Offshore mature student Forum

[FMSaigon]

I have been working almost 20 years, currently based in Hong Kong heading a compliance team at hedge fund/private equity firm. I did an OK Canadian MBA way back when, picked up CFA and more recently a distance finance/ financial law MSc through London SOAS. I have an HK qualified colleague who took NY bar exam out of HK while working at a US firm. I am considering some distance law studies and taking California bar exam, as an extra qualification. It would be a pretty big undertaking and i guess somewhat questionable value, but would like to study. In any case couldn't see payback from full time back to law school commitment.

[ph14]

I have been working almost 20 years, currently based in Hong Kong heading a compliance team at hedge fund/private equity firm. I did an OK Canadian MBA way back when, picked up CFA and more recently a distance finance/ financial law MSc through London SOAS. I have an HK qualified colleague who took NY bar exam out of HK while working at a US firm. I am considering some distance law studies and taking California bar exam, as an extra qualification. It would be a pretty big undertaking and i guess somewhat questionable value, but would like to study. In any case couldn't see payback from full time back to law school commitment.

Are you eligible to be admitted to the CA bar? I'm thinking mainly of requirement #3, below.

To be admitted to practice law in California, an applicant must:

1. Complete the necessary general education;

2. Register with the Committee of Bar Examiners as a law student or attorney
applicant;

3. Complete the requisite legal education;

4. File an application to take the First-Year Law Students' Examination and
pass, or establish exemption from the examination;

5. File an application to take the California Bar Examination and after eligibility
has been confirmed, take and pass the examination;

6. File an application for a moral character determination and receive a positive
moral character determination from the Committee of Bar Examiners;

7. File an application, take the Multistate Professional Responsibility
Examination and achieve a minimum scaled score as determined by the
Committee of Bar Examiners, which examination is administered and graded
by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (http://www.ncbex.org);

8. Be in compliance with California court ordered child or family support
obligations; and,

9. Meet all admission requirements and take the attorney's oath of office no
later than five years from the last day of administration of the California Bar
Examination the applicant passes.

[FMSaigon]

Thanks ph14 for CA information. I understand there is a route for overseas people by taking on-line non ABA approved courses, which can make up the legal education requirement. Rather remote from your top law schools in this forum, but there is case for foreigners to take US qualifications even if they don't intend to work there. Even if not qualified to practice they can be useful qualifications in the job market and with multinationals (CPA is another similar well-recognized qualification) If I could do a reasonable number of on-line courses, exam review and tack on a trip to CA, would be up for it, but I am a bit skeptical if the whole exercise would be worth it. Local study route in HK would take me into my fifties..