I do not have an LLB, I just finished the first year of NZ law school before moving to the US. Dean granted a certificate of proficiency for the one year of law school I finished so that I wasn’t leaving Auckland law school with nothing and could maybe work in my favor in to getting into an accelerated JD. Certificate of Proficiency application for first year law https://cdn.auckland.ac.nz/assets/law/for/future-undergraduates/documents/LAW-01%20pdf1%20(2).pdf
The reason I chose not to finish an NZ law degree was that several expat lawyers, law schools and recruitment agents advised that a JD was much more of an asset to have instead of a foreign LLB and US LLM. Even though New York is one of the few states that does allow foreign graduates to sit the bar, I was advised big firms still favored a JD (unless a foreign graduate had at least 4 years experience at a top firm and/or could apply to be transferred), that to be a state and/or federal prosecutor a JD is required and quite simply foreign LLB’s just weren’t as valued as a JD. Since a JD is a graduate degree unlike a LLB, any non-law degree was needed prior (preferably awarded in the US as it would make it easier to get a permanent US visa). A permanent visa would be needed to get any type of US law school funding, scholarships and/or financial aid otherwise I would have to pay for law school in full. Since arriving in New York, I have been able to remain working as a legal analyst on two J1 visas before I submitted a green card application in June 2014. The one thing I underestimated was how hard and long the green card process is, I will be starting a JD next fall most probably on a F1 student visa because I do not want to delay law school any longer. Whether I practice in New York or New Zealand I know a JD is the best, most adaptable law degree for my career and I have no regrets about not finishing an LLB. But while I have worked with numerous immigration lawyers on getting a green card, any foreigners who are in a similar position with any knowledge, advice or suggestions regarding a JD or visas is very welcome. Ideally I would like to work full-time and go to law school at night so any visa or loophole that allows for this, that I may not know about would be helpful.
JDApplicant, your drive is admirable. If you want to work full-time and go to law school at night, you’d significantly narrow your school options: Georgetown and Fordham are two of the few reputable law schools that have night programs. Are you sure that you want to do that, resulting in multiple strikes against you in a tough job market?
Why not just go to a regular JD program (which will result in many more, and particularly many more top-tier, schools that you could attend) and work in the summer? Summer associate jobs in NYC pay prorated associate salaries, which is a lot of money for not much work, and they are the typical route for getting jobs at blue-chip law firms. Night school is a much riskier bet.
You are aware that the job market in the US is terrible now for lawyers?
Who is your sponsor for your green card application?
Yes, what is the lure of the legal job market here in the US?
@GMTplus7, is absolutely correct. My sister’s corporate multistate law firm is not hiring. There just aren’t the client loads compensating for continued increases in staff. This and the fact that more people are utilizing internet sites, and trying to save costs, has decreased the need for new staff.
(Currently there is a lawsuit in San Diego, whereby former law school students are suing a competitive law school because they cannot find employment as attorneys. Their argument is that placement numbers were misrepresented.)
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm
Yes. This is true for most applicants. There are very few scholarships available for law school. Thousands of law school students have huge loans to repay.
Florida has added 2-3 new law schools since I moved here 14 years ago and I cannot understand why (other than the obvious $$$ grab these schools envision).