively academic community which is at the cutting-edge of legal scholarship and which plays a major role in the education of lawyers and law teachers from around the world.

We hope that the questions you have about our PhD programme will be answered in these web pages. If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us , or see our Frequently Asked Questions  ...

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The academic path: becoming a law professor.

For lawyers who want to teach, postgraduate law degrees like the LL.M. or J.S.D. are one path, but not the only one.

If you want to become a law professor, there are several different routes. Most, however, start with two things: a first law degree and the ambition to teach law. You'll need both.

But then what? What qualifications and experience do you need to get hired as a law school professor?

Let's start with degrees. Here, the "classical" profile of a law school professor varies slightly in different parts of the world.

In the United States, for example, a doctorate or graduate degree isn't required to get a teaching job at a law school. This is because a J.D. is already considered a postgraduate degree, unlike first law degrees in other parts of the world.

An informal survey of a handful of US law schools – UCLA, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Emory, and Columbia – suggests that only around 10-25 percent of faculty have a Ph.D., J.S.D., LL.M., or D.Phil degree.

Meanwhile, graduate degrees are much more common among law professors elsewhere in world, including Britain, Continental Europe, Australia, and East Asia. In most of these countries, an undergraduate law degree qualifies one to become a solicitor, but many law schools will not typically appoint faculty with less than a master's degree.

Over 80 percent of the law professors at Melbourne University or Hong Kong University, for example, have a Ph.D., J.S.D., D.Phil, or LL.M..

“In general, if you want to continue your career as a scholar and academic, it's very hard without a Ph.D.,” says Hervé Tijssen of academic careers in Europe. Tijssen coordinates the research LL.M. and Ph.D. programs at Tilburg Law School in The Netherlands.

But becoming a professor is not just about collecting degrees; it's also about what you do and produce during your graduate studies. Tijssen says getting a Ph.D. is, of course, about developing specialized, theoretical expertise, but it's also about getting a broader understanding about interdisciplinary connections and the wider context of law in society.

“You become not just a specialist, but a generalist, as well,” says Tijssen.

Ph.D. students on Tijssen's program – like on other doctoral programs – get a chance to get teaching experience in the law school, which is a factor for law schools when hiring new faculty.

Perhaps most importantly, however, postgraduate research degrees lead to publications. Solid publications - along with a strong degrees (ideally from top-tier schools) – are probably the single-biggest factors for law school hiring committees. Without publications, it is tough to land any academic job – even with teaching experience.

"As between someone with extensive teaching experience and weak publications, on the one hand, and someone with no teaching experience and good publications, on the other, the job offer will go to the candidate with solid publications, every time," says W. Bradley Wendel, professor at Cornell Law School who maintains a popular website about academic careers.

"The thinking is that an inexperienced teacher can learn on the job," says Wendel, "but it's unlikely that an unpromising scholar will suddenly figure it out and become a good scholar."

Therefore, if you're looking for another academic qualification, it should facilitate research and getting published rather than focus on coursework and exams.

This is one reason why getting an LL.M. is not a common pathway to a teaching jobs in the United States. With the exception of a handful of US LL.M. programs – like Yale's LL.M. program or NYU's Legal Theory LL.M. – most do not give ample time for publishable research.

Many "Research LL.M.” programs, however, do provide students with this opportunity. Most of these programs can be found in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, and more sporadically in Asia and Europe.

A few dozen law schools in the United States offer Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.S.D., also sometimes called S.J.D.) programs, including Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Berkeley, Chicago, NYU, Yale, Cornell, and Duke. These two- to three-year J.S.D. programs are research-oriented, and designed for future professors. Graduates typically exit with at least one piece of substantial academic scholarship. Some programs also let students to hone their teaching skills with short-term adjunct opportunities.

W. Bradley Wendel, now at Cornell, finished his LL.M. and J.S.D. at Columbia University a decade ago. He suggests this experience was less about collecting two more degrees for his resume, but more about publishing and getting acclimated to the culture of legal academia.

"The primary benefit was having lots of time to research and write, and also hanging around in an academic environment and kind of soaking up the culture," says Wendel.

He singles out the faculty workshop series he was invited to sit in on as particularly beneficial.

"I learned so much from observing the question and answer process," says Wendel. "I really came to understand what makes a good versus a weak paper, what sorts of objections one might expect, how to defend a position in a constructive way (as opposed to being defensive), what sorts of topics are fruitful in terms of the engagement one might expect from the audience at a workshop, and so on."

