Practicing law in other countries

[baileypicks24]

Okkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkay now I'm new to this, but what if I want to keep my options open? If I want to practice law in the Middle East, or Latin America, or Europe, or the US, should I go to a law school in that country?

I mean, is it possible to be a lawyer in, say, Egypt...with a degree from an American law school? Do people do this?

Where can I find out more about this?

[slacker]

First question...do you speak/read/write Arabic?

And do a quick search on a search engine. You'll come up with site like this one: http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/world/egypt.htm

[baileypicks24]

Well, I..

fluently speak/write/read English
fluently speak/write/read Spanish
fluently speak/read Urdu
read/learning to speak and write Arabic

Hopefully I will become fluent in Arabic by the time I graduate from college (in 2 years)...so wherever I decide to practice are you saying my options will remain open as long as I speak/read/write the native tongue of that particular region?

From the website you linked...
"Egyptian legal education takes place at the undergraduate level. Students become lawyers at the end of their four-year program (there is no bar exam), but cannot practice before the courts until they complete a period of apprenticeship in a law firm. "

Interesting....so a law degree would be sufficient? I guess it will vary from country to country, no? Might have to do some research to figure this one out...

Thanks for your help 

[baileypicks24]

coughbumpcough

[slacker]

Since you do have language skills, another thing you might consider is trying to get a job w/an organization like the US state dept. that can give you an overseas posting.

As for the each country having its own rules comment...yeah...they can be goofy that way.

[baileypicks24]

Ah, indeed. Great ideas, thank you 

[lovebug78]

Hmm... I know a few US attorneys that are employed at law firms in Asia, and um, most of their duties entail desk work and are otherwise geared towards marketing (traveling throughout the world or hosting visitors to bring in clients).  They work on international cases, which are mostly in English (so, according to them, it's not necessary to speak the country's language... tho it helps A LOTTT!).  HTH

[baileypicks24]

ewwww...did you say.....desk work??

[ghostpirate]

HINT - if you don't like desk work, think long and hard about the desirability of a law degree.

[steviededalus]

I think the situation can slice both ways: you can study in foreign countries to practice law there and study here to practice law there. I mean, there's a reason so many foreigners come to the states to study then move back to their home country afterwards; ABA law degrees must be accredite abroad.

After law school, I'm looking to work in Paris and I know (from browsing French law firms' websites) that lots of French lawyers studied in the US and now practice in France (and a surprising number of them went to Harvard, Yale, Columbia, etc.).

Hope my anecdotal evidence helped.