Hello,

Was anyone able to sit for the Bar in NY after completing a 2 year MA in Law from UK? I am a US citizen, will be living in England for a few years and was considering doing the MA Program (have a masters degree from Columbia University), and am planning on coming back to live in US. I am ok with doing a year-long LLM in the US after MA Law.

Thank you so much!

Do you have a 3 year LLB from a UK (or other Commonwealth) university? A 2 year law degree is not sufficient for the duration equivalence part for the NY Board of Legal Examiners. Some UK folks without the 3 year LLB have trouble with the NY BOLE. (Chartered Legal Executives, GDL+LPC grads all get a lot of grief from them.) Even if you are planning to do an LLM at an ABA-accredited law school eventually, send in your documents to the BOLE right away and see if they even allow you to take advantage of one of their cure provisions, ie taking an LLM in US law.

Hello,

Was anyone able to sit for the Bar in NY after completing a 2 year MA in Law from UK? I am a US citizen, will be living in England for a few years and was considering doing the MA Program (have a masters degree from Columbia University), and am planning on coming back to live in US. I am ok with doing a year-long LLM in the US after MA Law.

Thank you so much!

Thank you so much for your response. I do not have a degree at this point. I was considering doing an MA Law in the UK, coming back to the States and doing an LLM, and hopefully sitting for the Bar in NY.

I just have not heard of anyone who actually did this route and was hoping to find some people on here who possibly have done it, or have some experience.

Thanks again!

I don't know of anyone here in NY who has. I know someone out in California who did the 2 year law degree and then an LLM and did the Cal bar. I do not know how the NY BOLE will treat you, but there are other states than just NY. Massachusetts and DC might let you take the bar, too, even with just an LLM.

Thank you so much for your response. I do not have a degree at this point. I was considering doing an MA Law in the UK, coming back to the States and doing an LLM, and hopefully sitting for the Bar in NY.

I just have not heard of anyone who actually did this route and was hoping to find some people on here who possibly have done it, or have some experience.

Thanks again!

I don't know of anyone here in NY who has. I know someone out in California who did the 2 year law degree and then an LLM and did the Cal bar. I do not know how the NY BOLE will treat you, but there are other states than just NY. 




Massachusetts and DC might let you take the bar, too, even with just an LLM.

Thank you so much for your response. I do not have a degree at this point. I was considering doing an MA Law in the UK, coming back to the States and doing an LLM, and hopefully sitting for the Bar in NY.

I just have not heard of anyone who actually did this route and was hoping to find some people on here who possibly have done it, or have some experience.

Thanks again!

Hi, your information helps a lot. May I ask that do you know what kind of 2 year law degree the one you know took? Is it a MA in Law degree?
Thank you in advance and I look forward to your reply.

I don't know of anyone here in NY who has. I know someone out in California who did the 2 year law degree and then an LLM and did the Cal bar. I do not know how the NY BOLE will treat you, but there are other states than just NY. Massachusetts and DC might let you take the bar, too, even with just an LLM.

Thank you so much for your response. I do not have a degree at this point. I was considering doing an MA Law in the UK, coming back to the States and doing an LLM, and hopefully sitting for the Bar in NY.

I just have not heard of anyone who actually did this route and was hoping to find some people on here who possibly have done it, or have some experience.

Thanks again!

The person I know did a 2-year LLB and then an LLM in the US for California. Unless that MA is a qualifying law degree for the BPTC/LPC then it will not be accepted.