Hannah McCarthy passed the New York Bar in February 2017 and is now working in international arbitration with a prestigious Magic Circle law firm in London. In addition to her U.S. qualifications, she has just completed her final exams for the Qualified Lawyer Transfer Scheme (QLTS), a program that allows foreign-qualified lawyers to qualify as English solicitors. With a unique blend of international legal experience, Hannah is advancing her career in both the U.S. and U.K. legal markets. In this post, she shares insights from her journey and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
My name is Hannah McCarty and I passed the New York Bar in February. I am currently working in international arbitration with a Magic Circle law firm in London and just completed my last set of exams as part of the Qualified Lawyer Transfer Scheme (QLTS), which foreign qualified lawyers can take in order to qualify as an English solicitor.
I originally studied Law and Business at Trinity College, Dublin, and after graduating, I wanted to explore my options. I was fortunate enough to be offered a place on the Washington Ireland Program (WIP) and spent the summer after graduation working for a communications firm in Washington, D.C.
I ended up spending an additional three months in the U.S. capitol, working for the Democratic Party on their congressional campaigns before interning a few weeks for U.S. Senator Charles “Chuck” Schumer (D-New York). It was during this time that I decided to study for the New York Bar Exam and give myself some greater flexibility in term of employment prospects as a U.S. qualified attorney.
After completing BARBRI Extended U.S. Bar Prep entirely online, I took the New York Bar Exam in February. The following week, I began work as a paralegal for a law firm located in Times Square in Midtown Manhattan while I waited to hear if I had passed (which very thankfully I did). After my stint in New York and prior to beginning my master’s degree, I returned to Dublin and landed a position within the legal team of Twitter’s European office for four months. I joined my current firm upon finishing up my master’s degree.
Every day I am working with smart people who are really interested and engaged in their work. With the practice being international, many of the lawyers are dual-qualified. Having passed the New York Bar Exam and being qualified as a U.S. attorney is certainly helpful.
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Learn more about studying for a U.S. bar exam and qualifying as a U.S. attorney here: BARBRI Extended U.S. Bar Prep.
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