There's no need to provide your foreign credentials or complete any additional U.S. law study. 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. Most states do require a J.D. degree for a US law school in order to sit for the bar exam. Learn more about which US states and territories allow foreign attorneys to waive into the bar and what their requirements are in this comprehensive guide. 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. 2 The New York Bar Exam has become a global credential and an instrument of international commerce. You don't even need a LL.M to take the California bar if you are a foreign attorney. Bar MD for the PT: Can't get over how amazing Maureen Danielle method is!!