How can I transfer my civil law degree to a common law degree?

Answer 1

Check with the common law country you're trying to transfer your degree.

In the US you must consult with the Bar Association of the state you want to transfer your degree.

In most cases, all US states require that you have a thorough knowledge of common law acquired through an accredited institution (Bar approved), or that your studies come from a common law country. Which is not the case of this question.

Therefore, for each US state to understand your particular civil law degree situation, you must submit your paperwork (degree, etc.) for them to review and after the review they will indicate what part of the common law knowledge you may be lacking, and they may indicate a course of action for you in order to be approved to sit at the Bar examination. This usually entails the following:

1) you don't have enough common law knowledge and the recommendation is to study a full course from an accredited institution, and then take the Bar examination to be licensed to practice

2) you may have an advanced degree which demonstrates that you command some common law concepts and practice, so they may recommend that you take only certain courses before you sit at the Bar examination to be approved in that state

3) there are certain states, like Texas, that additionally require that you hold a legal status (legal permanent residency or citizenship) to sit at their Bar examination.

The only state that has certain similarities with civil law is Louisiana, which derives its codes from the Napoleonic base. So they may be more inclined to accept most of your course work and allow you to only take few additional courses before you sit at the Louisiana Bar examination.

Once you are accredited in one state you may want to be accredited in other, for which there are agreements and also requisites. But once accredited in just one state you may practice law in other states, upon registration, but at the federal level (not local law). If you wanted to practice local law in a particular US state you must pass that state Bar examination and be knowledgeable and registered to do so. Otherwise there are many criminal, administrative and civil penalties for those practicing without a legal licence and other requirements asked for each particular state.