Foreign Attorneys to Sit for Bar Exam

Foreign attorneys and graduates of foreign law programs who intend to sit for the Massachusetts State Bar Examination may be admitted as Special Students for the fall or spring semester to take courses required pursuant to Rule VI.3.2.i (graduates of law schools in countries with common law tradition).

Please submit this application by email.

Application for Foreign Attorneys [PDF]

Application for Special Student Status is on a rolling basis. Deadline to apply for spring semester is December 1, and for fall semester is July 15.

If you earned your law degree in a country with a civil law tradition, and are interested in obtaining an LLM pursuant to Rule VI.3.2.ii, please see Suffolk Law's Master of Laws program for details on applying to earn an LLM.

For a ruling on the precise requirements necessary for bar examination eligibility in his/her case, every foreign-educated attorney who intends to practice in Massachusetts should apply to:

Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners
Suffolk County Court House
3 Pemberton Square
7th Floor - Room 707
Boston, MA 02108
617-482-4466

More information is available on the Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners website, and the board's Frequently Asked Questions from foreign attorneys.