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Hongkonger practice law in CA?

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mauricel

Joined: 05 Jun 2007
Posts: 31
Hongkonger practice law in CA?
Wed Jun 06, 2007 05:41 AM
Wonder if i can be admitted to a LLM in California if i have no legal experience in my hometown Hong Kong?

I saw almost all of the folks here are already admitted to the legal profession, not sure if this is a pre-requsite even though this is not a requirement though?

I just graduated with a JD in Hong Kong which is equivalent with a LLB in other common law jurisdictions such as Australia. My GPA is about 3.0 [not very top indeed!] and i have degree in linguistics and a higher degree in literature from university of hong kong.

Besides, i'm in marketing for more than 15 years and eventually would like to sit for Bar exam and practice in California.

Thanks everybody in advance.
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richardvf

Joined: 25 Feb 2006
Posts: 181
Hongkonger practice law in CA?
Thu Jun 07, 2007 02:08 AM
You don't need legal experience to be admitted to an LL.M program if you have a law degree. Depending on you legal and undergraduate education, you may be eligible to take the California bar exam without any further legal education such as an LL.M. You are also eligible to take the California bar exam if you are a lawyer in your home country. See www.calbar.org for requirements re: foreign lawyers/law school graduates to take the California bar exam
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mauricel

Joined: 05 Jun 2007
Posts: 31
Hongkonger practice law in CA?
Thu Jun 07, 2007 02:43 AM
Thanks richardvf.

Do you think that upon successful completion of a LLM in ABA-accredited law school in CA, ie, UCLA, Hastings, UC Davis, would i be automatically be eligible to sit at bar exam?

I am not qualified as a lawyer in Hong Kong.

Thanks foir sharing!
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richardvf

Joined: 25 Feb 2006
Posts: 181
Hongkonger practice law in CA?
Thu Jun 07, 2007 04:18 AM
Here is the information.

calbar.ca.gov/calbar/pdfs/admissions/sf_legal-edu-…

Basically, in order to qualify for the California bar exam, you need the equivalent of two years of undergraduate studies and four years of law study where the common law of England is the basis of jurisprudence. The US LL.M would count as one year of the four years of necessary law study. If you have a law degree from a civil law jurisdiction you will either need to get a US J.D. degree or take the California bar exam as a licensed foreign attorney.

[Edited 07 Jun 2007 by richardvf]
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richardvf

Joined: 25 Feb 2006
Posts: 181
Hongkonger practice law in CA?
Thu Jun 07, 2007 04:21 AM
Here is the link for licensed foreign attorneys who wish to take the California bar exam.

calbar.ca.gov/calbar/pdfs/admissions/77sf.pdf
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mauricel

Joined: 05 Jun 2007
Posts: 31
LLM in CA = eligible to sit at CA Bar?
Thu Jun 07, 2007 05:27 AM
Thanks again richardvf.

That means i still need to ask california bar for this. Hong Kong is a common law jurisdiction like singapore and Australia and my period of the study is 3 years, so can i assume if i have a LLM in california then i might be eligile to sit at the bar exam?

thanks again.
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richardvf

Joined: 25 Feb 2006
Posts: 181
LLM in CA = eligible to sit at CA Bar?
Fri Jun 08, 2007 01:46 AM
It would seem that way since you have other degrees in addition to your JD that would probably satisfy the equivalent 2 years undergraduate study requirement.
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mauricel

Joined: 05 Jun 2007
Posts: 31
LLM in CA = eligible to sit at CA Bar?
Fri May 09, 2008 06:38 AM
Hi richardvf

I just got admitted to UC Davis. My objective of taking this LLM is to be qualified to take CA bar as a foreign-educated applicant, and besides i'm also applying:

U of San Diego
UCLA
USC
UC-Berkeley
[UC Davis]

my question is if i'd like to practice in LA or surrounding areas, which school is the best? My problem is i'm not a lawyer in my country.

and do you think there's any school that may help clear the bar exam although we all knew that LLM doesn't help to take bar exam at all?

Thanks for your useful advice as always.

maurice
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richardvf

Joined: 25 Feb 2006
Posts: 181
LLM in CA = eligible to sit at CA Bar?
Sat May 10, 2008 01:59 AM
Congratulations on your acceptance to UC Davis. If you get accepted to Berkeley, that would probably be your best bet, followed by UCLA and USC. Unless you have a specific area of focus, your best bet to prepare yourself for the CA Bar would be to take classes tested on the subjects tested on the exam. When you graduate you will need to take an intensive bar review course such as BarBri to truly prepare for the exam. Good luck.
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wannallm

Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 10
LLM in CA = eligible to sit at CA Bar?
Tue May 13, 2008 09:19 PM
USC has classes for LLMs like legal profession, legal writing, legal research, two classes on topics on CA bar and also bar prep workshops during llm spring term. they have one of best bar pass rates of all law school llm for CA and NY.
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ariela

Joined: 13 May 2008
Posts: 1
LLM in CA = eligible to sit at CA Bar?
Wed May 14, 2008 04:54 AM
i think usc is best for preparing for california bar.
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mauricel

Joined: 05 Jun 2007
Posts: 31
LLM in CA = eligible to sit at CA Bar?
Wed May 14, 2008 05:22 AM
wannallm and ariela

Thanks so much for the advice.

Can you please share your experience either in USC and / or taking CA bar?

Appreciate your posts indeed.

Maurice Lin
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