UK (United Kingdom) students routes into Californian law
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 1:16 pm
Hey guys,
So after a very helpful thread in another board here I have drawn the conclusion that a great LSAT score is absolutely essential for an UK student to be admitted into a law school here due to the disparities in how undergraduate courses are graded (non GPA). However, I have researched several routes to working in a Californian law office and I am looking for some pointers or advice by anyone who has been in this situation or is in this situation (and is having trouble deciding on which is the best route). I am in my last year studying law at a t14 UK University, with an exchange year at a t3 Dutch University, on course to a 2:1/1:1 degree with more than good enough high school grades to be considered for employment by any London City firm. My possible routes and thoughts so far:
- Apply to a London firm, complete the mandatory two year Legal Practitioners Course followed by a two years as a trainee at a firm before becoming an associate: Not an option. 4 years in London... no thanks. Especially not with the Olympics coming up.
- Sit the LSAT, (hopefully with enough work) get a great score, be admitted to a Californian J.D at UCLA, USC, Davis or Hastings, sit the Californian Bar, find employment: This is the only option that I think is accessible. If I work hard enough and get a 170+ LSAT it should be fairly simple to get into these schools it seems. The only issue is 3 years of extraordinary private loans...
- Apply to an LLM program at the aforementioned schools: This would cut a year off my education saving a tonne of money and I wouldn't waste my time learning a lot of super basic stuff I already know. I also wouldn't waste any money or time on the LSAT. I hear though that LLM student are 'class B' to JD students when applying to firms and that in order to sit the Californian bar to be a registered attorney in California you must have a JD from a registered school or be a practising lawyer from another country. I will not be a practising lawyer in the UK for a while, even with my LLB.
Any thoughts or experiences? In the previous thread a member of this forum said he knew several International LM students who found jobs with law firms in the states as easily as JD students and that it is easier to find a LM placement than JD placement. He did not, however, mention the specifics, whether they were already qualified lawyers in their home country for example. I have done a significant amount of research into this and have lurked around here looking for people in the situation I am in but have come up trumps. I spend about 5 months a year in California visiting friends (I am here right now), I love it here and I have fantastic friends here, I would do anything and go to any school/work in any office to live here. Any advice would be greatly appreciated,
Mr Adams
So after a very helpful thread in another board here I have drawn the conclusion that a great LSAT score is absolutely essential for an UK student to be admitted into a law school here due to the disparities in how undergraduate courses are graded (non GPA). However, I have researched several routes to working in a Californian law office and I am looking for some pointers or advice by anyone who has been in this situation or is in this situation (and is having trouble deciding on which is the best route). I am in my last year studying law at a t14 UK University, with an exchange year at a t3 Dutch University, on course to a 2:1/1:1 degree with more than good enough high school grades to be considered for employment by any London City firm. My possible routes and thoughts so far:
- Apply to a London firm, complete the mandatory two year Legal Practitioners Course followed by a two years as a trainee at a firm before becoming an associate: Not an option. 4 years in London... no thanks. Especially not with the Olympics coming up.
- Sit the LSAT, (hopefully with enough work) get a great score, be admitted to a Californian J.D at UCLA, USC, Davis or Hastings, sit the Californian Bar, find employment: This is the only option that I think is accessible. If I work hard enough and get a 170+ LSAT it should be fairly simple to get into these schools it seems. The only issue is 3 years of extraordinary private loans...
- Apply to an LLM program at the aforementioned schools: This would cut a year off my education saving a tonne of money and I wouldn't waste my time learning a lot of super basic stuff I already know. I also wouldn't waste any money or time on the LSAT. I hear though that LLM student are 'class B' to JD students when applying to firms and that in order to sit the Californian bar to be a registered attorney in California you must have a JD from a registered school or be a practising lawyer from another country. I will not be a practising lawyer in the UK for a while, even with my LLB.
Any thoughts or experiences? In the previous thread a member of this forum said he knew several International LM students who found jobs with law firms in the states as easily as JD students and that it is easier to find a LM placement than JD placement. He did not, however, mention the specifics, whether they were already qualified lawyers in their home country for example. I have done a significant amount of research into this and have lurked around here looking for people in the situation I am in but have come up trumps. I spend about 5 months a year in California visiting friends (I am here right now), I love it here and I have fantastic friends here, I would do anything and go to any school/work in any office to live here. Any advice would be greatly appreciated,
Mr Adams