Fox News host Lawrence Jones has added law school to his schedule while continuing to co-host “Fox & Friends.” The 33-year-old enrolled in Syracuse University’s online Juris Doctor program in August 2026, pursuing a goal that predates his television career. His decision also fulfills a promise to his parents that he would return to school. Jones plans to apply his legal education to his work covering the news.
The Texas native previously studied criminal justice at the University of North Texas and initially considered becoming a police officer. His interests later shifted toward becoming an attorney, but television work arrived during his junior year of college. That opportunity took his career in another direction. Returning to his education remained particularly important to his father, who had encouraged his legal ambitions.
Jones’s enrollment follows several years of reporting and hosting assignments at Fox. He joined the network in 2018 and became the “Fox & Friends” enterprise reporter in 2021. His work included traveling around the country to interview Americans about issues affecting their communities. In September 2023, he became a permanent co-host of the weekday morning program alongside Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade.
In an interview published October 26th by People, Jones described encouragement from Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott to pursue his education despite his demanding schedule. He contacted Syracuse before enrolling to ask about the academic expectations of its online program. During a campus visit, he also learned about other students balancing their studies with demanding careers, including an emergency-room physician during the pandemic. “It’s real law school. It has the same rigor,” Jones said.
Syracuse’s program requirements include the same coursework required of residential J.D. students, with online instruction combining independent sessions and live faculty-led discussions. Students should expect at least two hours of preparation and study for each hour in class. They must also attend six in-person residency courses and complete an externship providing practical legal experience under an attorney’s supervision. Most online classes are scheduled in the evening to accommodate working students.
Jones’s television responsibilities have included extensive coverage of criminal cases. In its 2023 announcement of his promotion, Fox noted that he devoted four hour-long “Lawrence Jones Cross Country” broadcasts to the University of Idaho student murders while reporting from Moscow, Idaho. The network also cited his reporting on violence and interviews with presidential candidates. His weekend show ended before he began the weekday hosting position, while he retained his enterprise-reporting role.
Watch Jones discuss his Fox News career in this October 8 anniversary clip:
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His application process also coincided with treatment for a serious eye condition. Jones was diagnosed with a retinal detachment in December 2025 and underwent three surgeries. Vision loss in one eye added another difficulty as he completed the steps necessary to enter law school. He continued pursuing admission while dealing with his medical treatment.
Jones said his mornings begin at 4 a.m., ahead of the program’s 6 a.m. start. Breaking news can disrupt his calendar, requiring flexibility and support from colleagues as he balances assignments with coursework. He wants his studies to help him examine the legal arguments in cases making headlines. “I think it’s gonna be great for my career,” he said.
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.