r/phmigrate • u/undr_d_sun18 • 11h ago
🇺🇸 USA PH lawyer planning to take NY Bar exam.
Hi! I’m a Filipino lawyer planning to take the New York Bar Exam in July 2027 and eventually move to New York. (Not primarily for my career, but for love. 😅)
I recently submitted my request for a foreign evaluation to the New York State Board of Law Examiners (NY BOLE), and I received an email today stating:
“The Board has made a final determination that you are eligible to sit the New York State bar examination under Section 520.6 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals.”
Over the past couple of months, I’ve done quite a bit of research, and I was almost certain that my evaluation would result in a negative determination. Most of the information I came across suggested that the chances of a Filipino lawyer qualifying to take the New York Bar Exam without first completing an LL.M. program in the US were “very low to zero” or “rare.”
How can I verify that I’ve correctly understood the email I received from NY BOLE? Does this mean I’m eligible to take the New York Bar Exam without having to pursue an LL.M. degree in the US?
I would really appreciate any insights or advice from Filipino lawyers who have gone through the same process. Thank you!