I know this must be asked before, but the information I'm gathering online are much of scrappy and confused, so I need a precise answer.

I'm a young Italian Law graduate and I'm interested in sitting the Bar Exam as I would like to work with American Law firms.
Before saying the same things, let me explain you my situation: during my 5 years of study, I choose a peculiar and detailed program in my university course, which was mostly focused on the Anglo-American Common Law, doing seminars and specific lectures for that.
Despite my University provided to their best students the opportunity to attend a semester at the Columbia University of New York, I wasn't able to take part of it as the places were very limited and the course was really expensive. And so was the same for the LLM as well.

I would ask if there's any chance to sit the Bar Exam in a State which is allowing Foreign Law graduates to do so, ONLY being in possess of my Law degree (No Kansas University, I already do know how it works, please avoid such an answer), studying and preparing at my best for that.

My degree consists of 270 ECTS credits.

[Edited by The_Outsourcer on Feb 29, 2020]

I know this must be asked before, but the information I'm gathering online are much of scrappy and confused, so I need a precise answer.

I'm a young Italian Law graduate and I'm interested in sitting the Bar Exam as I would like to work with American Law firms.
Before saying the same things, let me explain you my situation: during my 5 years of study, I choose a peculiar and detailed program in my university course, which was mostly focused on the Anglo-American Common Law, doing seminars and specific lectures for that.
Despite my University provided to their best students the opportunity to attend a semester at the Columbia University of New York, I wasn't able to take part of it as the places were very limited and the course was really expensive. And so was the same for the LLM as well.

I would ask if there's any chance to sit the Bar Exam in a State which is allowing Foreign Law graduates to do so, ONLY being in possess of my Law degree (No Kansas University, I already do know how it works, please avoid such an answer), studying and preparing at my best for that.

My degree consists of 270 ECTS credits.

The reason I'm asking is I got in touch with an Italian-American Law firm, which is financing a LLM to their partners.

I know this must be asked before, but the information I'm gathering online are much of scrappy and confused, so I need a precise answer.

I'm a young Italian Law graduate and I'm interested in sitting the Bar Exam as I would like to work with American Law firms.
Before saying the same things, let me explain you my situation: during my 5 years of study, I choose a peculiar and detailed program in my university course, which was mostly focused on the Anglo-American Common Law, doing seminars and specific lectures for that.
Despite my University provided to their best students the opportunity to attend a semester at the Columbia University of New York, I wasn't able to take part of it as the places were very limited and the course was really expensive. And so was the same for the LLM as well.

I would ask if there's any chance to sit the Bar Exam in a State which is allowing Foreign Law graduates to do so, ONLY being in possess of my Law degree (No Kansas University, I already do know how it works, please avoid such an answer), studying and preparing at my best for that.

My degree consists of 270 ECTS credits.

The reason I'm asking is I got in touch with an Italian-American Law firm, which is financing a LLM to their partners.

You could always take the bar exam in California as a foreign attorney applicant. You don't need an LLM for that, if I recall. But you need to be enrolled as an attorney at the Bar in your home country in order to do that.

California is one of the most lenient states with regard to allowing foreign-trained lawyers take its bar exam: to take it, you just need to be a licensed lawyer in your native country. This however should be taken with a grain of salt. California is one of the more difficult bar exams in the country -- in 2018, 60% of test-takers failed the exam (check out this article: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-faigman-california-bar-exam-20181129-story.html). Given that so many graduates of American law schools fail the California bar, it will inevitably be harder for a foreign-trained lawyer, especially if that lawyer is an English Second Language (ESL) speaker. Thus, although California allows people of all different backgrounds to take its bar, many of these test-takers are not successful: this is something to keep in mind.

Hello, I would recommend you to have a look on this NCBE's Bar Admission Guide which is very helpful : http://www.ncbex.org/publications/bar-admissions-guide/ . 

And more specifically the "Chart 4 : Foreign Legal Education" : http://www.ncbex.org/pdfviewer/?file=%2Fassets%2FBarAdmissionGuide%2FCompGuide2020_021820_Online_Final.pdf#page=25

Otherwise, because any LL.M. in USA can allow you to sit the New York bar exam (and probably others state bar exam) without being qualified in your home country, you can also:

(1) attend a very affordable LL.M. (i.e. Iowa) ; or 

(2) attend a top tier LL.M. with a scholarship (USC and UCLA are from my experience very generous with European applicant).

[Edited by # on Jun 16, 2020]

California is one of the most lenient states with regard to allowing foreign-trained lawyers take its bar exam: to take it, you just need to be a licensed lawyer in your native country. This however should be taken with a grain of salt. California is one of the more difficult bar exams in the country -- in 2018, 60% of test-takers failed the exam (check out this article: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-faigman-california-bar-exam-20181129-story.html). Given that so many graduates of American law schools fail the California bar, it will inevitably be harder for a foreign-trained lawyer, especially if that lawyer is an English Second Language (ESL) speaker. Thus, although California allows people of all different backgrounds to take its bar, many of these test-takers are not successful: this is something to keep in mind.

Hi Furkanoz, 

Indeed, the California bar exam doesn't require to be a permanent resident, have a work permit or the citizenship to be admitted at the bar.  However, if you want to practice in the US afterward, you will definitely need it. 

You can find all the requirement for foreign educated: https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Admissions/Requirements/Education/Legal-Education/Foreign-Education

California is one of the most lenient states with regard to allowing foreign-trained lawyers take its bar exam: to take it, you just need to be a licensed lawyer in your native country. This however should be taken with a grain of salt. California is one of the more difficult bar exams in the country -- in 2018, 60% of test-takers failed the exam (check out this article: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-faigman-california-bar-exam-20181129-story.html). Given that so many graduates of American law schools fail the California bar, it will inevitably be harder for a foreign-trained lawyer, especially if that lawyer is an English Second Language (ESL) speaker. Thus, although California allows people of all different backgrounds to take its bar, many of these test-takers are not successful: this is something to keep in mind.

Hi there. Are u sure about that "

you just need to be a licensed lawyer in your native country." ? İf u are sure, even someone can pass the exam like that what about the working permit ?  

[Edited by SwissLLMGrad on Jan 16, 2021]

California is one of the most lenient states with regard to allowing foreign-trained lawyers take its bar exam: to take it, you just need to be a licensed lawyer in your native country. This however should be taken with a grain of salt. California is one of the more difficult bar exams in the country -- in 2018, 60% of test-takers failed the exam (check out this article: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-faigman-california-bar-exam-20181129-story.html). Given that so many graduates of American law schools fail the California bar, it will inevitably be harder for a foreign-trained lawyer, especially if that lawyer is an English Second Language (ESL) speaker. Thus, although California allows people of all different backgrounds to take its bar, many of these test-takers are not successful: this is something to keep in mind.

[Edited by Atty on Oct 31, 2022]