米国弁護士になろう！

1. When is the California Bar held?
The CA bar is held for 3 days, during the last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of February and July. As for July 2012, the examination will be on the 24th-26th.

2. What components does it have?
The CA bar is composed of the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), and the California local section that includes the local essay and the CA Performance test. The MBE is held on Wednesday.

To learn more about the MBE, please check out our related article on the U.S. Bar Exam.

3. As a foreign lawyer can I sit for the California Bar?
Yes. In the CA bar, foreign applicants can either sit for the exam as a foreign lawyer or as a foreign-educated general applicant. For a more concise explanation check out the eligibility requirements for the California bar exam.

4. Should I get an evaluation of my foreign legal education if I want to sit for the CA exam?
Yes. It is highly recommended that you have your credentials evaluated in advance to help you identify your eligibility status prior to the application period of your chosen exam date. Remember that you should get your evaluation only from agencies that are accredited by the state California.

5. Are there required courses that I should take to qualify for the exam?
For the CA bar, foreign-educated individuals may sit for the exam upon completion of 20 credits worth of courses in LL.M. Students must take a minimum of 1 course in four separate subjects tested in the bar. The said courses must total a minimum of 12 credits to be eligible.

According to the CA bar, one of the four courses must be in the following subjects:

a. Professional Responsibility that covers the California Rules of Professional Conduct;
b. relevant sections of the California Business and Professions Code;
c. the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct;
d. and leading federal and state case law on the subject.

Also, correspondence law education is allowed under the CA bar rules.

For more details please check out the State Bar of California website.

渡米前には、住まい､航空券の手配､留学保険、荷物の発送、携帯電話､銀行口座の開設､予防接種等、やらなければならないことがたくさんあります。

LL.M.で履修する科目の情報を調べるのも重要です。事前にLL.M.で学習する内容や教材を把握することが出来れば、LL.M.での学習を充実させることができます。

情報収集の方法としては、留学経験者や直接ロースクールに問い合わせる他、インターネット上に、学校名・教授名・教科書名で、履修科目のoutlineを検索することの出来るサイトがあり、ここから情報を入手することもできます。

Outline Depot URL>>

LL.M.の学生は、1日に平均12-14時間学習しており、タイムマネージメントがとても重要な課題です。限られた時間の中で、LL.M.での学習を最大限に活用する時間管理の秘訣について、より詳細なアドバイスを以下の動画で配信しています！無料ですので、是非視聴してみてください。

当該無料セミナーは、2008年にJ.D.を修了したアメリカ人が担当しています。

＜＜厳しいアメリカロースクールを乗り切るための時間管理・秘訣とは？＞＞

場所：伊藤塾　東京校（渋谷）　予約不要！お気軽にお越しください！

明日の法律家講座 東京校194回　『国際派経営弁護士の苦悩と生き甲斐について』

国際派弁護士という領域について、華々しい一面だけでなく苦悩や問題点、弁護士としてそして経営者としての両面から、ありのままをお伝えいただく予定です！

将来国際的な分野でご活躍される方は、是非ご確認ください。

（※後日インターネットにて無料配信予定です。）

【講師】原口薫 氏 （弁護士）

＜学歴＞
1979年 中央大学法学部法律学科卒業
1994年 米国シカゴ大学ロースクール修士課程卒業

＜資格＞
1989年 東京弁護士会登録
1995年 ニューヨーク州弁護士登録

＜職歴＞
2003年～現在 原口総合法律事務所　所長

ＡＥＡにて、アジア地区を代表するダイレクターも務める。

詳しくはこちら＞＞

1. When is the New York Bar held?

The New York bar is conducted twice a year. The exam is for 2 days and held during the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July. For the July 2012 Exam, the exam dates will be on the 24th and the 25th.

2. What components does it have?
The NY Bar consists of both the NY local section and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT) in Tuesday while the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) is on Wednesday.

*Please check our introduction to the U.S. Bar Exams to learn more about the MPT and the MBE.

3. As a foreigner can I sit for the New York Bar?
Yes. As a foreigner you can sit for the New York bar if you meet their requirements, particularly the durational and substantial equivalence of your legal education.

If you qualify for one of the requirements but fail to meet the other then you may cure this by completing a minimum of 24 credit hours in LL.M. For example, if you meet the durational equivalence but, did not graduate from a foreign country based on English Common law then you must proceed with the cure provision to fulfill the substantial equivalence.

If you do not meet both the durational and substantial equivalence requirements then you can not be eligible for the examination.

4. Can I sit for the NY bar after completion of a summer or accelerated LL.M. program?

No. The amended New York rule for foreign legal education has a restriction on the program length and number of semesters. It states that programs must be completed within 24 months of matriculation and that it must consist a minimum of 2 non-summer semesters with 13 weeks per semester (exclusive of reading and exam periods and breaks).

5. Should I get an evaluation of my foreign legal education if I want to sit for the NY exam?
Yes. In order to sit for the NY bar, you are required to submit to the New York State Board of Law Examiners your request for Foreign Evaluation. This should be submitted 1 year from the application period of your chosen exam date. The evaluation can help those who want to sit for the bar to identify in advance if they are eligible. 

6. Are there required courses that I should take to qualify me for the exam?
According to the amended rule of the NY bar on foreign legal education, the following are required courses:
a. Professional Responsibility/Legal Ethics: Minimum of 2 credits
b. Legal Research, Writing and Analysis: Minimum of 2 credits
c. American Legal Studies/American Legal System or similar course: Minimum of 2 credits
d. Other courses tested in the NY Bar Exam: Minimum of 6 credits

On the other hand, Distance or Correspondence Study is not permitted. Also, advanced courses may not be permitted even if they belong to the subjects under the required courses category (i.e. Advanced Torts). To get advice on what courses to take to be eligible for the NY Bar it is better to check with the LL.M. program directors in your law school.

