You probably know her from the early, chaotic, and iconic days of The View. Or maybe you remember her as a legal analyst during the O.J. Simpson trial, back when cable news was first figuring out that true crime was a ratings goldmine. But before the fame, the red carpets, and the daytime television drama, Star Jones was a serious prosecutor. People often ask, what law school did Star Jones attend, thinking she might have coasted into her career on personality alone. That couldn't be further from the truth. She earned her stripes at a prestigious institution in the heart of Texas.
Star Jones attended the University of Houston Law Center.
She didn't just show up; she excelled. Jones earned her Juris Doctor (J.D.) in 1986. It’s funny because when you see someone on TV every day, you forget they once had to sit through Torts and Civil Procedure just like every other stressed-out law student. She wasn't born into the Manhattan elite. She was a kid from New Jersey who headed south to get a top-tier legal education in Houston, a city known for a gritty, high-stakes legal market.
The Houston Connection and Why It Mattered
Why Houston? Honestly, the University of Houston Law Center (UHLC) is a powerhouse, especially for trial advocacy. If you want to be a litigator—someone who actually stands up in front of a jury and makes an argument—this is where you go.
It’s ranked consistently well by U.S. News & World Report, particularly for its health law and intellectual property programs, but its specialty in producing "courtroom ready" lawyers is what likely shaped Jones. You can see that influence in how she carries herself. She has that specific "Texas trial lawyer" energy: bold, unapologetic, and incredibly sharp under pressure.
After she graduated in '86, she didn't just sit in a back office doing research. She went straight for the throat. She moved back East and became a prosecutor.
From the Classroom to the DA's Office
By 1986, she was a member of the New York State Bar. She ended up at the Brooklyn District Attorney's office. This wasn't some cushy administrative role. Jones was a Senior Assistant District Attorney. Think about the mid-to-late 80s in Brooklyn. It was a rough, high-intensity environment. She was handling homicides. She was prosecuting the kind of cases that make most people turn away.
She once famously said that the courtroom was her first stage.
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Her legal background at the University of Houston Law Center provided the foundation for her promotion to the Homicide Bureau. It’s a transition most lawyers never make. You have to have a certain level of mental toughness to deal with the DA’s office in that era. When she eventually moved into television, she wasn't just "playing" a lawyer. She was a seasoned prosecutor who had spent years in the trenches of the New York legal system.
The Transition to Television
In 1991, Court TV was looking for people who knew how to talk to a camera without losing their legal credibility. Jones was a natural fit. She started as a commentator, and people loved her. She was direct. She was "kinda" blunt. She didn't use five-dollar words when a fifty-cent one would do.
That’s the hallmark of a good trial lawyer.
When the O.J. Simpson trial took over the world in 1994 and 1995, Jones became a household name. She was an NBC legal correspondent. While everyone else was speculating, she was breaking down the actual legal mechanics of the case. She knew the rules of evidence. She knew how a prosecutor thinks because she was one.
This is why the question of what law school did Star Jones attend is actually more important than just a trivia fact. It points to her legitimacy. In an era where "famous for being famous" started to become a thing, Jones was famous because she was genuinely good at a very difficult job.
Breaking Barriers in the Legal World
It is also worth noting that Jones was navigating these spaces as a Black woman in the 80s and 90s. The legal field, especially the "old boys club" of prosecutors and high-level litigation, wasn't exactly welcoming.
The University of Houston has a diverse alumni base, and that environment likely helped prepare her for the multi-faceted career she eventually had. She wasn't just a lawyer; she became an author, a fashion advocate, and a talk show host. But the law was always the spine of her career. Even when she was talking about shoes on The View, she was analyzing the "case" for why a certain trend worked. It's a mindset.
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Beyond the J.D.: The Impact of Her Education
The impact of her time in Houston stayed with her. She eventually became the National Spokesperson for the American Heart Association’s "Go Red for Women" campaign. She wrote books like You Have to Stand for Something, or You'll Fall for Anything.
If you look at her writing style, it’s persuasive. It’s structured like a legal brief.
She also returned to her roots in 2022 when she became the judge on Divorce Court. While some people might see "TV Judge" as a step down from being a high-level prosecutor, it’s actually a full-circle moment. It requires the same ability to parse facts, manage a courtroom (even a televised one), and deliver a verdict that stands up to scrutiny. She replaced Judge Faith Jenkins, another formidable legal mind, and brought her own "no-nonsense" Brooklyn-prosecutor-via-Houston-law flair to the bench.
Common Misconceptions About Star Jones' Education
Sometimes people get her confused with other legal analysts or think she went to an Ivy League school like Harvard or Yale because of her prominence in New York circles.
- Did she go to Harvard? No.
- Was she a Yale grad? Nope.
- Was it a New York school? Surprisingly, no—despite her New York career.
She is a proud alumna of the University of Houston Law Center.
She also attended American University for her undergraduate degree, where she was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. That combination—a D.C. undergrad experience followed by a Texas legal education—created a very specific kind of professional. Someone who understands the federal landscape but also has the "get it done" attitude of the South.
Actionable Insights for Aspiring Law Students
If you're looking at Star Jones' career as a blueprint, there are a few real-world takeaways you should consider.
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First, the "prestige" of the school matters less than the "skills" you acquire. Jones went to a great school, but she succeeded because she went into the toughest DA's office she could find and learned how to try cases. If you want a career in media or high-level litigation, focus on trial advocacy programs. The University of Houston Law Center is still a top-tier choice for this.
Second, diversify your skill set early. Jones didn't just study law; she learned how to communicate. If you're in law school now, take a public speaking class. Learn how to explain complex concepts to people who aren't lawyers. That’s the "secret sauce" that took her from a Brooklyn courtroom to a national television audience.
Third, don't be afraid to pivot. Jones moved from the DA's office to Court TV to The View to her own shows and eventually to the corporate boardroom (she’s been involved in several major business ventures). Her legal degree was the "permission slip" that let her into those rooms, but her versatility is what kept her there.
The next time someone asks what law school did Star Jones attend, you can tell them it was the University of Houston. But more importantly, you can tell them that the school was just the beginning. She took that J.D. and built a multi-decade career that redefined what a "lawyer" looks like in the American consciousness.
To follow a similar path, focus on:
- Clinical Programs: Enroll in law school clinics that put you in front of real judges.
- Networking: Join professional organizations like the National Bar Association.
- Media Literacy: Understand how to distill legal jargon into "human" language.
Star Jones proved that a law degree isn't a cage—it's a ladder. Whether you end up in a courtroom or on a daytime talk show, the foundation remains the same: know the law, know your audience, and never be afraid to make your case.