Hi,

would appreciate to know more info on CA bar exam and how hard is it if we compare to NY bar exam

Thx

From what I have heard, CA and NY are the 2 hardest bar exams to take and they are comparable. While NY has more subjects to study for, I believe the CA bar is one day longer because of the performance tests.

I took Barbri and thought the CA exam was really straightforward.

Did you pass the CA bar triguyben8379?

also did you do your LLB and/or LLM in the US?

I passed the bar on my first try. I am a US JD and I am beginning a tax LLM in August.

Believe me, Barbri makes it really straightforward.

well i'm a qualified lawyer in a civil jurisidiction and I'm pursue an LLM in the UK so I doubt i will find CA bar as easy at you did, but I am willing to take Barbri from London (if that is possible?)
anyway what do you think? do i have a shot? because i know that CA is notoriously difficult...
and when should i start preparing for it

thx a lot

I think you can take barbri classes online. You need to give it a good 2-3 months of studying. I started preparing for the July exam in late May. If you are working full time, it may be harder to prepare for the exam. Most people out here take a leave of absence to study full time.

Can I take the training course out of London? what about the exam itself? I assume I will have to go to CA, right?

I don't know about the courses. You should consult their website. I believe you have to take the exam in CA, but I would search for that info on the CA Bar website.

Hi Banker3,

While trying to assist another England solicitor who is thinking of taking the CA Bar Exam, I did some research for him on his eligibility to take the CA Bar Exam for foreign educated attorneys.

I thought this research might also be useful for you before you embark on the Barbi or other courses. Please see below:

Hi Jack85,

I did some research for you about eligibility in taking the California Bar Exam for foreign law school graduates. You can read the specifics at calbar.xap.com/Applications/CalBar/California_Bar_. Once there just scroll down and clik on ELIGIBILITY on blue font. Then just go down to the section about Foreign Educated Applicants.

Essentially, the requirements for a graduate from a common law jurisdiction (like Great Britain) are as follows:
i) get a credential evaluative agency (approved by CA) to evaluate whether you have the requisite 2 years of pre legal and 4 years of legal educations; and
2) passage or exemption from the First-Year Law Student's Examination.

One problem relates to how you are going to get approval for 4 years of legal education when most law schools are three years. That's is something you need to do further research. The second requirement is where LL.M. comes in. The rule specifically states that an LL.M. from a U.S. school can viciate the need for the First-Year Law Student's Examination.

Alternatively, if you pass the New York State Bar Exam and allow 4 years to go by, you will also be eligible to take the exam that way.

All in all, it's quite a pain in the ass. If I were you, I would pass the NYS Bar, go to CA and find a job with a big firm and work in non-litigation and then you will be fine. This is the cost you will pay for wanting the California sun.
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North450's analysis is correct if you are a foreign educated law graduate (and not a qualified foreign attorney). For foreign qualified attorneys the requirements are set out in the attached link: http://calbar.ca.gov/calbar/pdfs/admissions/77sf.pdf

No further study required if you are a qualified lawyer - regardless of where qualified.

Hi Edge_50,

Thanks for the clarification. Based on the links you provided, it does clearly provide another set of rules for foreign licenced attorneys wishing to take the Califorania Bar Exam (as opposed to foreign educated law graduates). (I must admit that I was not aware of that).

But I am not able to independently verify the link you provided from the California Bar Application website (at http://calbar.xap.com/Applications/CalBar/California_Bar_Exam/default.asp).

Nonetheless, I would assume that the rules you provided relating to foreign licenced attorney (requiring no additional US education before you can sit for the CA Bar Exam) is correct.

I think you are elligible to apply of you are a foreign qualified lawyer, but I would be interested to know its degree of difficulty in comparaison the NY Bar if we take the Barbri?