Hi. Can foreign lawyer take CA Bar Exam without LLM? I always see comments saying that it is possible. However I couldn't find any rule about it in the CA Bar Admission Rules

I've seen CA Bar Foreign Education website page that says "foreign attorneys are qualified to take the bar exam without having to complete any additional legal education". However, I couldn't find any law saying that or any foreign attorney doing that.

Do you know any foreign lawyer that has done it or the law regulating it?

Before purchasing bar exam preparation packages, I need to be sure that I can take CA bar exam without LLM and with only being a lawyer in another country. Thanks in advance.

Hi,

If you are a licensed lawyer in another jurisdiction, you are eligible to sit for CA bar exam even without having a LL.M degree. I am admitted to PRC bar, and I took the exam last year.


You could register the account at California Bar Association as an exam applicant. Bar Association will request the submission of the certificate of standing to prove that you are a licensed lawyer. Upon their approval, you could sign up for the exam.

Hope the above is helpful and good luck. 

[Edited by biggerthan3 on Nov 03, 2022]

Hi,

If you are a licensed lawyer in another jurisdiction, you are eligible to sit for CA bar exam even without having a LL.M degree. I am admitted to PRC bar, and I took the exam last year.


You could register the account at California Bar Association as an exam applicant. Bar Association will request the submission of the certificate of standing to prove that you are a licensed lawyer. Upon their approval, you could sign up for the exam.

Hope the above is helpful and good luck. 

Hi,

If you are a licensed lawyer in another jurisdiction, you are eligible to sit for CA bar exam even without having a LL.M degree. I am admitted to PRC bar, and I took the exam last year.
You could register the account at California Bar Association as an exam applicant. Bar Association will request the submission of the certificate of standing to prove that you are a licensed lawyer. Upon their approval, you could sign up for the exam. Hope the above is helpful and good luck. 

[Edited by ALaw-2024 on Feb 04, 2024]

Thank you!! Can I ask you about your strategy for exam? How long time you prepared for exam?

Hi, As I know, to be qualified to practice as a lawyer in PRC needs to pass the PRC bar exam and have one year legal experience. So you have satisfied both conditions to be eligible for sitting the CA bar. exam or you only passed the PRC bar without experience to sit the CA bar exam?

Thank you so much for your information and I really appreciate if you can reply me.