10 Easiest Countries to Become a Lawyer

In the time when the practice of law is one of the most in-demand professions worldwide, our list of 10 easiest countries to become a lawyer could be very interesting and helpful if you are thinking about becoming one. If that’s the case, you should note that every legal state has its own legal system. Moreover, if you are a U.S. citizen who is wondering if practicing law in another country is possible, the answer is yes. Of course, there are many rules.

Throughout the history of mankind, there were always those who were breaking and those defending the law, so practicing of law has been changing with time. The jury and judges have big responsibilities, and sometimes it can be hard to do a right thing, especially in cases when offendant is known to be guilty, but he/she has to be released due to the lack of evidence. Although lawyers do their jobs for salary, it definitely isn’t easy to balance between professional needs and moral ethics. Of course, there are various fields of law where lawyers can show their knowledge and competence, and some of them are well paid. If you are curious which field brings the best paycheck check out 7 Types of Lawyers that Make the Most Money or 10 Best Fields of Law to Practise. Also,  the list of the countries where you can find the most paying lawyers can be useful as well. Moreover, those are probably the countries where lawyers are in demand.

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It is very hard to define an “easy way” (if there even is such a thing) for becoming a lawyer. Despite the fact that each country has different requirements, anyone who wants to become a lawyer needs to pass the Bar Exam, in Europe as well as in rest of world. Speaking of Europe, some of the easiest countries to become a doctor are on this continent, as well. These countries have more relaxed criteria for getting in a medical school, than the U.S. But, to get back to law, in France, for example, pupils first must earn master’s degree in French law, and only then can they pass the Bar Exam. After that, they have to go to the law school for another 6 months. Finally, they have to finish the one-year internship (6 months anywhere in France and 6 months in the law firm). On the other hand, in China, after a three-year law program at University, one needs at least two years of experience working in the legal field before taking an examination and getting a lawyer’s license to practice law. There are many requirements to practice law in Mexico as well. So if you want to know how to become a lawyer in Mexico, the first step is getting a degree in law at University. Usually, the competition of law school takes four to five years. To obtain a license for practicing law in this country, a student has to produce a thesis or to pass a final oral or written exam as well as to perform social service tasks voluntarily. The thing is that they do not have to be registered in the National Registry of Professionals. However, if they want to charge for their work, this is a must.

We decided to make our list based on different sources regarding the number of lawyers per capita in countries worldwide. The general idea was – the more lawyers per capita a country has, the easier is to become a lawyer in that country. Additionally, we searched for a minimum number of years as well as requirements needed for finishing a law school and obtaining a license to practice law in each country, as you will see in the list below. After comparing obtained data, we created our list of 10 easiest countries to become a lawyer.

10. Bulgaria

1 lawyer for every 570 people

We are starting off with Bulgaria, where the person must complete five years of law school and then to pass three state exams. After that, students can choose if they want to become lawyers, judges, prosecutors or notaries.

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9. Germany

1 lawyer for every 498 people

In Germany, one needs to finish six years of law school and then the internship of two years to get an experience in practicing law. It’s good to know that in this country education is free of charge.

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8. New Zealand

1 lawyer for every 391 people

New Zealanders who are thinking about a career in law, can become lawyers after finishing law school and after they are admitted to High Court of New Zealand.

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7. The UK

1 lawyer for every 344 people

In the UK you’ll have to complete a qualifying law degree (LLB) at university and then different courses depending on whether you want to become a solicitor or a barrister. In case you are studying another subject at an undergraduate level, it’s enough to finish a one-year law conversion course known as the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL).

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6. Brazil

1 lawyer for every 326 people

On the 6th place is a country with a huge number law schools and more than 800 000 registered lawyers. In Sao Paolo only, there are more than 222 000 lawyers, which indicates that it is not very difficult to become one in this country.

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5. Spain

1 lawyer for every 307 people

The 5th position on our list of 10 easiest countries to become a lawyer belongs to Spain. There are currently about 122 000 practicing and 39 000 non-practicing lawyers in this country. Under Royal decree RD 936/2001, they implemented the Establishment Directive under which EU, EEA and Swiss lawyers are permitted to become an abogado (lawyer in Spanish) in Spain after three years of practice.

