Moving to the US to qualify as a Lawyer?

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Reply 20

I love Elvis

Thanks. I've heard that it is quite tough.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 21

Erich Hartmann

Original post by Matty2222

Wow, I wasn't expecting such a response! Thank you all, that has really cleared things up.
Well, I do have an Uncle and 2 cousins living in Boston, I don't know if that helps me at all, (I'm pretty naive all together about the idea tbh lol).

Also, I have a lot of legal experience under my belt already, I have 4 Law firms on my CV already, and I'm planning to do some pro-bono work for FRU.

From what I can gather, it does still seem a viable prospect, although I think I really need to get in touch with a few American Law firms to really discuss my options.

Again thank you so much for your suggestions, you have all been a great help!

You will come to realize that Americans for all the talk of globalization and being an open economy etc they are still largely biased when it comes to work experience. Often unless it is something within USA you will pretty much have it as zero experience.

To be honest, I looked at this option as well, was looking for an avenue to move back to USA, I had the option of taking the JD which would have made it significantly easier since I already have a US degree that would allow me direct entry into the JD program (well on condition I did well for the LSATs) ... but I was told it's actually extremely difficult to get a student visa to do that program as you will need to convince the consular officer that you will return home (or at least leave the USA) after your studies is over, they would generally infer that by doing a JD you are most probably wanting to stay on.

The other option was to do a LL.B in Britain and then get the NY Bar, while the LL.B is cheap to do, the NY Bar exam isn't, especially if you start taking any classes, tuition or tutoring for it, you should expect to pay around US$150 per hour for those classes. The California Bar is even more expensive and failure rates are very high.

I've got 2 friends that decided to pursue this, 1 followed his American wife to resettle in New Jersey and he took the NY Bar exam, he was already a practising solicitor from Britain. A 1st from Cambridge and almost 10 years of practice in a City firm.... he was delivering pizzas for almost 2 years before he got anywhere remotely near a law firm. What he said is your chances of getting a position in a law office anywhere in NY state is less than if you had come out with a 2:2 from an ex-poly uni and you're trying to get pupillage in Britain, it really is just that hard as they have plenty of their own homegrown candidates and equally you won't be the only foreigner trying to vie for that position if they would accept you.

The other was in practice with an American law firm in Hong Kong, they had a program to do the California Bar exam which he did... when the firm wanted to post him to CA to take care of a department there, the work permit took almost 3 years to complete as the office in US had to show that they had attempted to hire someone within the US but was unsuccessful. After 3 years of agonizing work, the visa finally came through but had to be renewed every 2 years. Lucky for him while there he met one nice American woman and settled down with her... lucky bugger.

As for me.... I think I will stick to banking :biggrin:

and hope someday I get sent back to USA.

Reply 22

I love Elvis

I don't understand how they afford to do the JD and sleep at night.

Reply 23

MDS3

"The New York Bar does consider holders of qualifying UK University Law degrees as eligible to sit their Bar Examinations without first obtaining the JD or LLM. Whilst successful candidates are immediately eligible to practise as an associate attorney, there is no guarantee of employment – most US law firms would look for related legal experience."

Could anyone tell me what a "qualifying UK University Law degree" is?
Do some LLB's not qualify?

Reply 24

nulli tertius

Original post by MDS3

Two year senior status, two year accelerated, distance learning and top up LLBs don't count.

Reply 25

MDS3

Original post by nulli tertius

Two year senior status, two year accelerated, distance learning and top up LLBs don't count.

Very helpful. Thank you.

Reply 26

cl_steele

considering the huge surplus of lawyers in america id advise against it either way unless youre guarenteed a job ... because remember if you train as a lawyer in america you can only work in america with it ... unless you take a conversion course of course :smile:

Reply 27

jjarvis

Original post by nulli tertius

Two year senior status, two year accelerated, distance learning and top up LLBs don't count.

Presumably because the NY bar requires applicants to have spent three years studying law? Accelerated/senior status law degree are QLDs for SRA purposes.

Reply 28

nulli tertius

Original post by jjarvis

Presumably because the NY bar requires applicants to have spent three years studying law? Accelerated/senior status law degree are QLDs for SRA purposes.

Yes. The requirement is that the course has to be as long as a US recognised law degree which means 3 years for a full-time and 4 years for a part-time law degree. The course also has to be a QLD or an Exempting degree for English purposes which rules out top up LLBs regardless of their duration. Apparently, joint honours LLBs are considered on their individual merits.

NY has set its face against distance learning degrees. Whether that is because of the poor quality of US providers, lingering affection for Socratic law teaching or sheer protectionism, I do not know. I suspect the latter plays a part. If NY allowed in the London International/External LLB (the world's most credible distance learning programme), I think the current US 4 year +3 year residential study model of law teaching would be extinct within a decade.

Reply 29

BucksorHerts

Hi all,

Sorry to drag up an old post but it's totally relevant to where I am.

I've practised as a property and planning lawyer in London for about 3 years now.
I first qualified in Nigerian and then did the QLTT.
I get my green card in a couple of months and have decided to move to the States.

I don't have to continue being a lawyer so I'm very open to other options and will appreciate your suggestions based on facts or experience.

I'm also considering Compliance and doing ACAMs. I will be moving to the DMV initially.
Thanks.

Reply 30

paleontologist

If you want to actually get hired as a lawyer in the US, walking into a law firm without a JD (even if you have an LLB and an LLM) is going to get you laughed out of the room. The LLM is not valued very highly in the US.Although you can take the bar exam without a JD it is extremely difficult and most people fail on the first try, and even if you do pass the bar, again, it is going to be difficult to find a job. California and New York are the only places you can even take the bar without a JD from a US law school. If you can afford it and think you would get in, going to a good US law school for a JD is your best option, but those degrees a 3 years.