Lawrence Jones, known for co-hosting the popular weekday edition of Fox & Friends, is taking significant steps in his educational journey by enrolling in law school. The 33-year-old has embarked on the online Juris Doctor program at Syracuse University while continuing his full-time television duties alongside Ainsley Earhardt, Steve Doocy, and Brian Kilmeade.
In discussions with People magazine, Jones shared that he became a permanent co-host this year. Three years prior, Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott inspired him to return to academia despite his demanding role, assuring him that he could manage both responsibilities.
“She’s like, ‘You can make it work. You really can,’” Jones recounted. To ensure the program’s intensity, he reached out to Syracuse for confirmation.
“When I tell my friends about this, they think this is like the Kim Kardashian program. It’s not,” the Fox host emphasized. “It’s real law school. It has the same rigor.” He noted that during his visit, he found other students skillfully juggling their studies with demanding careers, including an emergency-room physician who continued coursework amid the pandemic.
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Locked in.
— Lawrence Jones III (@LawrenceBJones3) October 26, 2026
Jones revealed to People that his interest in pursuing law began in his teenage years, considering a career in law enforcement. Initially, he studied criminal justice at the University of North Texas with plans for law school afterward, but eventually shifted towards television.
Despite altering his path, he made a promise to his parents, especially his father, to revisit his educational goals. His father’s encouragement not to make excuses fuelled his resolve to pursue law.
“I always made my parents a promise, though — specifically my father — that I would always go back to school. And I just never found a program from my perspective that [would allow me to] still do school and do TV,” he articulated.
In recent years, Jones navigated personal challenges, including a retinal detachment diagnosed in December 2025, which impacted his vision and required surgeries while he managed his coursework. He has shared how he balanced recovery alongside his academic pursuits.
Ultimately, Jones aspires to integrate his legal studies into his current career, rather than pivot away from journalism. “There’s so much law in my job currently,” he pointed out. “You almost have to take your personal feelings out of a case or a story and just look at what the law says. Law school by design teaches you to argue both arguments, pro and con.”
