Working Outside the US with a US Law Degree?

July 15, 2008 2:04 PM

How does an attorney, educated and licensed in US law, get hired in other countries (preferably Canada) that need someone who knows US law?

First of all, I have to apologize if this has been asked before. I did a seriously thorough search through the archives, and I got nothing about lawyers and working abroad. So, having said that...

I'm trying to consider all of my options when it comes to the whole "getting a job" thing after I graduate law school next May. I'm currently completing judicial clerkship applications, doing an internship right now and an externship in the fall, and everything else I can think off. I also understand that most markets (hell, the entire US) is "tight," and getting any type of job is going to be tough.

I have lived in Canada in the past, and really enjoyed it. I also was in Ireland for six weeks last summer, and really enjoyed that as well. I would love to live and practice law in these areas, but I also know that getting licensed in those areas is nigh on impossible without re-attending a local law school/university. What I would like to do is advise companies based in these countries on contracts, business deals, corporate law or securities regulations regarding US law and its affects on their (hopefully international) business dealings.

Problem is, I've got no idea where to start. I did find some articles on getting hired in China, but I desire to live there about as much as I desire getting punched in the face. I am also thinking that I might have no luck doing this as a fresh graduate, and have a better shot later on when I can do a lateral move if I want. Does this matter? Do firms in other locales like young lawyers, thinking they're more likely to learn more of the local law system?

Any ideas? If there's anyone who actually does this for a living, and can tell me how they got into it, that'd be superb.

posted by plaidrabbit to work & money (8 answers total)

My ex got a crazy job working for the Senate of Palau as some sort of legal advisor after having a tough time finding a suitable job in the states. He found the job on Craigslist.
posted by jessamyn at 2:13 PM on July 15, 2008 [1 favorite]

I'm not really sure that's going to be all that easy. If I were a foreign businessman and needed American legal advice, I'd hire an American law firm. Even if it would cost more, it would be worth it. (There are times when "cheaper" is no bargain.)
posted by Class Goat at 4:31 PM on July 15, 2008

Start by figuring out which are the big firms in the areas you're interested in and search the attorneys to see their training and bar admissions to see if there are any US trained lawyers. Find out if any US firms have offices in these locations and contact their US main office to find out about opportunities at the foreign offices. Good luck
posted by tonci at 4:55 PM on July 15, 2008

I agree with Class Goat -- Certainly, Canadian companies that do business in the States would retain US counsel. I would suspect that many lawyers at big firms that deal with multinational companies do the very thing you'd like to. But I imagine these people live in their US city of practice, not Canada. However, doing this might help you get experience and networking that might land you a job north of the border one day.

As far as practicing in Canada, check out the Federation of Law Societies guidelines. Note there is a detailed section about what US lawyers/law graduates can expect -- mainly, an evaluation based on your school, class rank, if you've been admitted to a US bar, etc., and then you would be asked to either sit through some Canadian law classes (not an entirely new degree program) or take some exams. Seems possible.

Also, w/r/t Canada, I'd guess (but it is just a guess) that lawyers and firms near the border (Detroit, Buffalo, etc.) would deal with a lot of transnational issues. At least it seems to be the case that lawyers near state borders are often licensed on both sides (e.g., a Jacksonville lawyer being admitted to both GA and FL bars). While it's no doubt harder to do between countries, I would imagine that it happens, especially since both the US and Canada (mostly) follow the common law. Maybe you could pursue some firms up there for possible options.

Good luck!
posted by SuperNova at 4:58 PM on July 15, 2008

A Canadian law firm will not likely hire a lawyer who is not eligible to practice in Canada. It may enter into an of-counsel relationship (if those exist in Canada) with a US-licensed lawyer who has a wealth of experience, but not with someone just out of law school.

Your impending J.D. degree will not count for much as a measure that you "know U.S. law". Tens of thousands of people graduate from law schools each year with precisely that qualification.

You have not told us where you attended law school, or what your grades are like. If they are near the upper levels, then consider applying to large U.S. law firms which have branch offices in Canada, Ireland, or other places you might like.

If not, consider looking into law schools or general universities in a desired location where you can teach about the U.S. legal system.
posted by yclipse at 6:22 PM on July 15, 2008

My husband is a patent attorney and got a job with a Canadian electronics firm through a job database (I think it was a Canadian government sponsored one). He actually ended up doing much more contracts and general law than patent law. He did have years of experience though.
posted by Melsky at 6:37 PM on July 15, 2008

I'm an American who ended up going to law school in Canada and received a Canadian law degree. I agree with previous posters re: companies wanting to hire U.S. counsel to deal with their U.S. transactions, but you may also want to know that New York will let you sit for the Bar with a Canadian L.L.B. - so there are a good number of lawyers working at the big firms in Toronto who are admitted in both Ontario and New York (and a lot of these big international companies use the BigLaw firms who have offices in Toronto and NYC).

I guess my point is that for the niche you're looking at, you'd need to be competitive with people who are licensed to practice in both jurisdictions. I'm sure it's not impossible, but you will want to tailor your job search accordingly.

One other thing: Canada is terrible about recognizing foreign experience and credentials. Even if you are admitted to the Bar as an N.C.A. candidate, be prepared to be turned down a lot (explicitly or otherwise) because you don't have "Canadian experience." Again, this doesn't make your plan impossible - it's just something to consider.

Good luck! You're welcome to memail me if you want.
posted by AV at 7:48 PM on July 15, 2008

I've actually looked into this (just a little) and ran into a great big wall when it came to visas. It's really hard to get a work visa in another country as an American, unless the company will sponsor which takes a lot of money and even then could be hard. However, if you have the ability to get a work visa in another country in your own right, such as one of your parents is a citizen or you were born in another country you would probably have a lot more options. I spoke with a recruiter in Europe and she had a variety of job openings that should couldn't fill that I would have been qualified for, the catch of course being that she can't fill them because there are very few people with the right work permits. She told me if I ever married an EU citizen (preferably one from Lichtenstein) to give her a call right away. I told her I'd work on it.
posted by whoaali at 8:06 PM on July 15, 2008