But while LL.M.s remain relatively uncommon on US law faculty profiles, more aspiring professors are getting doctorates if not in law, then various “related” disciplines like economics, political science, and philosophy.

According to Lauren Endelman, associate dean at UC Berkeley's School of Law, this is “because law schools are recognizing the value of empirical research, and Ph.D. programs provide the tools to conduct such research, as well as more in-depth background in disciplinary literatures.”

“The Ph.D. is becoming a route into law school teaching that is an alternative to the more traditional law review / clerkship route,” says Endelman.

Berkeley offers a Jurisprudence and Social Policy (JSP) program, a Ph.D. program that emphasizes the interdisciplinary connections between law and other fields like economics, philosophy, sociology, and political science.

Yet another possibility for transitioning into legal academia is one of the growing number of Visiting Assistant Professor (VAP) programs. These fellowship positions offered by some US law schools let aspiring professors spend one or two years researching and teaching before going out on the competitive academic job market and (hopefully) landing a tenure-track position. But lawyers embarking on any of these paths to becoming a law professor should know that academic job markets – like any other legal job market – can be fiercely competitive.

According to NYU Law's Academic Careers Program, each year around a thousand hopefuls register for jobs with the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). The AALS, through its annual meeting – the so-called “meat market” – facilitates most law school faculty hires in the United States. Of those, only a fraction will land jobs.

And while the process won't be the same everywhere, it makes sense to consider what might make you a competitive candidate for a faculty job before starting down any one long path.  

The following resources might be helpful for lawyers interested in academic careers :

- W. Bradley Wendel's useful website about academic careers - University of Chicago's “Info for Academic Job Seekers” website - The Association of American Law Schools website

Image: uwgb admissions / Flickr (cropped) -  Creative Commons

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PhD Programme in Law

Amsterdam Law School welcomes talented researchers who are interested in writing a legal doctoral thesis.

PhD Research at the Amsterdam Law School

The doctoral programme

PhD admissions procedure

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• Opportunities

PhD positions in Law

The School of Law supports a thriving PhD community, largely through its three main research centres: The Centre for American Legal Studies, The Centre for Human Rights and the Centre for Law, Science and Policy. We also contribute to the work of the University-wide Centre for Brexit Studies.

We are currently supporting students to undertake doctoral research on a variety of topics, including capital punishment, international human rights standards and trade agreements, and the interface of law and science in the context of public health and criminal justice.

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PhD Position in Law & Finance (1.0 fte)

Research project: Banks as promotors of social change: contractual, regulatory and liability aspects

The Department of Financial Law (Hazelhoff Centre for Financial Law) and the Department of Company Law at Leiden University have an open PhD position in Law & Finance.

The influence of the European financial sector on the world economy, along with its direct and indirect impact on human rights and the environment, cannot be overstated. Financial institutions, such as banks, finance enterprises and projects in the real economy and promote economic growth in the jurisdictions of the Global South. However, they can also cause, contribute to, or be directly linked to various adverse environmental and human rights impacts.

Considering the significant role played by banks in ensuring respect for human rights and promoting environmental sustainability, they are increasingly subject to litigation, regulatory enforcement, and other legal action. They also fall under an expanding network of international (soft law), regional and national legal frameworks.

Banks can use various contractual and other tools to steer their borrowers or prospective borrowers to act sustainably (pre-contractual due diligence and disclosure, sustainability-linked loans with ESG-related performance targets, loan acceleration upon specific events of default, etc.). At the same time, a failure to conduct proper due diligence and engagement with clients that contribute significantly to climate change or cause environmental damage and human rights violations substantially increase the risk of civil and administrative liability and could result in reputation harm.

The PhD researcher should contribute to the research in this field, with the freedom to design specific research projects. The overall aim of the project is to contribute to the study of the role of banks in promoting sustainable development and adequately responding to relevant ESG risks (including liability risks), taking into account existing commercial practices and the changing regulatory environment.

PhD supervisors: Dr. Ilya Kokorin (Hazelhoff Centre for Financial Law), Dr. Chris van Oostrum (Department of Company Law).

What does this job entail?

• Being part of a vibrant, diverse, and international research community.
• Conducting cutting-edge research in a promising and socially relevant field, with the potential for significant impact on society.
• Writing research papers to be published as peer-reviewed articles and PhD dissertation.
• Presenting research results at various national and international conferences and workshops.
• Participating in courses and training activities agreed upon with the supervisors.
• Participating in the academic activities of the Departments of Financial and Company Law of Leiden University.
• Engaging in limited teaching and coordination activities.

