Students with a Liberal Arts A.A. who are interested in pursuing a career in law most often transfer to a Political Science, English, History, Psychology, Economics, Criminal Justice, or Philosophy B.A. Interestingly, most law schools do not consider a Pre-Law B.A. to be as rigorous as a degree in a Liberal Arts discipline.
To be a practicing lawyer, after the B.A., graduates continue to a J.D. (Juris Doctor), which normally takes 3 years. After receiving this degree, graduates must pass the bar examination and gain a license in order to practice.
An L.L.M. (Master of Laws) is for those with a J.D. who wish to specialize in a certain area of the law, for instance tax law, business law, or immigration law. An L.L. M. graduate can proceed on to the next highest level, the S.J.D.
An S.J.D. (Doctor of Juridical Science) is for those who wish to do legal research and involves much study and writing, culminating in a dissertation similar to the Ph.D. for scholars in the humanities and social sciences.
An alternate route for a legal career that does not involve becoming a lawyer would be to obtain an M.L.S (Master of Legal Studies) or M.D.R. (Master of Dispute Resolution) degree. People working in law-adjacent fields such as legal secretaries, mediators, negotiators, and legal assistants often obtain this degree.
It can also lead to a Ph.D. in law, although that is mostly for those who want to teach law in a college or university.