All doctor of juridical science (SJD) applicants are expected to hold a JD or its foreign equivalent and an LLM degree from a US institution.
In exceptional circumstances, the US LLM degree requirement may be waived for applicants who have a law degree from a common law country, and/or a graduate degree in law or related field.
For foreign-educated lawyers, first law degree designations vary by country. For a list of law degrees that meet this requirement, please refer to the Minimum Degree Requirements by Country chart found on the LSAC website.
The selection process for the SJD program is rigorous. After thorough review of all application materials, in a typical year four to five students are selected to begin the SJD program.

Transcripts, through the Law School Admission Council's Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Emory University School of Law requires the use of the CAS Document Assembly Service for transcript and letter of recommendation transmission. Applicants who have graduated from or have attended institutions outside of the US must submit transcripts (translated, if need be) through the Law School Admission Council's International Transcript Authentication and Evaluation Service. Emory Law School requires the use of the CAS for transcript and credential evaluation. The transcript must evidence the quality of the applicant's exam performance and should include all courses and examinations taken and grades received for all university work.
A curriculum vitae or r'sum (uploaded via online application).
Three letters of recommendation submitted via LSAC's LLM CAS Document Assembly Service. These letters of recommendation should preferably come from individuals who can speak to your ability to succeed in an academic context.
A substantial research paper written in, or translated into English. The substantial research paper should exemplify the applicant's best scholarly work.
Statement of research purpose. Applicants are asked to take particular care in outlining and discussing the purpose of their graduate work. They should describe their principal area of research interest with as much specificity as possible. The statement should indicate what the applicant wants to accomplish intellectually over the course of the program. There are no limitations as to subject matter. Projects can be theoretical or policy-orientated, comparative, international or domestic.
TOEFL/IELTS score, or relevant waiver. A TOEFL score of 600 on the paper-based test, 100 on the Internet-based test, or 250 on the computer-based test is expected. Applicants whose native language is not English but have earned a degree from an institution in which English is the language of instruction may request a waiver of this requirement.