Requirements

• You have a master’s degree in law or are in the process of obtaining one.
• You have a demonstrable interest in the field of financial, company or civil law.
• You can demonstrate scientific research skills or willingness to acquire them.
• You have an ambition to conduct innovative and thorough research in the fields of financial, company and civil law.
• You have excellent oral and written command of English.
• You work well with others in teams.

Approximately 15% of working time is reserved for providing educational support. The remaining time is reserved for research, which must culminate in a PhD dissertation by the end of the appointment period. Participation in the PhD training course is part of the position, as is obtaining the University Teaching Qualification (BKO).

Our faculty

The Departments of Financial Law and Company Law are part of the Leiden Law School (ranked #1 in the Netherlands for the subject of law and #21 in the 2022 QS World University Rankings by Subject). Leiden Law School is located in Leiden and The Hague. With more than 6500 students and around 1000 staff, it is one of the largest university faculties in the Netherlands. The faculty focuses on innovative multidisciplinary research and educational programmes that are constantly renewed in response to issues in society. Our faculty is large enough to make a difference nationally and internationally, yet small enough to offer personalised education. This is how we contribute to a safe and sustainable world, each and every day. The Faculty is housed in the beautifully restored Kamerlingh Onnes Building on the Steenschuur in Leiden. Working for the Leiden Law School means working in a welcoming and inspiring scientific environment.

Terms and conditions

• We offer a stimulating and intellectually challenging work environment that fosters personal development and is determined to make a difference when it comes to key societal challenges.
• The PhD position is for 1.0 fte.
• The appointment as a PhD student will be for a period of four years (initially for a period of one year with an extension of three years after positive evaluation of progress and skills development) leading to the successful completion of a PhD thesis. The appointment will be under the terms of the cao (Collective Labour Agreement) of Dutch Universities.
• Starting date: September-October 2024 (some flexibility is possible).
• The employment contract is for 38 hours a week. Your salary ranges from €2.770 (in year 1) to €3.539 (in year 4) gross per month on the basis of a full working week of 38 hours. This sum does not include the 8% holiday allowance and the 8.3% year-end allowance. The Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU) is applicable.
• Leiden University offers excellent employment conditions, including an attractive benefits package with training and career development (including, for example, language courses, teaching courses and project management courses), support from the PhD dean, and we facilitate a good work-life balance via flexible working hours and various leave arrangements. Our individual choices model also gives you some freedom to assemble your own set of terms and conditions. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break.

Diversity and inclusion

Diversity and inclusion are core values of Leiden University. Leiden University is committed to becoming an inclusive community which enables all students and staff to feel valued and respected and to develop their full potential. Diversity in experiences and perspectives enriches our teaching and strengthens our research. High quality teaching and research is inclusive. We therefore especially welcome applications from members of underrepresented groups.

Information

Enquiries can be made to Dr. Ilya Kokorin ( [email protected] ). Information about the Hazelhoff Centre for Financial Law can be found here . Information about the Department of Company Law can be found here .

For more information about the application procedure, please contact Ms. Jacqueline Wessel, Institute Coordinator of the Institute of Private Law, tel. +31715271326; email: [email protected] .

Applications

Applications for this vacancy can be submitted via the blue button of our online system. Please ensure that you upload the following additional documents quoting the vacancy number:

• A cover letter stating your motivation for applying to this position;
• A curriculum vitae;
• A one-page draft research proposal on the subject of the research project.

At this stage, it is not necessary to submit references or recommendation letters. Only applications received before Monday, 12 August 2024, will be considered. The selection procedure will take place in late August 2024 – early September 2024.

PhD vacancies Tilburg Law School

Tilburg Law School offers highly-ranked national and international education and legal research. Tilburg Law School is ranked among the highest as 'Top International Law School' by the American Social Science Research Network (SSRN).

PhD application round 2023-2024

Yearly, Tilburg Law School (TLS) has a number of PhD positions available. The recruitment and selection procedure of PhD candidates is set up in such a way that candidates from all over the world can apply. The selection procedure is strict and demands a great amount of initiative and preparation from candidates.

The research of Tilburg Law School is organized in four signature plans . All PhD positions offered by the Law School focus on one of these plans.

• Crime and Criminal Justice in the Age of Globalization and Digitalization
• Regulating Socio-Technical Change
• C onnecting Responsible Organizations  
• Global Law & Governance 

Vacancies for these positions are posted on this website .

