<p>Have seen similar questions posted here, though not often. So here's my attempt. Please feel free to re-direct me if there has been an extensive thread on this already. :)</p>
<p>Quick word on my background: I hold an undergraduate degree in economics from Johns Hopkins university, worked as a banking analyst for 2.5 years, and have since taken on the role of a paralegal/translator in a large law firm in Asia (by Sept 2011 I will have worked in the firm for 1.5 years). I hope to attend law school in the UK and practice as a foreign attorney in Asia. </p>
<p>Here are some of my questions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Are the GDL, graduate LLB, and undergraduate LLB perceived differently in terms of marketability? For someone with a bachelors degree, are the admission criteria markedly different? I dont mind spending three years in LLB if thats my best chance at a good school. Plus, that will qualify me to take the NY bar upon graduation.</p></li>
<li><p>Since the UK admission process does not seem as numerically predictable as it is in the US, I wonder what qualities would help my law school application? I havent started using UCAS yet (will soon), but Ive heard that college transcripts arent necessary for undergraduate LLB programs. If so, how could admission differentiate me as a prior degree holder or evaluate my academic record?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Your input is very much appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>I am a little unclear but if one of the questions you are asking is what happens in the US if you go to law school in England, then some states will allow you to take bar exam with a foreign legal degree. However, understand that many states do not, so your ability to practice in the US is limited and most US law firms do not really consider foreign degrees of much value for practicing in the US or being someone the firm desires to hire for US practice. In other words, don’t consider going to law school in a foreign country as an avenue to successfully practicing law in the US. As to getting into a foreign law school, I cannot help you there.</p>
<p>If you want to practice law in a foreign country, best avenue is to get whatever legal degree is required in that country. Nevertheless, an English law degree may help if working in Asia for an English company.</p>
<p>Is there a particular reason you’re looking at law schools in the UK rather than the U.S. or, for that matter, in Asia? What advantage does a UK law grad have if they want to practice in Asia?</p>
<p>Like the others, I’m confused by your post. If your question is what should a US college grad to to get into a LLB program in the UK, I’d suggest looking at the websites of the LLB programs you are interested in. I know at least some Brit universities cover this question on their websites. Two, look at the message boards for UK schools. I know there’s one called the studentroom or something close to that.</p>
<p>Thanks you for your responses and sorry if I did not make my case clear. Having seen LLB questions on this board before, I posted with the intention of asking people who have experiences with LLB programs in the UK to share their insights on admission criteria, since numeric benchmarks are not as available. While some information could be obtained from the schools’ website, I was curious about an American perspective. As it turns out, “The Student Room” is perhaps better suited for my question, so I would migrate there, but please allow me a quick clarification for some of the responses.</p>
<p>Having what could be considered substantial work experience compared to the average law school applicant, which includes my current position at an Asia-based law firm that regularly handles transnational cases, I have a good idea of what I want out of a law degree and how said degree could help my career. Given my experiences and skill set, I hope to position myself as a foreign attorney in Asia who handles outbound work and work towards eventually qualifying in the Asian jurisdiction where I live. In other words, if my legal qualifications are obtained in the UK, as a foreign attorney I would likely work in one of the Asian offices of a UK-based law firm for clients who need advisory on UK law, which generally include the Asian subsidiary of a UK-based company or Asia-based companies doing business in the UK. </p>
<p>While there is a demand for US-qualified foreign attorneys, the UK option is more attractive to me for the following reasons: 1. If I attend a 3-yr LLB program in the UK I will be allowed to take the New York bar exam directly, and even though my goal is not to practice in the US, admission to the NY bar is a huge asset internationally. If I attend an American law school I likely will have to go through an accreditation process if I want to qualify for anywhere else. 2. I also want to work towards qualifying in an Asian jurisdiction, and the Asian jurisdictions that I am interested in allow a shorter qualifying process for UK degree holders than their US counterparts. 3. UK law firms regularly send their trainees abroad, but US law firms place few new hires directly in Asia, preferring to have them gain experience in NY or LA before expatriating out. Personally, I hope to get back sooner, as opposed to making that kind of move in my early or mid-thirties. 4. US law schools are more expensive, and UK offers two-year programs.</p>
<p>I would definitely confirm that you would be eligible to write the NY bar exam with an LLB from a UK school, without any further accreditation. You may have already confirmed this but thought I’d mention it because that would not be the case for someone with a UK LLB if they wanted to practice in Canada. There is an accreditation process that would require a certain number of qualifying exams and often coursework at a Canadian law school. I recently heard of an individual who has an LLB from the Univ. of London, who has written the LPC there, but has been unable to find a training contract which is required prior to being able to practice. Returning to Canada, he applied for accreditation and was told that he’d need to attend a Canadian law school for the entire three year period, which, in effect, means that the UK LLB is useless. Don’t put yourself in this position. Be particularly careful with the two year programs, although the individual whose story I related has a three year LLB. The process may be different for the U.S. but it’s something that needs to be researched very carefully so that you aren’t wasting a lot of time and money.</p>
<p>Well…it “sounds” as if you know more about this than I do. That said…</p>
<p>Don’t assume the fact that NY is quite liberal in allowing foreign lawyers to take the bar means that a LLB will prepare you to take the bar exam. It won’t. Even Americans who have gone to law school in other states have to take a bar review course in order to pass. The course costs several thousand dollars. </p>
<p>Note that the normal “cycle” for doing so isn’t going to work for someone attending a UK school. Now, of course, the cycle may change between now and the time you take the bar, but it’s been the same for at least the past 50 years or so, so I wouldn’t count on it. The NY bar is given 2X per year. Most law grads finish law school in late May and then prep for the test until mid to late July, when it is given. During the time, they usually take a bar review course, which teaches them NY law. This won’t be enough for you, as you need to know federal law to pass the multistate portion of the bar. Plus, you’ll still be in class. So, you’ll probably have to wait until February to take it. </p>
<p>Obviously, it is possible for a UK trained lawyer to pass the NY bar; many do. I just want you to understand that the LLB in and of itself will not enable you to do so. Plan to spend at least 4 full months doing nothing but studying for the NY bar to pass it or a much longer studying part-time if you are working. (If you just ask Americans how long did you study for the bar, they’ll say 1-2 months. Remember that those Americans took courses in US Constitutional Law, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure/Federal Jurisdiction, and the UCC. You will not have this background. Trust me: it will take you at least four months of full time study.) </p>
<p>After being admitted, you must take at least 24 hours of continuing legal education every 2 years to stay enrolled in the NY bar. During your first two years, the requirements for the kinds of courses you can take and the format of them are more stringent. If you aren’t working for a US firm (the foreign firms generally offer NY approved courses on site), you should plan on coming back to NY to take them. After the first two years, video and internet formats are accepted.</p>
<p>BTW, I don’t know how good your credentials are but there are programs which give you both degrees. Harvard has one with Oxford and Columbia has one with another law school. You might check into these if you want both credentials.</p>
<p>A normal bar review course should be adequate to pass the NY state bar, even for someone with a UK LLB. I think you’re dramatically overestimating the advantage of having taken classes that ostensibly covered the same topics in law school, especially since most of them will have been taken years prior to the bar exam.</p>
<p>The CLE could be a real issue, though, if there’s no way to take classes locally. The requirement is actually 16 hours a year for the first two, and you can only carry over 8 from the first year to the second, which would mean at least two trips back to NY.</p>