How to Practice Law in the U.S. With a Foreign Degree

For international legal professionals seeking to expand their career horizons, the United States offers a robust and dynamic legal market. However, transitioning into the U.S. legal system requires navigating a complex web of state-specific regulations, educational evaluations, and rigorous examinations. Understanding how a foreign lawyer can practice in U.S. jurisdictions is the first critical step toward unlocking new professional opportunities.

This post will cover how to practice law in the U.S. with a foreign degree, including state requirements, bar exam eligibility, and the role of advanced degrees.

Can You Practice Law in the U.S. With a Foreign Degree?

Many international legal professionals wonder if they can practice law in the U.S. with a legal degree earned in a different country. The short answer is yes, but the pathway is heavily dependent on the specific state where you intend to practice. Because there is no single national license for lawyers, each state sets its own rules for bar admission.

If you are asking if you can practice law with a foreign law degree, it is important to understand the common challenges associated with having a law degree from a country outside of the U.S. In New York, for example, all first-time applicants under Rule 520.6 must request an advance evaluation of their eligibility before they file an application for the bar examination.¹ Compliance with state rules must be proven before the applicant may sit for the exam. New York’s framework centers on four major requirements: a qualifying law degree, accreditation, durational equivalence, and substantial equivalence to U.S. legal education.²

California is often considered one of the more accessible jurisdictions for foreign-trained lawyers. If you have been fully admitted to the practice of law in any U.S. or foreign jurisdiction, you are qualified to take the California Bar Examination without additional legal education.³ For foreign-educated candidates who are not already admitted in another jurisdiction, California still offers a route: applicants may qualify by showing that their degree is equivalent to a U.S. JD, obtaining a credential evaluation, and successfully completing a year of law study at an ABA-approved or California-accredited law school.³

The concentration of lawyers in just a few jurisdictions helps explain why New York and California are frequent targets for international attorneys. One-fourth of all the lawyers in the country are in just two states: New York and California.⁴

Requirements for Foreign Lawyers to Practice in the U.S.

The requirements for foreign lawyers to practice in the U.S. typically involve standard educational evaluations and extensive documentation to verify foreign legal credentials. If you hold a foreign law degree in U.S. jurisdictions, you must follow strict procedural steps to gain eligibility for state bar examinations.

In New York, foreign-trained applicants must complete an advance evaluation of eligibility before applying for the exam.¹ Timing matters significantly for this process. For applicants who need an LLM to qualify in New York, the review can take up to six months after the receipt of all required documentation.¹ The deadlines are strict: for the February exam, the foreign evaluation and all required documentation are due May 1 of the preceding year, while for the July exam, they are due October 1 of the preceding year.¹ New York requires extensive direct-source documentation, including official transcripts, proof of degree, and accreditation confirmation from the foreign government’s competent agency.² Supporting materials must come directly from the issuing institution or government agency in a sealed envelope.²

In California, foreign degree holders typically must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation plus the Foreign Law Study Evaluation Summary form completed by a credential evaluation agency approved by the State Bar.³ California also requires candidates to register as a law student before applying for the bar and to submit official sealed transcripts after completing LLM studies.³

U.S. Bar Exam for Foreign Lawyers

The U.S. bar exam for foreign lawyers is administered at the state level, not nationally. Lawyers typically need a law degree and a state license, which usually requires passing a bar examination.⁵ Many jurisdictions use the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), which is uniformly administered, graded, and scored, resulting in a portable score that can be transferred to other UBE jurisdictions.⁶ The current UBE is composed of three components: the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) weighted at 50%, the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) at 30%, and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT) at 20%.⁶

When looking for states that allow foreign lawyers to take the bar, it is crucial to note that the UBE is not universal. Applicants register through a user jurisdiction and may transfer scores only to jurisdictions that participate in the UBE portability system.⁷ New York uses the UBE and adds a state-law component for admission, requiring all applicants to complete an online course on New York law and take and pass an online examination on New York law.⁸

