Hiya everyone,

I'm a law student at a British university currently in my second year and I'm interested in returning to the United States. I'm keen on practicing there, too, but I'm unsure on how to go about this.

Some say that I should graduate and qualify in England before going back, but I'm not too fond about this option (for personal reasons); I haven't totally ruled it out, though. Thus I've been looking at doing either an LLM or a JD. What do you guys think? - which would be a better option?

How do employers in CA/NY perceive an individual with an LLM from an ABA-approved school with no post-degree work?

I'm really confused about this...so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hi,

I'm pretty much in the same boat, I finished my LLB in the UK this year and I'm British, however, I too want to work in the US (New York).

I am sitting my New York Bar Exam next week and then intend to do an LLM later on this year to enhance my employment prospects. If you have the option of doing either a JD or LLM (keeping in mind the JD is 2 additional years in comparison to an LLM) then go for the JD because US Law Firms tend to view the JD more favourably.

You will have to sit the bar exam in your respective state and having an LLB is not a sufficient qualification for any state EXCEPT for New York.

If you want to get into a tier 1 law school to do an LLM, you must be at a pretty decent UK university (top 10) and have at least a 2.1 or be on course for that otherwise you are wasting your time.

Hope this helps.

Hi,

I'm pretty much in the same boat, I finished my LLB in the UK this year and I'm British, however, I too want to work in the US (New York).

I am sitting my New York Bar Exam next week and then intend to do an LLM later on this year to enhance my employment prospects. If you have the option of doing either a JD or LLM (keeping in mind the JD is 2 additional years in comparison to an LLM) then go for the JD because US Law Firms tend to view the JD more favourably.

You will have to sit the bar exam in your respective state and having an LLB is not a sufficient qualification for any state EXCEPT for New York.

If you want to get into a tier 1 law school to do an LLM, you must be at a pretty decent UK university (top 10) and have at least a 2.1 or be on course for that otherwise you are wasting your time.

Hope this helps.

The ultimate fact, and I have learnt this from all of my friends also is why would an American Law Firm accept you with only your possible 1 year (LLM) education in US Law when they can have their pick of the bunch from top law schools in America who have their 3 year JD and a solid foundation in American Law.

Doing an LLM is a great idea but its employment prospects in comparison to a JD are sparse...

But its all swings and roundabouts because there are many people with jobs in the US with a foreign legal education and just an LLM...it's all about how good you make yourself stand out.

If you want to sit the CA Bar, you must be a qualified Lawyer from the UK, New York is the only bar exam you can sit coming straight out of LLB (like I did)...I think in order to sit the Florida Bar you should be eligible after completing an LLM at a Florida University (don't quote me on this...I'm not sure!)

The ultimate fact, and I have learnt this from all of my friends also is why would an American Law Firm accept you with only your possible 1 year (LLM) education in US Law when they can have their pick of the bunch from top law schools in America who have their 3 year JD and a solid foundation in American Law.

Doing an LLM is a great idea but its employment prospects in comparison to a JD are sparse...

But its all swings and roundabouts because there are many people with jobs in the US with a foreign legal education and just an LLM...it's all about how good you make yourself stand out.

If you want to sit the CA Bar, you must be a qualified Lawyer from the UK, New York is the only bar exam you can sit coming straight out of LLB (like I did)...I think in order to sit the Florida Bar you should be eligible after completing an LLM at a Florida University (don't quote me on this...I'm not sure!)

Here's my question: couldn't you just take the NY Bar and then once qualified to practice in a US jurisdiction (NY) take most any other state's Bar exam to be able to practice there? Would they still look to the fact that your legal education (minus perhaps a US LLM) was foreign? Or at that pt would the education not play such a critical role cause you'd already be a lawyer in the US???

Hi,

I'm pretty much in the same boat, I finished my LLB in the UK this year and I'm British, however, I too want to work in the US (New York).

I am sitting my New York Bar Exam next week and then intend to do an LLM later on this year to enhance my employment prospects. If you have the option of doing either a JD or LLM (keeping in mind the JD is 2 additional years in comparison to an LLM) then go for the JD because US Law Firms tend to view the JD more favourably.

You will have to sit the bar exam in your respective state and having an LLB is not a sufficient qualification for any state EXCEPT for New York.

If you want to get into a tier 1 law school to do an LLM, you must be at a pretty decent UK university (top 10) and have at least a 2.1 or be on course for that otherwise you are wasting your time.

Hope this helps.

Here's my question: couldn't you just take the NY Bar and then once qualified to practice in a US jurisdiction (NY) take most any other state's Bar exam to be able to practice there? Would they still look to the fact that your legal education (minus perhaps a US LLM) was foreign? Or at that pt would the education not play such a critical role cause you'd already be a lawyer in the US???