We’re so confident in our US Bar Prep course that if you don’t pass the bar first time, you can take the course again for free.*
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about Qualifying as an Attorney
The booking deadline for our US Bar Preparation Course for our Summer 26 intake is Friday, 31 July 2026. In a globalised world, lawyers need to be at the forefront of economic, political, and corporate developments. For non-US law graduates and lawyers, qualifying as a US attorney for the state of New York or California can prepare you for these developments, by enhancing your knowledge and providing you with a wealth of career opportunities. To find out more about preparing for the US Bar Exam, see our US Bar Preparation Course.
Why become an attorney?
- Enhance your employability with an international qualification and distinguish yourself as a standout candidate in the market.
- Build your global presence in the legal market by improving your knowledge to counsel clients with cross-border operations and businesses.
- Gain new skills and techniques to benefit your personal and professional development.
- Improve your earning potential as an internationally qualified lawyer.
Your route to the US Bar
The US Bar Preparation Course has been designed to prepare you for either the New York or California Bar Exam. You’ll cover a range of core topics and have the choice to specialise in either state’s legislation, depending on eligibility.
The US Bar Preparation Course has been developed in partnership with Themis, one of the largest US Bar exam preparation providers. Find out more about the course and our partnership with Themis by watching the video below.
Find out more about the route you need to take to qualify for the New York or California Bar.
View your routes to practice
Becoming an attorney in California
Home to Hollywood and Silicon Valley, California is one of the United States’ biggest economies and its most populous state. Because of its world-famous tech, real estate and entertainment industries, there’s no better place to practise intellectual property law, cybersecurity, real estate law, contract law and litigation. California is a hotbed of innovation and its fast-paced developments creates a dynamic environment for lawyers to work in.
What topics will I cover?
- Business Associations
- Civil Procedure
- Criminal Law & Procedure
- Contracts
- Constitutional Law
- Community Property
- Evidence
- Professional Responsibility
- Real Property
- Remedies
- Torts
- Trusts
- Wills
What are the eligibility requirements?
To sit the California Bar Exam, you will need:
- to be a qualified lawyer from a common or civil law country
- to provide a Practising and In Good Standing Certificate delivered by your country of practice’s Bar Association.
To find out more about your eligibility as a foreign student, visit website.
How is the California Bar Exam assessed?
The Supreme Court of California has now approved that the California Bar Exam can be taken remotely, so you'll no longer be required to travel to California to sit the exams.
The California Bar Exam, commonly known as the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) is held on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of every February and July and consists of three assessments taken over two consecutive days
Day 1:
- California Essay Exam (CEE): Five 60-minute essay questions assessing written communication and legal analysis. Three questions will be assessed in the morning and two in the afternoon.
- California Performance Test (CPT): One 90-minute skills-based task evaluating lawyering skills, including problem-solving and reasoning.
Day 2:
- Multistate Bar Exam (MBE): a six-hour exam to assess your knowledge over seven subjects - Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law & Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts. This exam contains 200 multiple choice questions, divided into two 3-hour sessions with 100 questions in each session.
Assessments weighting:
- CEE – 30%
- CPT – 20%
- MBE – 50%
Please note: Candidates also need to sit and pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), which is a two-hour, 60-question multiple-choice exam administered three times per year. This needs to be taken and passed from three years before until three years after passing the Bar Exam.
You must score 1390 out of 2000 points to pass the California Bar Exam and score 86 on the MPRE.
How much will the California Bar assessments cost?
With the California Bar Exam now available remotely, you can save on travel and accommodation costs, making the exam more convenient and affordable than ever.
To find out the costs of the assessments and to book your place, please visit website. All prices are in USD.
Becoming an attorney in New York
The state of New York boasts a wealth of culture and business, thanks to its famous, global city of the same name. A world centre of business and commerce with Wall Street on its doorstep, New York City’s legal market is one of the most lucrative in the world. Providing you with an opportunity to practise corporate and transactional law, New York is a hub of opportunity, where you’ll be working with some of the best legal minds in the industry.
What topics will I cover?
- Business Associations
- Civil Procedure
- Conflicts of Law
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts
- Criminal Law & Procedure
- Evidence
- Family Law
- Real Property
- Torts
- Trusts
- Wills
What are the eligibility requirements?
To sit the New York Bar Exam, you will:
- have completed a 3-year full-time on-campus, accredited LLB from a common law country*, with at least 166 credits in common law.
- need to request an advance evaluation of your eligibility before you file an application for the bar examination. You will need to create a BOLE Account to access the Request for Foreign Evaluation Form and will need to submit all of the supporting documentation required with the form.
For full eligibility requirements as a foreign student, visit the website.
*Please note that not all common law countries are eligible to sit the exam.
How is the New York Bar Exam assessed?
The New York Bar Exam, commonly known as the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) is held on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of every February and July and consists of three assessments taken over two consecutive days.
Day 1:
- Multistate Essay Exam (MEE): Six 30-minute essay questions to assess your ability to communicate effectively in writing. You’ll be given a hypothetical situation, where you will need to identify the relevant legal issues, sort through information, and present your analysis.
- Multistate Performance Test (MPT): Two 90-minuite skills-based tasks to assess your ability to counsel and will test your skill as a lawyer rather than your knowledge. You will have to demonstrate your communication and problem-solving skills as well as provide your legal analysis and reasoning.
Day 2:
- Multistate Bar Exam (MBE): A six-hour exam to assess your knowledge over seven subjects - Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law & Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts. This exam contains 200 multiple choice questions, divided into two 3-hour sessions with 100 questions in each session.
Assessments weighting:
- MEE – 30%
- MPT – 20%
- MBE – 50%
Applicants must also complete an online course in New York-specific law, known as the New York Law Course (NYLC) and pass an online examination, known as the New York Law Exam (NYLE).
Please note: Candidates also need to sit and pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), which is a two-hour, 60-question multiple-choice exam administered three times per year. This needs to be taken and passed from three years before until three years after passing the Bar Exam.
You must score 266 out of 400 points to pass the UBE in New York and score 85 on the MPRE.
How much will the New York Bar assessments cost?
To find out the costs of the assessments and to book your place, please visit the website. All prices are in USD.
US Bar Preparation Course
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