How I, Peet Viljoen, a South African Law broker can apply to the bar in the US- USA
I built my career in South Africa, admitted in 1996 and practicing for more than two decades. But when I came to the USA, I had to start over. If you’re a South African lawyer who dreams of qualifying here, this is exactly how I did it.
Step 1: Applying to the Bar starts with your University
First: Email your local University’s verification division. They always have steps for you to request what the USA calls “transcripts of your studies.”
In South Africa, these are called academic transcripts.
Example: University of Pretoria’s division → verifications@up.ac.za
👉 Ask for both an emailed version and a sealed hard copy mailed in the post. The reason? U.S. bar authorities only accept documents sent directly from the university, sealed, to prevent fraud.
💰 Cost: about R800.
Step 2: Pick Your State — New York, California, Washington D.C., or Washington State
Each state has different rules. Here’s what worked for me:
New York → Apply directly to the New York Board of Law Examiners (BOLE). You’ll complete their Foreign Evaluation Form and have your university send transcripts, degree certificate, and admission certificate straight to BOLE. If your degree isn’t fully equivalent, they’ll allow you to do a 1-year LL.M. at a U.S. law school.
California (Los Angeles) → California uses approved evaluation companies like ERES or IERF. You send your transcripts to the evaluator, they prepare a course-by-course report, and then California Bar uses that report to clear you for the exam.
Washington, D.C. → In the U.S. capital, you must do one year (26 credits) at a U.S. law school — usually an LL.M. — then you can sit the D.C. Bar Exam.
Washington State (Seattle) → Similar to New York. They review your South African degree and, if needed, you can bridge with an LL.M. before sitting the Uniform Bar Exam.
Step 3: Register with the Evaluator (for California and others)
Third step, log on to the evaluation company’s website (for California, or if your chosen state requires it).
Here’s what I did:
Create an account
Click “Request Evaluation”
Print the evaluation company’s application form
Send your sealed university transcripts directly to them
👉 They want originals printed on official paper, sealed and certified. That’s the only way the U.S. Bar will trust your documents.
Step 4: Create Your Applicant Portal
After that, log on to the Bar’s website for the state you chose.
⚠️ Don’t get confused by the section for U.S. attorneys. You need the Applicant Portal.
When they ask “Where did you study?”, don’t try to force your South African university. Select Foreign Law School or Foreign Law School Not Listed and type it in manually.
Step 5: The Exams & Final Hurdles
Once your education is cleared, you still have three requirements:
Bar Exam → California’s own exam, or the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) for New York, D.C., and Washington State.
MPRE → the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (ethics).
Character & Fitness → where you disclose your entire legal career in South Africa and your history in the U.S.
My Advice
Start with transcripts. Follow the steps in order. Don’t overcomplicate it.
Request sealed transcripts from your university.
Decide which of the four “easier” states fits you: New York, California, Washington D.C., or Washington State.
Register with the right evaluator (if needed).
Create your Applicant Portal and file your application.
Write the exams.
That’s how I, Peet Viljoen, am taking my South African legal career into the USA. If I can do it, so can you.