*For more details please check out the NY State Board of Law Examiners' website.

原則LL.M.課程で学習する内容は、米国司法試験との直接の関連性はそれほどありません。多くの外国人留学生は、LL.M.修了後に米国司法試験対策の予備校へ通い、対策を行なうのが一般的です。
ただ、LL.M.課程において司法試験科目の授業を取っておくことは、その後、米国司法試験対策の予備校での学習につながるものです。
したがって、出来るだけLL.M.課程でも司法試験科目に関連する講座を履修することをおすすめします。
この点、米国司法試験対策のコースやクラスを設けているロースクール（LL.M.）もあるようです。

＜司法試験対策のある米国ロースクール＞

1. University of Chicago

2. University of Southern California

3. Fordham University

4. Golden Gate University

5. Pennsylvania State University

6. Chapman University

ほとんどのLL.M.では外国で法学教育を受けた留学生を対象にしたカリキュラム等が設計されています。そのため、LL.M.課程ではアメリカ法入門（Introduction to US Law　・　Fundamental of American Law等） やLegal Writing & Research等が必修科目とされています。そのほかの科目については、個人の需要に応じて科目を履修し、一般的に2セメスターで24単位程度を履修します。

具体的な履修方法としてはcourse track（科目を履修することで単位を取得する）やthesis track（ある特定の分野の論文を書くことで単位を取得する）から選択することができます。

また、学位の他にCertificateを取得することの出来るLL.M.もあります。このプログラムでは専門性を追求することができ、それを身につけたことの証明を得ることができますが、Certificateを取得するためには、当該分野の科目を中心に単位を取得する必要があるため、Certificateの他に司法試験の科目になっているような基本科目を受講する余裕はないようです。LL.M.の留学目的が、米国司法試験に合格することである場合には、司法試験科目の授業を中心に受講したほうが司法試験に合格しやすくなると言われています。

※ロースクールによって異なる。

Required Courses

As most LL.M. programs are designed for foreign-educated individuals, admitted students in U.S. law schools are required to take introductory courses in American Law. In general, students are required to take courses in introduction to U.S. law, introduction to the U.S. legal system or in doing legal writing and research.

Aside from these courses, students who are in specialized LL.M. programs such as a track program (i.e. course track and thesis track), a certificate program or a specialization degree are required to take other courses in order to complete their degree.

Electives

On average courses require a minimum of 24 courses to complete their program. And most of the time, especially in the case of general LL.M. courses, students are given the freedom to tailor their course schedule according to their professional, personal or academic interests.

Students may choose to pattern their courses according to the concentration they are interested in. It would also be helpful to check with the law school if it offers a certificate program on that concentration. That way, you can receive a certification of your concentration.

If you are interested in taking the bar, make sure that your courses will be patterned according to the State bar requirements. Since most State bars use the UBE components  in their exam it would be better to take courses that will touch upon the subjects tested in it. For the MBE the subjects would be: ①Contracts, ②Torts, ③Constitutional Law, ④Criminal Law and Procedure, ⑤Evidence and ⑥Real Property.

Whatever your goal is, it would be best if you consult with the LL.M. adviser in your school so that they can guide you as you tailor your program.

Course Load

On average, be ready to expect having 5-6 courses or about 15 units per semester. To help you in juggling all your courses, time management is very important. You should remember to allow around 12-14 hours of study time (combined class time and outside class study time).

Managing your time well in studying can also reap you great results come examination time. With the exam season, the pressure in preparing for your exams can be stressing,　especially as your final grades will be based on the results of your examinations. Remember that there is no harm in overlearning your lessons so it is always better to prepare in advance.

Another thing that can help you in your course is to get to know your class and professors well. You can review copies of previous exams of your professor in that class in order to get an idea of what to expect. The more you understand your professor, the better you can get a grasp of the type of exams that are given in the course.

If you would like to receive more detailed advice on how to make the best of your LL.M. experience you can watch a preview of our guidance seminar.

>>" Tips about U.S. Law School, the LLM, and the Bar Examination."

LL.M.留学にあたり、奨学金の利用を検討される方もいらっしゃると思います。奨学金については、留学する前年の秋頃までに申請をするのが一般的です。奨学金情報は、留学金関連ウェブサイトで一覧になっているものを参照する他、出願者が直接検索して探します。

奨学金の審査にあたっては、英語力やGPA等の客観的な数値、奨学金を申請する機関に提出する書類の他、面接等で評価されるため、しっかりとした対策を立てることが重要です。留学支援指導校では、奨学金申請に関する指導も行なわれていますので、参考にしてください。

＜おすすめリンク＞

アゴス・ジャパン

MBA・LL.M.・大学院・大学留学を目指す人たちのためのテスト対策、出願対策の指導専門校。奨学金申請の応募スケジュール、奨学金を取得するための情報を公開しています。

In most U.S. Jurisdictions an LL.M. degree, in addition to a basic law degree, allows a student to gain eligibility to sit for their bar examination.

Law schools, usually, do not prepare students for the bar. For this, some students go to bar review schools to help them prepare for the exam.

There are however, law schools in the U.S. that offers bar exam support particularly to their LL.M. students. Here is a list of some U.S. schools that offer such a program.

1. University of Chicago

2. University of Southern California

3. Fordham University

4. Golden Gate University

5. Pennsylvania State University

6. Chapman University