The State Bar of California includes attorneys who have been educated abroad. In California, a foreign lawyer must complete an additional 20 credits of study in an LL.M. Program, including instruction in bar-tested subjects.CA Bar accepts applicants with foreign licenses. You do not need a JD or LLM. There are some states which do allow foreign law graduates to sit for the bar exam, including New York, California, New Hampshire, Alabama, and Virginia. The Standard Educational Requirement. A candidate is eligible to take the Maryland Bar examination only if he or she has completed the pre-legal education. Currently, 34 states and one jurisdiction that allow foreign attorneys to sit for the bar exam if they have earned LL.M. degrees in the United States. There's no need to provide your foreign credentials or complete any additional U.S. law study. 2 The New York Bar Exam has become a global credential and an instrument of international commerce.