Refer to the enclosed California Rules of Court and Rules of The State Bar of California as you complete the application and attachments. Qualifying graduates of foreign law schools may request permission from the Board to sit for the Illinois bar examination under Rule 715.There is another license available to foreign-educated lawyers in Illinois: the Foreign Legal Consultant. A prospective lawyer must take the bar exam in the state where they hope to practice. The most flexible requirements can be found in New York and California. Stay up to date on how to practise in the world's largest legal market as a solicitor of England and Wales, set up a law firm or requalify as a US attorney. Becoming a lawyer in the US is a complicated process, particularly for foreign trained attorneys or international students at an American law school. If you do not have a qualifying foreign law degree, you are not eligible to take the California bar exam. Notes on file with the Fordham International Law Journal. 146. Hi, I am a foreign attorney working as a paralegal.