All law degrees are not the same. A Juris Doctor, also called a JD degree, is one that qualifies a student to sit for the bar exam, which is the examination offered by the American Bar Association. Practicing lawyers in the United States must pass this exam to practice in a specific state. It usually takes three years to complete one of these degrees. A Master of Law, also called an LM or an LLM degree, is one of the more common degrees offered through online business law master’s programs.