Hi, I was hoping you could help me. My girlfriend just passed her bar exam in Brazil but would like to move here. Do you know what step she should take next to be able to practice in the US? Does she need more school or the LLM? Thank you so much!!

Eric

Well, it really depends where she wants to practice at.

She can take the California Bar Exam, but she will be limited to practicing law there.

Otherwise, she needs either the LLM or JD. The LLM is only accepted in NY and 3 other states to take the bar exam.

If she takes the JD, she will be able to take the bar exam anywhere in the US. However, the JD takes 3 years and the LLM takes only one year.

It would be California. Thank you for your help!

Actually for California, which is the largest legal market in the US and still maintains its position as a top ten world economy, she may directly be eligible for bar when she becomes a lawyer in Brazil.

If she is not yet a Brazilian lawyer, then she must also undertake an LLM that covers subjects specifically outlined by the Ca. Bar. I have a fairly detailed post somewhere in these discussion forums (search for it)- the links to the Cal Bar and explanation of the rules which are a bit quirky.

SoCal enjoys a large Brazilian population, student and professional. Because my fiance is one of those Brazilian students, a week doesn't go by without a Brazilian calling up with a similar question.

I am Brazilian and I'm finishing my LLM in Berkeley now. With the LLM, you'll be able to to the BAR exam in California or NY. But pay attention because they require specific credits in American Law courses, no it's not every course that will satisfy this requirement. Most schools have lists of courses which they send to the BAR for approval.

Ei, tambem estou em processo de aplicacao pro LLM de Agosto 2011, e estou com duvidas..... quantas paginas seu transcript teve? Estive na faculdade hoje com o pedido de transcripts pela Lsac e eles me cobraram R$350 pelas materias cursadas nos 5 anos de Direito e ainda tenho que pagar extra pela traducao, a atendente me disse que deve dar umas 120 paginas esse transcript... EStava pensando sera que eles nao querem o meu historio do curso de direito, que vem os cursos cursados, nota e frequencia?????