I was asked a really good question about how UK students can practice in the USA ... Its important to know that the USA adopts a federal system where there are three levels of government: federal, state, and local. As a result, there is no nationwide qualification for lawyers within the United States, so in terms of practicing there, it depends on which state you want to go to. Most states insist that candidates have an undergraduate degree (of any discipline) and then complete a 3-year professional Juris Doctor (JD) degree in the USA. Afterwards, you have to take the state Bar Exam (but you might also have to pass a couple of other exams first, depending on which state you are in). There is some useful information on the Fulbright Commission’s website, as it explains a little bit more. Nonetheless, there are two states that they’ve noticed that are popular amongst UK graduates (as their rules are slightly different). These are New York and California.
Posted on: Thu, 12 Sep 2013 11:10:46 +0000