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4. USA

1 lawyer for every 300 people

Become a lawyer in the US slightly varies from state to state, so, if you are interested in how to become a lawyer in Washington, for example, you should follow a few steps such as finishing Washington Undergraduate Pre-Law Major, then taking the LSAT, going to law school in Washington and finally, taking the Washington State Bar Exam. Moreover, some of the easiest law degrees can be obtained at Southern University in New Orleans, North Carolina Central University and Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Michigan. The best part is that law degree leads to many career opportunities, and that’s why this country takes the 4th position on our list.

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And now, let’s see the top three easiest countries to become a lawyer.

3. Greece

1 lawyer for every 254 people

Any Greek citizen with the law degree from Greek University or with completed equivalent studies from an approved foreign university can become a trainee lawyer for 18 months under the supervision of any senior lawyer or the Legal Council of State.

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2. Italy

1 lawyer for every 246 people

Since Italy has 250 000 registered lawyers and requirement of eighteen months of training after finished a law school, this country is on the second place on our list.

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1. Lichtenstein

1 lawyer for every 176 people

Lichtenstein has the lowest number of people per lawyer as well as benefits of free entry for studying aboard in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. These characteristics, among others, put this country in the first place of our list of 10 easiest countries to become a lawyer.

5 Easiest States for Foreign-Trained Attorneys to Take the Bar Exam

While there are 34 states where foreign-trained attorneys could potentially take the bar exam, only five jurisdictions make it easy for U.S. LL.M. graduates. To take the bar exam in California, New York, Washington and Wisconsin it’s mostly easy, but each state still has specific requirements foreign trained attorneys must follow. Georgia changed its bar exam rules earlier this year to join the list.

So how can foreign lawyers practice law in the US?

Here’s the 5 easiest states for foreign attorneys to take the bar exam: 

State #1 – California

The California State Bar exam for foreign lawyers grants foreign law school graduates eligibility to take the California state bar exam, if they have earned an LL.M. degree or an additional one-year of study at an ABA-approved or California-accredited law school in bar examination subject matter. LL.M. degrees or the additional year of study must be completed with a minimum of 20 units with a course in four sections tested on the California bar exam. One of the four courses must be in areas of professional responsibility, California Business and Professions Code, the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct or case law studies. Click here for more detailed rules.

State #2 – New York

In most cases, foreign law graduates with an LL.M. earned at an ABA-approved law school qualify to sit for the bar exam in New York state. The student’s foreign law degree must be based on the principles of English Common Law and must be the “substantial” equivalent of a legal education earned by an ABA-approved law school in America. Accelerated or summer programs are not recognized. Students must seek an Advance Evaluation of Eligibility from the Board. The process can take up to six months so students are advised to seek evaluation one year before taking the bar exam. Students must be awarded their LL.M. degree within 24 months of matriculation. LL.M. programs must consist of a minimum of 24 semester hours of credits with a minimum of 700 minutes of instruction time per credit. Click here for more detailed rules.

State #3 – Washington

Foreign law graduates with an LL.M. degree for the practice of law in the United States must complete specific types of instruction to qualify for admission to the Washington State Bar. LL.M. degrees must be earned at a law school approved by the Board of Governors with a minimum of 18,200 minutes of instruction and at least 12,000 minutes of instruction on principles of domestic U.S. law. Those 12,000 minutes are broken up into four areas of instruction including U.S. constitutional law, civil procedure of state and federal courts, legal writing and research. Click here for more detailed rules.

State #4 – Wisconsin

Wisconsin state bar exam eligibility for foreign law graduates with an American LL.M. degree in 2012. Students must complete an LL.M. program at an American law school with a minimum of 700 minutes of instruction for one semester hour of credit. The program must be completed within 24 months of matriculation and be no less than two semesters of at least 13 weeks each. Students must take a minimum of two credit hours in ethics, legal research and writing, and American legal studies. Additionally, students must complete six semester hours in fundamental substantive courses. Click here for more detailed rules.

State #5 – Georgia

Georgia state bar exam requirments are these three requirements before a foreign-trained attorney can take the state bar exam. First, they received their legal education from a foreign law school that is government sanctioned or recognized; or that is recognized by an evaluation body; or is chartered to award the first professional degree in law by the appropriate authority within the country. 

Second, the applicant is authorized to practice law in a foreign jurisdiction. Third, the applicant received an LL.M degree for the practice of law in the U.S. The program should prepare students for admission to the bar and for effective and responsible participation in the U.S. legal profession.