Can lawyers work outside the US?
Asked by: Prof. Braden Friesen | Last update: January 15, 2026Score: 4.3/5 (2 votes)
While work depends on the setting, American lawyers find work overseas working in the office of a U.S. law firm or as an attorney in a law firm abroad.
Can an American lawyer practice in other countries?
American lawyers can be assigned to an overseas office of a particular firm or corporation, a foreign office of an international organization or a US consulate or embassy in a foreign country. There are many different opportunities to live overseas as a US lawyer, depending upon the practice focus.
Can I use my law degree in other countries?
While it is not always easy, many American attorneys have successfully established a legal career outside the United States. There are many ways to find legal work abroad. Some American attorneys join the overseas branch of a large international law firm.
Can lawyers work from anywhere in the world?
Can you work remotely as a lawyer? It's become clear in recent years that a lot of work—including legal work—can be conducted remotely. You just need to right tools and systems in place. Depending on your role or practice area and what a typical day looks like for you, it may not be realistic to go 100% remote.
Can a lawyer represent in another country?
Coordination with Attorneys in the United States: Attorneys from the United States may not represent you in foreign courts unless they are admitted to practice before them.
How to Become a Lawyer in the USA as a foreigner
Can I hire a lawyer in another country?
Having an attorney abroad can help you navigate the foreign country's legal system. For information about hiring an attorney abroad, see our section on Retaining a Foreign Attorney. Although we cannot recommend an attorney to you, most U.S. Embassies have lists of attorneys available online.
Does a US power of attorney work in other countries?
It is normal practice to authorise special powers of attorney abroad by signing a power of attorney document. If the document is being signed for use abroad, it must be notarised by a Notary Public in order to be accepted. This is a service that we offer.
Can you be an international lawyer?
Becoming an international lawyer requires formal education and licensure. Specifically, you need to earn a Juris Doctor degree, and it's recommended to earn a Master of Laws degree for specializing in international business. You're required to pass your state's bar exam to practice law legally.
Which country is best to work as a lawyer?
The top countries which offer the highest average Lawyer's salary are the USA, Germany, Canada, the UK, France, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Switzerland. The legal field presents numerous opportunities for skilled professionals to create significant impacts locally and globally.
Who hires international lawyers?
The available career paths for an international lawyer can be broken down into law firms, federal government, corporate counsel, international organizations and nonprofit groups.
Are foreign law degrees accepted in the US?
Yes. Many states recognize foreign law degrees. However, these degrees are subject to review by state bar regulators.
Where is the best place to study law?
Cambridge and Oxford at the very top or high on the listof law school rankings. London-based universities also feature well, with University College London (UCL), London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Kings College, London, and Queen Mary University of London.
Do lawyers work in embassies?
UNITED STATES EMBASSIES OVERSEAS
Embassies and consulates located in six different regions of the world carry out this work in more than 251 countries. Although the role of a lawyer may vary from one embassy to another, the general mission remains the same.
Does US law apply internationally?
Despite the presumption against extraterritoriality, many federal criminal statutes expressly apply outside U.S. borders. Some of the main categories include: Crime in U.S. territorial waters or vessels. Implementing treaties and international agreements.
Which states allow foreign lawyers?
Traditionally, the most common and easily accessible jurisdictions for foreign lawyers and law graduates have been California, New York, Illinois and Texas. Learn more about U.S. bar exam eligibility and take the eligibility quiz.
Can I be a lawyer in Korea?
Graduating from the law school and passing the National Bar Examination is the sole route to qualifying as an attorney-at-law in Korea, irrespective of qualifications in other jurisdictions.
Which country pays highest salary to lawyers?
Switzerland is at the top of our list of countries that reward their lawyers the best. With an average annual salary of $260,739. The lowest salary for a Swiss lawyer is $120,279, and the highest salary is $414,058 per year.
Where is it hardest to become a lawyer?
1. California
Law students across the US may be familiar with the famed “impossible” California bar exam. But why is the California bar exam so hard? For starters, the cut score (the score needed to pass the test) of the California bar is 1390 out of 2000, which is 40 points above the national average.
Which lawyer is the highest paid?
- Fali S. Nariman. ...
- Harish Salve. Fee per appearance: ₹12-15 lakh. ...
- Mukul Rohatgi. Fee per appearance: ₹10-12 lakh. ...
- Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Fee per appearance: ₹8-10 lakh. ...
- Kapil Sibal. Fee per appearance: ₹8-10 lakh. ...
- Arvind Datar. ...
- P. ...
- Gopal Subramanium.
Do international lawyers make money?
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $138,000 and as low as $47,000, the majority of International Lawyer salaries currently range between $79,000 (25th percentile) to $103,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $131,000 annually across the United States.
How many years is a JD degree?
A traditional, full-time JD program lasts three years. There are some accelerated programs that allow individuals to complete their degrees in just two years or their undergraduate and JD degrees in a total of six years. Part-time JD programs usually take four years (or more) to finish.
Which is higher JD or LLM?
LawyerEDU defines the JD "as the initial, postsecondary law degree necessary to sit for the bar examination and practice as a lawyer in a US jurisdiction," and the LLM as "a secondary degree for lawyers who have achieved their JD and passed the bar exam, and who are interested in a focused, specialized course of study ...
How much power does a US attorney have?
As chief federal law enforcement officers, U.S. attorneys have authority over all federal law enforcement personnel within their districts and may direct them to engage, cease or assist in investigations.
Does the US have more lawyers than other countries?
There are more than 1.35 million lawyers currently operating in the US. This is almost the same as India, which has a little over a billion more people than the US. At the moment, there are over 1.35 million attorneys in the US; in fact, this number tops any other country in the world.
Can a non-US citizen be a power of attorney?
Powers of attorney allow other people to act for you in an emergency. Non-citizens can sign powers of attorney in California to protect loved ones in the state and elsewhere. These legal documents allow another person (called an agent) to take actions for you and in your place.