The California bar exam for foreign lawyers remains a prominent and popular example because its foreign-education route is more explicit than many states. Already licensed foreign attorneys may take the exam without additional legal education, while non-licensed foreign law graduates may qualify through degree equivalency plus U.S. legal study.³

How an LLM Degree Helps You Qualify for the Bar

Many international candidates ask, do you need an LLM to practice law in the U.S.? While not always strictly mandatory, depending on your background and the state, an LLM often bridges the gap between an international degree and U.S. requirements. If you are wondering if you can practice law with an LLM, the answer is that it can serve as a formal “cure” for a durational or substantive deficiency in foreign legal education in states like New York.¹

For LLM programs commenced in or after the 2012-2013 academic year, New York requires a qualifying LLM from an ABA-approved U.S. law school, completed within 24 months of matriculation.² This cure pathway is highly structured, requiring a minimum of 24 semester hours and specific coursework: at least two credits in professional responsibility, two credits in legal research, writing, and analysis, two credits in American legal studies, and six credits in subjects tested on the New York bar exam.²

California likewise uses additional U.S. legal study as a bridge. A foreign first-degree holder who is not otherwise admitted must complete a year of law study at an ABA-approved law school or a California-accredited law school.³ More broadly, an LLM builds familiarity with U.S. legal systems, writing, and case law, helping international lawyers develop the practical competencies that U.S. practice demands.²

Why Specializing in Health Law Creates Career Opportunities

While navigating state bar requirements can be challenging, earning a specialized LLM in a high-growth field like health law can make the process highly rewarding. The legal job market remains sizable and stable, with lawyers holding 864,800 jobs in 2024 and employment projected to grow 4% from 2024-2034.⁵ Demand for legal work is expected to continue as individuals, businesses, and all levels of government require legal services in many areas.⁵

Healthcare’s economic scale supports specialized legal demand. National health expenditures are projected to grow 5.6% annually over 2023-2032, faster than GDP growth, pushing health spending from 17.3% of GDP in 2022 to 19.7% in 2032.⁹ Rapid growth in major healthcare payment systems points to an ongoing need for lawyers who understand reimbursement, compliance, payer rules, privacy, fraud-and-abuse, and regulatory change.⁹

Evolving regulations, such as HIPAA and cybersecurity enforcement, continue to create compliance work. In 2024, the OCR completed 22 HIPAA enforcement actions, the second highest in OCR history, and collected over $9.9 million in settlements and civil money penalties.¹⁰ The cadence of enforcement continues into 2025 and 2026, including ransomware, phishing, privacy, and patient-access matters.¹¹ OCR’s broader enforcement data underscores the scale of compliance oversight, having investigated and resolved over 31,191 cases.¹²

Salary data suggests healthcare law can be financially competitive as the demand for specialized legal expertise continues to grow.

Advance Your Legal Career With an Online LLM From Hofstra University

Navigating the transition to practicing law in the U.S. with a foreign degree requires careful planning, a clear understanding of state bar requirements, and often, the right advanced education. While the journey involves credential evaluations and rigorous exams, earning a specialized degree can bridge the gap between your international background and the demands of the U.S. legal system.

Hofstra University offers an online Master of Laws (LLM) in Health Law and Policy that can help you build the specialized knowledge required to thrive in one of the fastest-growing legal sectors. Through the Maurice A. Deane School of Law, you will gain a deep understanding of complex healthcare regulations, compliance issues, and policy shifts. The School of Law provides a rigorous curriculum designed to elevate your expertise and position you for long-term career success in the U.S. market.

By specializing in health law, you can transform your international perspective into a highly sought-after asset and may prepare you for roles in legal services, government, or corporate compliance.

Don't wait to take the next step in your global legal career. Explore the admissions requirements and schedule a call with an admissions outreach advisor today to learn more about the program.