Beyond the JD: Joseph Plazo Explains the Doctor of Laws at Harvard Law
At a high-level Harvard Law discussion examining advanced legal scholarship and leadership,Joseph Plazo delivered a carefully structured address on one of the most misunderstood—and most prestigious—legal distinctions in the world: the doctor of laws.
Rather than treating the degree as a ceremonial title or academic abstraction, Plazo approached it as a capstone of legal thinking, a framework that reflects how law operates at the highest levels of scholarship, governance, and institutional influence.
He opened with a line that set the tone immediately:
“The Doctor of Laws is not about learning more law. It is about learning how law itself is formed, justified, and transformed.”
** Separating Symbol from Substance**
According to joseph plazo, public perception often collapses the doctor of laws into two inaccurate extremes:
or a redundant extension of the Juris Doctor
“Neither view is correct,” Plazo explained.
Where the JD trains practitioners, and the LLM deepens specialization, the doctor of laws represents meta-legal mastery—the study of how law is constructed, legitimized, and operationalized across societies.
** From Medieval Universities to Modern Institutions
**
Plazo traced the origins of the doctor of laws to early European universities, where it functioned as:
a marker of scholarly leadership
“Historically, the Doctor of Laws was awarded to those who shaped legal thought itself,” Plazo noted.
This historical context matters, because it clarifies why the degree remains rare and symbolically powerful.
** Practice vs Theory
**
Plazo emphasized that the doctor of laws is not about volume of coursework—but depth of inquiry.
Key distinctions include:
systems over cases
“The JD asks how to argue,” Plazo explained.
This shift changes the nature of legal engagement entirely.
**The Intellectual Focus of a Doctor of Laws Curriculum
**
Plazo described the typical intellectual domains explored at this level, noting that while structures vary globally, the conceptual spine remains consistent.
Core areas include:
constitutional theory
“Not as a checklist.”
The doctor of laws thus functions as a bridge between law, governance, economics, and ethics.
** Scholarship Over Study**
Unlike taught degrees, the doctor of laws centers on original contribution.
Plazo explained that candidates are expected to:
propose new frameworks
“Contribution defines legitimacy.”
Research at this level is judged not by exams, but by impact, coherence, and intellectual rigor.
** Legal Systems in Dialogue**
Plazo highlighted comparative analysis as a defining feature.
Doctor of laws scholarship frequently examines:
transnational regulation
“Law no longer operates in isolation,” Plazo explained.
This global lens prepares scholars to influence international institutions and policy design.
** The Political Dimension of Law**
One of the most compelling sections addressed law’s relationship with power.
Plazo argued that advanced legal scholarship must confront:
where authority originates
“Ignoring that weakens jurisprudence.”
The doctor of laws curriculum therefore demands political, ethical, and sociological fluency.
** The Modern Jurist’s Toolkit**
Plazo emphasized that elite legal scholarship is inherently interdisciplinary.
Doctor of laws candidates often integrate:
political science
“Neither can its highest scholarship.”
This breadth differentiates doctoral jurists from specialist technicians.
** Why Precision and Structure Matter
**
At the doctoral level, writing quality is inseparable from thinking quality.
Plazo stressed that:
structure reflects logic
“Legal writing at this level is architecture,” Plazo explained.
Doctor of laws work is judged as much by form as by substance.
**The Role of Mentorship and Scholarly Community
**
Plazo rejected the idea of solitary genius.
Doctoral legal scholarship is shaped by:
academic discourse
“It emerges through challenge.”
This process ensures intellectual resilience and relevance.
** How Doctoral Law Is Evaluated
**
Unlike traditional degrees, the doctor of laws is not measured through standardized testing.
Evaluation centers on:
dissertation quality
“Can your ideas stand?”
This assessment model reflects the degree’s philosophical orientation.
** Influence Over Employment
**
Plazo clarified that the doctor of laws is not a vocational credential in the traditional sense.
Its outcomes include:
academic leadership
“Its value is upstream.”
Graduates often move into roles where law is designed, not merely practiced.
** Why the Distinction Matters
**
Plazo addressed an often-confused point.
Honorary doctor of laws degrees:
recognize contribution
Earned doctor of laws degrees:
require rigorous defense
“But they serve different purposes.”
Clarity here preserves academic integrity.
**Why Few Pursue the Doctor of Laws
**
The degree’s scarcity is intentional.
Barriers include:
uncertain website commercial payoff
“Not convenience.”
The result is a small but influential scholarly class.
** The Doctoral Responsibility**
Plazo emphasized responsibility.
Doctor of laws scholars are expected to:
update frameworks
“Law that cannot evolve loses legitimacy,” Plazo explained.
This duty elevates the degree beyond personal achievement.
** What the Degree Truly Represents**
Plazo concluded with a clear framework:
Law as system
Not consumption
Interdisciplinary fluency
Borders as variables
Legitimacy matters
Intellectual courage
Together, these principles define the doctor of laws not as a credential—but as a mode of legal thought.
** From Practice to Philosophy**
As the session concluded, one message lingered:
The highest form of legal mastery is not knowing the law—but understanding how law comes to be.
By articulating the doctor of laws as an intellectual responsibility rather than a status symbol, joseph plazo reframed the degree for a new generation of legal thinkers.
For scholars, practitioners, and institutions alike, the takeaway was unmistakable:
Law advances when those who study it are willing to question its foundations.