Hi everyone,

I'm a U.S. citizen. I graduated from a middle-tier U.S. law school, and I've been practicing poverty law quite happily in New York for about 4 years.

However, my girlfriend (hope to be wife) just was accepted to a Masters program at Oxford. Given the way things are, she'll probably get into the Ph.D. program too.

But that's four years long. I have to find a way to move to England and figure out a way to earn a living or at least try to do that.

Leaving aside the immigration issues, does anyone here know how I might go about becoming an attorney/solicitor in the UK?

Does you need an LLM? Foreign law grads can just take the New York bar. If they pass, they are in. I'm hoping there is something like that in the U.K, but I fear there isn't.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? Even to another website. Really, any information is helpful. Thanks in advance!

Hi,

I'm not sure how you could go about converting your degree- but Solicitors in England have to pass the LPC (legal practice course) which is a one year course (full time) which then enables you to practice in England and Wales. I'm fairly sure you'd have to do that- unless that is you can just convert your qualifications... but that is a whole different issue.

Hope this helps a bit.

You could think about taking the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test. You can find out details about this at http://www.qltt.co.uk/attachments/QLTT_FAQ.pdf

I think this would be your best and quickest option since.

Thanks for these responses. Even knowing that there is such a thing as an LPC and a Qualfied Lawyers Transfer Test is helpful.

I hope my girlfriend winds up coming back to the US after her masters, but it's nice knowing that there may be some options, though not very easy ones.

Anyway, thanks again!