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The Best Law Schools In America For Career Prospects (2024)

Most people attend law school to obtain jobs as lawyers. which schools are the best for this.

‘Yessssss, we got jobs as lawyers!’

The Princeton Review recently released its annual law school ranking, covering the best 168 law schools in the country (but disregarding the fact that there are ~200 law schools with varying degrees of accreditation by the ABA). Our condolences to the ~30 law schools that were unable to make the cut for the Princeton Review’s 2024 edition of the rankings — it must sting knowing that your institution is part of the small sliver of law schools that aren’t among the “best.”

We’ve focused on one of the 14 rankings categories that we thought people would be the most interested in: The law schools where graduates have the best career prospects. It wasn’t long ago that the Princeton Review’s loose definition of “career prospects” meant an entire class of law graduates could be putting the “bar” in “barista,” but thankfully the methodology was changed, and these career rankings mean something now.

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Princeton Review’s “Best Career Prospects” results are now based on highly relevant data reported by law school administrators, including median starting salaries, the percentage of students employed in jobs requiring bar passage (and not employed by the school — a factor that is now at odds with the U.S. News law school rankings), and the percentage of students who were able to pass the bar exam on their first try. The Princeton Review also relies on responses from student surveys.

Here are the top 10 law schools on the Princeton Review’s “Best Career Prospects” list for 2024. Things changed a bit for T14 schools this year:

1. New York University School of Law (no change) 2. University of Virginia School of Law (no change) 3. University of Michigan Law School (no change) 4. Duke University School of Law (ranked #5 last year) 5. Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law (ranked #8 last year) 6. Stanford University School of Law (ranked #4 last year) 7. Harvard University Law School (ranked #9 last year) 8. Cornell University Law School (not ranked last year) 9. University of California Berkeley School of Law (ranked #7 last year) 10. UCLA School of Law (not ranked last year)

What happened to once again create such shuffling in the rankings? For the answer, let’s return to Princeton Review’s methodology. Each law school was given a “career rating,”  which on top of all of the statistical data reported by law school administrators, includes the following information:

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Raising The Bar in Bar Prep

This rating measures the confidence students have in their school’s ability to lead them to fruitful employment opportunities, as well as the school’s own record of having done so. This rating takes into account both student survey responses and school-reported statistical data. We ask students about how much the law program encourages practical experience; the opportunities for externships, internships, and clerkships; and how prepared to practice law they expect to feel after graduating.

Princeton Review continues to rely much too heavily on students’ feedback over actual data. Once again, people who felt like they’d get great jobs were more important than the people who were actually able to get great jobs. For example, this may be why UVA Law, with ~93% of the class of 2022 employed in full-time, long-term jobs where bar passage was required (discounting seven school-funded positions) is in second place, while Columbia Law, with ~93% of the class of 2022 employed in full-time, long-term jobs where bar passage was required (discounting six school-funded positions) was booted from this year’s ranking entirely.

Did your law school make the cut? If it did, do you think it was ranked fairly? If it didn’t make the list for best career prospects, do you agree with that assessment? Please  email us  or text us ( 646-820-8477 ) with your thoughts.

Best Law Schools 2024 [Princeton Review] Best Career Prospects 2024 [Princeton Review]

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Biglaw Still Doesn’t Get It

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* CFTC whistleblower program faces financial peril. But then how will we ever know that the Duke brothers are planning to steal the orange juice report? [ Bloomberg Law News ]

* On the heels of a global IT outage, hackers hit the Los Angeles court system with a ransomware attack. [ ABA Journal ]

* Political affiliation becomes bigger deal in jury room as it increasingly becomes a proxy for a host of other judgment issues. Like being willing to be instructed on the law. [ Law.com ]

* X sued for trademark infringement. Unfortunately these are the costs of a generic company name. Perhaps he should consider a more unique name like “Twitter.” [ Law360 ]

* Senate begins process for Menendez expulsion. [ Reuters ]

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6 PhD jobs in International Law

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• PhD positions in Law (15)

Other subfields

• PhD positions in European Law (7)
• PhD positions in Public Law (5)
• PhD positions in Financial Law (4)
• PhD positions in Constitutional Law (4)
• PhD positions in Labour Law (4)
• PhD positions in Digital Law (4)
• PhD positions in Property Law (4)
• PhD positions in Media Law (3)
• PhD positions in Jurisprudence (3)
• PhD positions in Commercial Law (3)

Search results (6)

Three 2-year Postdoctoral Fellowships at the Zukunftskolleg

(Fulltime, E 13 TV-L)Reference No: 2024/114. The preferred start date is April 1st, 2025. Conditionally on the submission of an external grant, the position can be extended for an additional year. In principle, the position can be divided into two...

