Q: I have a foreign law degree and practice law in the U.S. How much will my foreign degree hurt my marketability as I try to advance my career?
A: 20+ years ago, it was challenging for lawyers possessing a non-U.S. law degree to compete for mainstream legal jobs in the United States. Not impossible, but the hurdles were high. Why? Because employers and hiring managers were not as familiar with the various international law schools, their grading systems and overall quality—compared to their knowledge … and dealings with the U.S. law schools and their graduates. In addition, the number of high quality domestic candidates was plentiful. So employers had an excellent selection of “local” contenders right at their fingertips when it came time to hire.
