QUESTION
Will I need to take the American Bar exam if I studied Australian Law?
Asked on Jul 07th, 2011 on Criminal Law - California
More details to this question:
I'm just asking, seeming as the B.A.R exam in the America and Australia are different, does this mean if I were to qualify as a barrister in the America would I need to re-sit a B.A.R. examination to be able to practice as a barrister in Australia?
14 ANSWERS
Michael J. Breczinski
Yes that is probably the case but you should consult Australia about this.
Answered on Jul 11th, 2013 at 1:13 AM
William Guy Pontrello
Each state has there own bar exam, there is no American bar exam per se. I am sure you would have to take the Australian bar exam.
Answered on Jul 04th, 2013 at 1:41 AM
Criminal Defense Attorney serving Montrose, NY
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Law Office of Jared Altman
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Yes. I believe so. The only way you would not have to is if there was a specific reciprocity provision.
Answered on Jul 04th, 2013 at 1:34 AM
2 Awards
The bar rules vary state to state in the U.S. You should contact the Bar Association in whichever state you are thinking of moving to.
Answered on Jul 04th, 2013 at 1:21 AM
Criminal Attorney serving Bellingham, WA
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Andrew Subin Attorney at Law
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Probably yes. Never looked into Australia, but American licensing in worthless in Canada. To practice in Canada, an American lawyer has to take the Canadian bar exam.
Answered on Jul 12th, 2011 at 11:31 AM
Appellate Practice Attorney serving Clinton Township, MI
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Thomas J. Tomko, Attorney at Law
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Thank you for your inquiry. There is a different Bar Exam for each state. As a general rule, you must pass the bar exam in the state in which you will practice. Contact the state in which you will practice for their rules of admission I hope tha tthis was helpful.
Answered on Jul 12th, 2011 at 10:16 AM
Drug Charges Attorney serving Houston, TX
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Cynthia Henley
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There is no American Bar. You have to be licensed in each state that you want to practice in which would mean either sitting for that state's bar exam or getting a waiver. Many states will not even give waivers to lawyers from other states. (For example, California requires Texas lawyer to take their bar exam even though Texas does not require California lawyer to take the exam to be licensed here.)
Answered on Jul 11th, 2011 at 1:06 PM
Personal Injury Attorney serving New Orleans, LA
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Bloom Legal LLC
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To practice law in America you will need to pass the bar exam in the state in which you intend to practice. The laws and exams vary from state to state and no single examination will qualify you to practice across America. It is likely that if you intend to practice in Australia as well, that you would need to pass whatever formal licensing examinations are in effect there.
Answered on Jul 11th, 2011 at 9:17 AM
William C. Gosnell
EACH STATE HAS A BAR EXAM THERE IS NO AMERICAN BAR EXAM YES YOU MUST TAKE THE LOCAL BAR EXAM UNLESS THERE IS SOME SORT OF RECIPROCITY WHICH I DOUBT.
Answered on Jul 11th, 2011 at 9:10 AM
Steven D. Dunnings
If you are asking, if you are licensed to practice in Australia, will you have to take a Bar (not B.A.R. exam), in America, the first question is whether you legal education/practice in Australia would even allow you to be considered as eligible to take the Bar exam in whatever State you wish to practice in (there is no National exam that allows you to practice in all States,each state has it's own eligibility requirements and Bar exam).
Answered on Jul 08th, 2011 at 4:13 PM
The bar exam is administered by each state. You would need to pass the bar exam or otherwise qualify for admission to the bar in each state that you wanted to practice law in. There is no national bar exam in the United States.
Answered on Jul 08th, 2011 at 3:48 PM
Wrongful Termination Attorney serving Huntington Beach, CA
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Nelson & Lawless
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There is no American bar exam. Every state has its own. There are no barristers in America either, that is a casual term fondly applied sometimes to litigation attorneys here. You are asking the wrong people. You will need to consult with Australias authorities to determine the rules for admission there, and whether admission to practice in a state in the US will help. Probably not, except to provide some of the education and practice for taking the classes and tests in Australia. As an example, Britain gives some limited credits for courses taken in the US, towards the Barristers education requirements, and limited credit for time in practice in the US towards qualification under Britains Inns of Court requirements. Americans still have to take the Barristers exam.
Answered on Jul 08th, 2011 at 12:54 PM
Adoptions Attorney serving Lansing, MI
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You would need to ask your bar association in Australia what they require for licensing. Ask if you have an American license if that will automatically admit your or if there are other steps you have to take. In America, most states require that you graduate from an ABA approved law school and practice the bar exam in that state as well as pass character & fitness evaluation and pass the MPRE in order to be admitted.
Answered on Jul 08th, 2011 at 12:39 PM
Absolutely, and only certain states (like California) will allow you to even sit for their bar exams. Most states require a Juris Doctor degree as a prerequisite to sit for the bar.
Answered on Jul 07th, 2011 at 2:18 PM