University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law

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Bar Requirements for LLMs

Depending on previous legal training and experience, international LLM graduates may be eligible to take a U.S. bar examination. Each jurisdiction in the U.S. sets its own rules and requirements for licensure and eligibility to sit for the bar exam, so eligibility varies by state. For international lawyers and law graduates interested in taking a bar exam, our Director of Bar Success can help guide students in understanding the requirements, and selecting the jurisdiction that is best suited for them. Our LLM students are able to take courses on bar exam topics and participate in other bar preparation activities such as workshops and bar review information sessions. Our curriculum fulfills the LLM education requirements to be eligible for the New York and California bar exams, two of the most popular jurisdictions for international LLMs. Note that there may be additional requirements including Character & Fitness/Moral Character determinations for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction and it is each applicant’s responsibility to understand their qualifications for eligibility. Richardson LLM students wishing to take a U.S. bar receive advising, course planning, and support through our LLM Faculty Advisor, our Director of Bar Success, and our Graduate & International Programs staff and faculty.

Follow the chart below to begin determining possible eligibility to sit for the California Bar Exam. This chart is meant as a general guide only. There may be additional requirements including Character & Fitness/Moral Character determinations for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction and it is each applicant’s responsibility to understand their qualifications for eligibility.

  1. Are you fully admitted to practice law in any U.S. or foreign jurisdiction?
    • If YES, you are eligible to sit for the California Bar Exam if all other requirements are fulfilled.
    • If NO, continue to Question 2.
  2. Do you have a qualified first degree in law?
    • If YES, you must complete 1 year of U.S. Law Study* to be eligible to sit for the California Bar Exam (See U.S. Law Study requirements below).
    • If no, you will need one of the following:
      • earn a U.S. JD degree – or –
      • California Law Office Study Program

*US Law Study Requirements for California

  • 20 Semester Hours of Credit (can be an LLM granting program, but not required)
  • ABA or California Approved Law School
  • Must be completed within 36 months of matriculation
  • Required Coursework:
    • Professional Responsibility Course
    • At least 12 credit hours (3 separate courses) of subject matters tested on the California bar
    • *California bar tested topics recommended for those receiving an LLM degree; required for those in a non-degree granting program.

This chart is meant as a general guide only. There may be additional requirements including Character & Fitness/Moral Character determinations for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction and it is each applicant’s responsibility to understand their qualifications for eligibility.

For more information and agency contact, visit:

Follow the chart below to begin determining possible eligibility to sit for the New York Bar Exam. This chart is meant as a general  guide only. There may be additional requirements including Character & Fitness/Moral Character determinations for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction and it is each applicant’s responsibility to understand their qualifications for eligibility.

  1. Have you completed a law degree from a Common Law country at an accredited University?
    • If YES, did you earn at least 83 credit hours (64 in classroom study)?
      • If YES, you may submit eligibility verification to the New York State Bar.
      • If NO, you must earn a U.S. LLM* (or U.S. JD). See LLM requirements below.
    • If NO, you must earn a U.S. JD.
  2. You may cure a substantive OR durational deficiency with an LLM degree, but not both. If you answered ‘no’ to question 1. AND ‘no’ to question 1a., you must earn a U.S. JD to be eligible for the New York Bar Exam.

*U.S. LLM Requirements for New York Bar Exam

  • Completion of 24 Semester Hours of Credit
  • No Distance Learning allowed
  • Must be completed at an ABA-Approved Law School
  • Must be completed within 24 months of matriculation
  • Required Coursework:
    • Two credit hours in Professional Responsibility
    • Two credit hours in Legal Research, Writing, and Analysis
    • Two credit hours in American Legal Studies
    • Six credit hours in subjects tested on the New York bar exam

This chart is meant as a general  guide. There may be additional requirements including Character & Fitness/Moral Character determinations for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction and it is each applicant’s responsibility to understand their qualifications for eligibility.

For more information and agency contact, visit:

For the Hawaiʻi State Bar Exam, a U.S. JD degree is generally required. However, applicants from a common law country where English is the language of instruction and practice may be eligible to take the Hawai‘i Bar if they have practiced law in that jurisdiction for five out of the six years preceding their application.

For more information and agency contact, visit:

U.S. Bar Exam Links:

For more information about our LLM Program, please visit:

For more additional information and inquiries, please email us at lawllm@hawaii.edu.