China Legal Research: Law education in China

Many law schools in China provide an LL.M. program (master of law degree) for international students. For details, please see the following link for the LLM guide in China.

http://www.llm-guide.com/china

      For prospective law students in China, like in Europe, preparation begins during undergraduate studies. After graduating from high school, students apply to a law department/law school in a colleges or university and earn a bachelor degrees in law after four years of legal education.

    In contrast to the United States, one must decide to pursue a career in law early on, normally around graduation. A law school graduate can take an entrance examination to work in the court or as a clerk. After a few years, she will have the chance to be promoted as a judge or prosecutor. Of course, a law student can also go to a law firm and practice law as a lawyer assistant.

    However, before one can work as a judge, prosecutor or lawyer, she must first pass the National Judicial Examination. After that, she is qualified to work in the legal profession anywhere in China.

    The National Judicial Exmination is a unified legal examination held annually for people who want to work in the legal profession in China. It is very much like the bar exminations in the United States. All new members of the judiciary and legal profession, including judges, prosecutors and lawyers, will need to pass it. Residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are currently permitted to sit for the exam as well.