New York

Over 8 million people from every corner of the globe live in New York, one of the largest and most sophisticated economies in the world. Home to the United Nations, numerous universities and internationally renowned museums and galleries, New York is a world leader in business, politics, finance, fashion, medicine, entertainment, media and culture.

Legal Market

Lawyers in New York represent the bluest of the world’s blue-chip companies, working on transactions of the highest level. The Big Apple is headquarters to many major US firms and also supports a growing number of regional US and major UK firms. New York is traditionally very competitive, more so now that the markets are somewhat slower, but if you have experience in IP litigation, corporate, transactional and private equity, your skills will still be in demand.
Remuneration

The salary for a newly qualified lawyer at a top firm in New York starts around US$160,0000 and goes up to more than US$280,000 for a senior associate, with potential for good bonuses being paid in addition.

Visas

Please note that this is a brief overview and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Unless you have a US passport or other official status, working in New York will require you to obtain a visa. This is usually applied for through the law firm and will last as long as your term of employment. Your spouse and family can join you, but their eligibility to work depends on the specifics of your visa.

Re-qualification

To practice law in New York, you will have to pass the New York Bar exam. The exam is in two parts (multi-state and local state), and is taken over a period of two consecutive days. There are two sittings of the exam each year – generally the third week in February and the third week in July.

Lifestyle

With a much lower crime rate than other large American cities and local residents always willing to give advice or directions, New York is a sociable city. It attracts scholars, artists and business people of all kinds. Fans of art and culture have countless museums and galleries to choose from and innumerable brilliant minds to engage with at any given moment. New York has almost everything: parks and public squares, street markets each weekend, outdoor concerts, Buddhist temples in Chinatown, fashion in SoHo, community gardens in Alphabet City and bohemian hipsters in the East Village. With its vast range of unusual restaurants, pubs and night clubs, New York has something to offer day and night. JFK, La Guardia and Newark airports all have inexpensive flights to numerous destinations, or if you’re just looking for a little quiet time upstate, trains leave regularly from Penn and Grand Central stations.

Useful Links

American Lawyer
Find Law Legal Website
New York State Bar association
Bar/Bri Bar Review

US Citizenship and Immigration Services
New York City Website
Guidelines Board
Craig’s List

Metropolitan Transport Authority

New York Times
Wall Street Journal