Many of our international LL.M. students choose to use the LL.M. degree towards meeting the New York Bar eligibility requirements, which is one of the best advantages in earning this degree. Cardozo’s LL.M. programs are all approved by the State and the Board of Law Examiners in New York, so no matter which specialization you pursue at Cardozo, you will be able to meet the Bar requirements.

It is important to understand that each candidate must submit his/her credential evaluation form and obtain an eligibility determination by the New York Board of Law Examiners and not by Cardozo. Only the Board of Law Examiners (BOLE) is authorized to determine whether you have met the educational requirements in your country, which in addition to the LL.M. degree will be sufficient for you to take the Bar Exam. See The New York State Board of Law Examiners on Foreign Legal Education (22 NYCRR 520.6)

Tip: We strongly recommend that you take these steps before you begin your LL.M. degree!

1. Read carefully Section 520.6 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals for the Admission of Attorneys and Counselors at Law; pay attention to the deadlines, and try to secure all your original documents while you are in your home country.

2. Complete a Foreign Evaluation On-line Form.

The Board will not commence review of any request for an evaluation until it is in receipt of all required documentation. Please allow at least six months from the date of the Board’s receipt of all of the necessary documentation for a decision to be made.

New York State Board of Law Examiners
Corporate Plaza- Building 3
254 Washington Avenue Extension
Albany, NY 12203-5195
518/452-8700 (tel)
800/342-3335 (tel)
518/452-5729 (fax)
http://www.nybarexam.org

3. When registering for courses at Cardozo, prioritize the Bar related curriculum. Our dedicated counselors will work closely with you in making the right selection, each semester.

Cardozo School of Law makes no representation or assurance that students who complete the LL.M. program will qualify for the New York State Bar Exam or the bar examination of any other jurisdiction.

Pro Bono Rule

On September 19, 2012, the NY Court of Appeals issued a new requirement for 50 hours of pro bono service for those applicants seeking admission to the NYS Bar after January 1, 2015. This requirement pertains to any student who passes the New York State Bar Examination on or after July 2014. The court has determined that the 50 hours of qualifying work may take place in another state or country.

See http://ww2.nycourts.gov/attorneys/probono/baradmissionreqs.shtml for FAQ on the Pro Bono rule and requirements.

LL.M candidates may complete their 50 hours of pro bono work any time from one year before to during or after their LL.M. program of study. Candidates may elect to determine if they have passed the NY Bar Exam before engaging in qualifying pro bono work, but must complete the requirements before applying for admission, which takes place once they receive notice that they have passed the bar.

Qualifying Pro Bono

The rules define qualifying pro bono work as 

• law-related work done on behalf of low-income persons, nonprofits, or government agencies. 
• the work must be supervised by an attorney or faculty.

The student can satisfy the requirement through certain accredited academic programs, such as clinics/ externships, or by doing pro bono work as a summer associate at a law firm. Other pro bono projects, if supervised by an attorney or faculty, may also satisfy the requirement. 
Examples of Cardozo Programs which may count as Pro Bono work:Divorce Mediation Clinic

• Family Court Ciinic
• Human Rights and Genocide Clinic
• Indie Film Clini
• Mediation Clinic
• Holocaust Claims Restitution Practicum
• Immigration Law Clinic
• Art Law Field Clinic
• Student-Run Projects
  • Cardozo Disaster Relief Network
  • Cardozo FIRE
  • Cardozo Incarcerated Mothers Law Project
  • Courtroom Advocates Project

Students work in a government agency, not-for-profit organization, or judicial chambers during a semester or summer and receive academic credit for their work. HOWEVER, please note that the non- classroom credits of these programs DO NOT COUNT toward the 24- credit requirement for NYS Bar exam eligibility.

Examples of City-Wide Pro Bono Programs:

• Court Sponsored Volunteer Lawyer for a Day, see https://ww2.nycourts.gov/attorneys/volunteer/VAP/program_descriptions.shtml
• City Bar Justice Center, see https://www.citybarjusticecenter.org/
• Pro Bono Clearinghouse, see https://www.probono.net/

The Center for Public Service Law (CPSL) at Cardozo is always available to meet with students about pro bono projects and assist them in meeting these requirements. See:https://cardozo.yu.edu/careers/center-public-service-law  to learn more.

Skills Competency Rule

As of December 2015, the Court of Appeals now requires applicants seeking admission to the NY Bar to establish that they have acquired skills and professional values necessary to competently practice law. To satisfy this requirement, applicants have Five pathways to choose from. See https://www.nybarexam.org/Skills/skills.htm

Five Pathways

Applicants may satisfy this requirement by completing one of five separate pathways described in section 520.18. The Skills Competency can be satisfied before, during, or after the LL.M. program; however, due to the short and intensive nature of the LL.M. program, most LL.M. students will likely be able to satisfy the Skills Requirement under Pathway 4 or Pathway 5.

Pathway 1

Applicant may submit a certification from their law school confirming that 

• the law school as developed a plan identifying and incorporating into its curriculum the skills and professional values that are required from its graduates' basic competence and ethical participation in the legal profession, and has made that pan publicly available on its website
• the applicant has acquired sufficient competency in those skills and sufficient familiarity with those values. 

For students wishing to complete Pathway 1, the following Cardozo courses could qualify:

• Intro to U.S. Law
• Advanced Legal Research and Writing I/II
• Professional Responsibility
• Plus six credits out of this list:
  • Contract Drafting
  • International Transactions
  • Intensive Trial Advocacy Program 
  • Clinic/Externship
  • Representation in Mediation
  • Remedies
  • Intensive Transactional Lawyering Program

Pathway 2

Applicant may submit proof of having completed 15 credits of practice-based experiential coursework designed to foster professional competency training. Up to 6 of these credits may be earned in non-credit-bearing summer employment programs if certified by the law school and satisfy other criteria. 

Pathway 3

Applicant successfully completes the Pro Bono Scholars Program, pursuant to section 520.17 of the Court's Rules (see 22 NYCRR 520.17).

Pathway 4

Applicant completes a post-graduate, six-month apprenticeship in a law office in the U.S., a commonwealth or territory of the U.S., or a foreign country. In order to satisfy Pathway 4, the apprenticeship:

• must be conducted under the supervision of an attorney authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction where the work is performed
• can be paid or unpaid
• must be certified by the supervising attorney that the work met the skills and values criteria.

Pathway 5 

Applicant who has been authorized to practice law in another U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or foreign country has practiced in that jurisdiction for one year full-time or two years part-time.