Need Advice: Best Path to Practice Law in California from Canada (US vs UK vs Australia)

Hello everyone, I’m currently a third-year undergraduate student in Canada and I’m feeling quite confused about my next steps and would really appreciate some guidance.

I am certain that I do not want to practice law in Canada, so I will not be applying to Canadian law schools. I have been looking into studying law abroad and I am currently considering the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

From what I understand, law schools in the UK and Australia can often be completed in about 2–3 years and may not require the LSAT. Since I expect to finish all my undergraduate requirements by December 2026, I would potentially be able to start in January or early 2027.

However, my main concern is that I ultimately want to practice law in California. I’m unsure whether attending law school in the UK or Australia and then completing an LLM in the U.S. would be a good pathway, or whether it would be more realistic to wait and attend a U.S. law school in Fall 2027 instead.

I’m also aware that U.S. law school is very expensive, which is another important factor in my decision.

If anyone has experience or advice on the best path to practice law in California from an international background, I would really appreciate your input. Thank you so much.