Judiciary Law § 470: A person, regularly admitted to practice as an attorney and counsellor, in the courts of record of this state, whose office for the transaction of law business is within the state, may practice as such attorney or counsellor, although he resides in an adjoining state.
Temporary Practice (“Fly-in Fly-out”) In certain limited circumstances, New York rules allow the temporary practice of law in New York by out-of-state and foreign attorneys.
To practice law in the United States, any and all lawyers – foreign or domestic – must be admitted to the bar association of the state in which they wish to practice.
It is also possible to become a lawyer in New York without obtaining a law degree, if you complete some study at a law school and then work as an apprentice at a law office for four years. Lawyers in New York are regulated by the Courts.
Need to find an attorney to take on your case? The New York State Bar Association Lawyer Referral and Information Services is here to connect you with our vetted panel of attorneys. You can request a referral online at: FindaLawyerNYS, summit a question to lrs@nysba, or contact our service at 800-342-3661.
Can you practice law in multiple states? Mostly, no. Most practice areas are governed by state law, and those will require a State Bar license. Even fields of law that are primarily federal—bankruptcy, immigration, etc.
In four states—California, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington—you can become a licensed attorney without attending law school at all. In three other states—Maine, New York, and Wyoming—one can substitute an apprenticeship for one or two years of law school.
New York Reciprocity New York has reciprocity agreements with: AK, CO, DC, GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, MA, MI, MN, MO, NE, NH, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, WI, and WY.
Fastest Way to Become a Lawyer To speed your journey to becoming a licensed lawyer, you can shave off some time by opting for an accelerated JD program. This program takes you through law school in two years instead of three. You can also shave time off your undergraduate degree by opting for a 3+3 JD program.
Fastest Way to Become a Lawyer To speed your journey to becoming a licensed lawyer, you can shave off some time by opting for an accelerated JD program. This program takes you through law school in two years instead of three. You can also shave time off your undergraduate degree by opting for a 3+3 JD program.