Hi Guys...

Natalia, please stop doing this to these unsuspecting lawyers from India. It is one thing to try to sell the school at the education fair but please dont do this at the friendly and informal discussion board....

Guys,
Here is a low down
1) You can not take the bar exam in Hawaii with an LLM degree
2) No law firm would sponsor you for work visa without a bar exam eligibility
3) University of Hawaii does not come anywhere near the top schools in Hawaii

So, my advice is
If at all you want to do an LLM....
1) Do LLM from state which would let you take the bar exam after LLM (i.e. NY, CA etc.)
2) Do it from the best possible law school that you can afford and which admits you.

Cheers, Have a wonderful New Year!

BTW, Natalia is right about Hawaii's natural beauty. It is a very beautiful place. But you can go there for a vacation after you clear the bar and get a nice paying job....

I think the problem foreign lawyers have is the concept that in the United States every state and territory has its own rules regarding what is needed to be licensed as an attorney in that state. I am an attorney in California and Texas. If I want to move to Arizona, I have to determine, based on my legal education and bar admissions, if I am eligible to be an attorney in Arizona. Some states, such as Hawaii, require a J.D. from a US law school to be an attorney. Others do not. Some states, such as New York, will allow foreign attorneys with a U.S. LL.M to take the bar exam. Others do not. Some states, such as Texas, require attorney applicants to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Others, such as California, do not. A few states allow correspondence legal education, most do not. For those attorneys thinking of licensure in California, please check the California Bar website at www.calbar.org for information on admission requirements. California allows foreign attorneys to take the bar exam without a US LL.M if the foreign attorney has a certain number of years of common law legal education in his or her home country. Also, even if a foreign attorney manages to get licensed in the U.S., the attorney also needs to be legally entilted to live and work in the U.S. This will require permanant residency status or some type of work visa. Neither is easy to get. To all foreign attorneys who want to study in the US for a LL.M degree, come on over. You will have a great time and get a US law degree. However, you will face many obstacles getting licensed and getting a job. It is not impossible, but very difficult.

Hello! I have a general question for anyone willing. I am finishing my undergraduate studies in Florida right now and am in the process of applying to law schools. I worked in Hawaii for about 4 months a few years back and absolutely fell in love with everything about it. I see that the lsat scores range from around 157-161, g.p.a. range is from 3.1-3.7 for undergraduates. Are my figures correct and does anyone have any advice? Wish all of you the best of luck.

hi. anyone here who is a recipient of the scholarship in the LLM at the U of Hawaii? Is it very competitive? I am from the Philippines and very much interested to get an LLM.