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about Qualifying as an Attorney
It's not too late to start our US Bar Preparation Course this Summer. The booking deadline is Friday 31 July 2024. In a globalised world, lawyers need to be at the forefront of economic, political, and corporate developments. For non-US law graduates and lawyers, qualifying as a US attorney for the state of New York or California can prepare you for these developments, by enhancing your knowledge and providing you with a wealth of career opportunities. To find out more about preparing for the US Bar Exam, see our US Bar Preparation Course.
Why become an attorney?
- Enhance your employability with an international qualification and distinguish yourself as a standout candidate in the market.
- Build your global presence in the legal market by improving your knowledge to counsel clients with cross-border operations and businesses.
- Gain new skills and techniques to benefit your personal and professional development.
- Improve your earning potential as an internationally qualified lawyer.
How is the US Bar Exam assessed?
The Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) consists of three assessments taken over two consecutive days. The exam is held on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of every February and July.
The UBE has three fundamental components:
- Multistate Essay Exam (MEE), which assesses your ability to communicate effectively in writing. You’ll be given a hypothetical situation, where you will need to identify the relevant legal issues, sort through information, and present your analysis.
- Multistate Performance Test (MPT), which assesses your ability to counsel and will test your skill as a lawyer rather than your knowledge. You will have to demonstrate your communication and problem-solving skills as well as provide your legal analysis and reasoning.
- Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), which assesses your knowledge over seven subjects: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law & Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts. This exam is the same across the US and taken at the same time to avoid collusion.
In the state of California, the MEE and MPT will be state-specific.
The assessments are weighted differently towards your final score:
- MEE – 30%
- MPT – 20%
- MBE – 50%
Candidates also need to sit and pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), which is a two-hour, 60-question multiple-choice exam administered three times per year. This needs to be taken and passed from three years before until three years after passing the Bar Exam.
Qualifying as an attorney: Your routes to practice
Find out more about the route you need to take to qualify for the New York or California Bar.
View your routes to practice
Becoming an attorney in California
Home to Hollywood and Silicon Valley, California is one of the United States’ biggest economies and its most populous state. Because of its world-famous tech, real estate and entertainment industries, there’s no better place to practise intellectual property law, cybersecurity, real estate law, contract law and litigation. California is a hotbed of innovation and its fast-paced developments creates a dynamic environment for lawyers to work in.
What topics will I cover?
- Business Associations
- Civil Procedure
- Criminal Law & Procedure
- Contracts
- Constitutional Law
- Community Property
- Evidence
- Professional Responsibility
- Real Property
- Remedies
- Torts
- Trusts
- Wills
What are the eligibility requirements?
To sit the California Bar Exam, you will need:
- to be a qualified lawyer from a common or civil law country
- to provide a Practising and In Good Standing Certificate delivered by your country of practice’s Bar Association.
To find out more about your eligibility as a foreign student, visit website.
How is the California Bar Exam assessed?
Day 1:
- California Essay Exam (CEE): Five 60-minute essay questions. Three questions will be assessed in the morning and two in the afternoon.
- California Performance Test (CPT): One 90-minute skills-based task.
Day 2:
- Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) - a six-hour exam containing 200 multiple choice questions, divided into two three-hour sessions, with 100 questions in each session.
You must score 1390 out of 2000 points to pass the California Bar Exam and score 86 on the MPRE.
How much will the California Bar assessments cost?
- Eligibility accreditation: $0
- Bar Exam fee: $677
- Laptop fee: $153
- MPRE: $150
To book the assessments, visit website. All prices are in USD.
Becoming an attorney in New York
The state of New York boasts a wealth of culture and business, thanks to its famous, global city of the same name. A world centre of business and commerce with Wall Street on its doorstep, New York City’s legal market is one of the most lucrative in the world. Providing you with an opportunity to practise corporate and transactional law, New York is a hub of opportunity, where you’ll be working with some of the best legal minds in the industry.
What topics will I cover?
- Business Associations
- Civil Procedure
- Conflicts of Law
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts
- Criminal Law & Procedure
- Evidence
- Family Law
- Real Property
- Torts
- Trusts
- Wills
What are the eligibility requirements?
To sit the New York Bar Exam, you will:
- have completed a 3-year full-time on-campus, accredited LLB from a common law country*, with at least 166 credits in common law.
- need to request an advance evaluation of your eligibility before you file an application for the bar examination. You will need to create a BOLE Account to access the Request for Foreign Evaluation Form and will need to submit all of the supporting documentation required with the form.
For full eligibility requirements as a foreign student, visit the website.
*Please note that not all common law countries are eligible to sit the exam.
How is the New York Bar Exam assessed?
Day 1:
- Multistate Essay Exam (MEE): Six 30-minute essay questions.
- Multistate Performance Test (MPT): Two 90-minute skills-based tasks.
Day 2:
- Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) - a six-hour exam containing 200 multiple choice questions, divided into two three-hour sessions, with 100 questions in each session.
You must score 266 out of 400 points to pass the UBE in New York and score 85 on the MPRE.
Applicants must also complete an online course in New York-specific law, known as the New York Law Course (NYLC) and pass an online examination, known as the New York Law Exam (NYLE).
How much will the New York Bar assessments cost?
- Eligibility accreditation: $750
- NYLC: $0
- NYLE: $27
- Bar Exam fee: $750
- Laptop fee: $100
- MPRE: $150
To book the assessments, visit website. All prices are in USD.
US Bar Preparation Course
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