Becoming a lawyer in USA?

Law degrees only exist as graduate degrees in the US, so no matter what you need to do an undergrad degree somewhere first. There are one or two jurisdictions where you can take the bar exam with a foreign law degree (I think NY and maybe DC or California?), and a few more with a foreign law degree plus US LLM.

Note that this does not help you actually get hired as a lawyer there, and due to US working visa requirements, a company can only sponsor you for a working visa if they can demonstrate there are no comparably qualified American applicants for that role (which there usually will be except for very small regional positions). Figuring out how to immigrate to the US is probably the first thing you need to do.

I’m not entirely certain but I think you could take the bar exam after your undergraduate degree in the UK. I’m not entirely sure however I’ve seen some commercial law trainees qualify as general attorneys in New York but that was after they had taken the LPC.

Here’s a link: https://collegelearners.com/how-to-become-a-lawyer-in-america-with-a-uk-degree/

I want to be a criminal lawyer in USA. But I am unsure how to get there. Would it be better to to do an undergraduate degree in a British university here in England and then transfer to do a law degree in America as a postgraduate? Any opinions would be useful - thanks in advance.

I’m not entirely certain but I think you could take the bar exam after your undergraduate degree in the UK. I’m not entirely sure however I’ve seen some commercial law trainees qualify as general attorneys in New York but that was after they had taken the LPC.

Here’s a link: https://collegelearners.com/how-to-become-a-lawyer-in-america-with-a-uk-degree/

Out of interest, why do you want to do crime in the US rather than here?

Out of interest, why do you want to do crime in the US rather than here?

I've just always wanted to work in the US, I don't really like the UK, to be honest I find it boring. Also, criminal lawyers don't get paid enough to live off in this country. There aren't silly cuts to legal aid in US like here

Thanks, so does this mean that it's impossible then, because working in the US is something I've always wanted to do? I am aware that it will be a lengthy process, regarding visas.

Essentially it's very difficult to get a company to sponsor a working visa in the US, especially in any major city, unless you are really outstanding; think Oxbridge grad with double 1st, distinction in a "top" masters (e.g. the BCL or a similarly perceived LLM programme, especially from a US law school), and a good amount of legal experience (in the UK presumably) and you are qualified to practice law in the US. If you don't mind being working in Boise, Idaho for a regional firm then you might not need such high flying qualifications. Equally if instead of going through being sponsored by a company for a working visa, you aim for the usual green card route, that might not have such requirements. But it is still difficult and expensive that way (unless you marry an American of course).

Also I'm skeptical that the US is much better for criminal law, or that there aren't extensive cuts to legal aid there. If anything across the board, there is less social and welfare support in the US than in the UK, and any kind of government spending on "aid" tends to get viewed pretty negatively, politically, by a large swathe of the electorate (and by the Republicans). There is a pretty widespread distrust for "big government", which includes basically any form of government spending, which the Republicans tend to side with, to a large extent. The Democrats don't, but they're also rampantly incompetent (see for example recently, despite holding a majority in all branches of the government ensuring they can pass any legislation they choose even if no Republicans vote for it, they actually managed to haggle themselves down on the stimulus package recently passed, and reduced it considerably, for essentially no reason).

Thanks for this, if I went to university, though, it would be as a mature student. Does the US allow mature students?

What do you mean? The term "mature student" has no meaning outside of undergraduate studies. All postgrad students (unless they started their undergraduate degree younger than 18, which is unusual) will be "mature" students by default.

Sorry, what I meant was whether my age would affect it (ie - being older as my undergraduate degree I would be completing when I am in my 20s, rather than straight after a levels)

No idea really, generally there are fewer anti-discrimination employment laws in the US so it's possible they could discriminate against you on the basis of age (whereas that is illegal in the UK). However unless you are nearly a pensioner I don't think it's likely to make much difference. Outside of the employment question, I don't think it will affect the visa/green card process.

Thanks, I ultimately want to become a judge preciding over criminal proceedings, and I know that experience as a lawyer is key first, to build up understanding over law. Would you say it's better to do this in the UK or US, only I am unsure which is the better legal system to work with. I have been told that criminal law in the UK is poorly paid