Vacant Ph.D. fellowship at the Department of Law, University of Southern Denmark

At the Department of Law, one or more Ph.D. fellowships will be available as of 1 January 2025 or by further agreement. The place of work is at the University of Southern Denmark, Odense.The primary task in the positions is research and, as a resu...

PhD Candidate: International and European Law

Employment 1.0 FTERequired background Research University DegreeOrganizational unit Faculty of LawApplication deadline 19 August 2024Are you passionate about public international law? Do you aspire to carry out original and impactful research into...

PhD position in public finances law

UCLouvain (2x2 years)The Institute for Interdisciplinary Research in Legal Sciences and Criminology (Institut pour la recherche interdisciplinaire en sciences juridiques et criminologie) at UCLouvain is looking for a talented researcher interested...

PhD Artificial Intelligence and Access to Justice

1 - Working at the VUBFor more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike.  At the VUB, you will find a diverse collectio...

Doctoral scholar/postdoctoral fellow in jurisprudence

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Doctoral degree: PhD at the Faculty of Law

The Faculty of Law in Oslo is the oldest and largest educational and research institution within the field of law in Norway. Here you can work with some of Europe’s best researchers within the fields of law and participate in exciting research projects.

• Why choose this PhD programme?
• Application and admission
• Programme structure
• Study and research abroad
• Courses and seminars
• Supervision and the mentoring scheme
• Thesis, evaluation and public defence

Resources and tools

For all phd candidates.

• Welcome letter new PhD candidates
• Progress reports
• Midway assessment
• Library resources
• Ph.d. on track
• Research ethics
• Rules and regulations

For doctoral research fellows employed at the University of Oslo and the Faculty of Law

Information on pay, leave, illness and extension of the study period can be found on the University of Oslo’s For employees web pages . The faculty also has its own pages for research fellows (in Norwegian).  

For PhD candidates with external funding

• Extension, doctor’s certificate and leave of absence

About the PhD programme

• 3 years full-time studies and research
• educational component worth 30 credits and doctoral thesis
• public trial lecture and defence
• approximately 15 doctoral candidates undertake a public defence each year at the Faculty

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Dr. Philos. degree

Another route to a doctoral degree.

46 Law PhD positions in Phd in Netherlands

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PhD Candidate: International and European Law

Employment 1.0 FTE Required background Research University Degree Organizational unit Faculty of Law Application deadline 19 August 2024 Apply now Are you passionate about public international law

PhD Position in Law & Finance (1.0 fte)

Apply now Research project: Banks as promotors of social change: contractual, regulatory and liability aspects The Department of Financial Law (Hazelhoff Centre for Financial Law ) and the Department

PhD Candidate Law and Digital Technologies (0.8-1.0 fte)

to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No Offer Description PhD Candidate Law and Digital Technologies (0.8-1.0 fte) Vacancy Number: 14834 Elaw, the Center for Law and Digital Technologies

PhD position in the department Law & Markets

Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No Offer Description Driven by its ambition to expand its position as a leading research institute in Europe, Erasmus School of Law is

PhD Candidate: The Law and Policy of EU External Climate Action

Employment 1.0 FTE Required background Research University Degree Organizational unit Faculty of Law Application deadline 15 May 2024 Apply now Are you passionate about environmental protection on a

PhD Position Impact of Demographic and Societal Developments on Police Operations

social inequality are just some of the developments that have a resounding impact on police operations. In addition, the ongoing tight labour market and ageing also affect the police force’s capacity

police strategies and policies. Cutbacks in mental health, addiction and youth care, an ageing population and growing frustration over social inequality are just some of the developments that have a

(5-year) PhD position in the department Law , Society & Crime

Phds on legal aspects of floating offshore wind energy – project ‘hybridlabs’ (2.0 fte).

. The University of Groningen, Groningen Centre of Energy Law and Sustainability is involved in the legal and regulatory research for this project. The two PhD candidates will be integrated in the Groningen Centre

are required. In HybridLabs, a Dutch Scientific Organisation (NWO)-funded project, these challenges are approached from various perspectives. The University of Groningen, Groningen Centre of Energy Law and

Searches related to Law

• postdoctoral
• social sciences
• international law

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