Posted by Cory List on 9th Jan 2016
Licencing Bodies, Types of Licences and Statistics/Demographics by State of Lawyers/ Solicitors in USA
Practicing law in the United States requires “admission to the bar “ through the grantingof permission by a each state’s particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system.
Each US state and jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own particular set rules for admission to the bar, the privilege to practice law in that state. There are different admission standards among states, including differences in education requirements, examinations, and training, if any.
At the end of 2014, the American Bar Association estimated that there were 1.3 million licensed lawyers in the 50 states, plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
All states and jurisdictions require that a candidate, in order to practice as a lawyer, must possess the following minimum qualifications:
-Have a degree from an accredited college or university (California, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming may waive law school requirements based on certain conditions).
-Pass a bar examination. Some states require/accept a candidate taking the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) in lieu of the state examination.
- Pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) which relates to a lawyer's professional conduct. The MPRE should be taken within a specified number of months after passing or taking the bar examination.
Most states accept a reciprocity agreement where they can take a duly licensed attorney who is a member of a bar in another state.
Admission to a state’s bar differs with each state. Below are the licensing bodies and a summary of “special” admission requirements specific to each state (Bar Association of the State in parenthesis:
Alabama – (Alabama State Bar)- Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission; Accepts UBE scores;
Alaska –( Alaska Bar Association) – Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission; Accepts reciprocity from other states; Accepts UBE scores;
Arizona (Arizona State Bar) - Accepts UBE scores;
Arkansas (Arkansas Bar Association) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools.
California (California State Bar) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission; Attendance of law school not required but certain conditions need to be met;
Colorado (Colorado Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission; Accepts UBE scores;
Delaware (Delaware State Bar Association) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools.
Florida (Florida Bar) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
Georgia (Georgia State Bar) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
Hawaii (Hawaii State Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
Idaho (Idaho State Bar) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools; Accepts UBE scores;
Illinois (Illinois State Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
Indiana (Indiana State Bar Association) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools.
Iowa (Iowa State Bar Association) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools.
Kansas (Kansas State Bar Association) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools.A felony conviction disqualifies a candidate from admission to the bar.
Kentucky (Kentucky Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
Louisiana (Louisiana State Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
Maine (Maine State Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission; Attendance of law school for entire four years is not required but certain conditions need to be met;
Maryland - ( Maryland State Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
Massachusetts (Masachussetts Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
Michigan (Michigan State Bar)
Minnesota (Minnesota State Bar Association)- - Accepts UBE scores;
Mississippi (Mississipi Bar) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools. A felony conviction disqualifies a candidate from admission to the bar.
Missouri (Missouri Bar)- Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission; Accepts UBE scores;
Montana (Montana State Bar) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools; Accepts UBE scores;
Nebraska (Nebraska State Bar Association) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools; Accepts UBE scores;
Nevada (State Bar Nevada)- Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
New Hampshire (New Hampshire State Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission; Accepts UBE scores;
New Jersey (New Jersey State Bar Association) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools.
New Mexico (State Bar of New Mexico) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission; Attendance of law school for entire four years is not required but certain conditions need to be met;
New York (New York State Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
North Carolina (North Carolina State Bar) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools.
North Dakota (North Dakota State Bar Association) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools; Accepts UBE scores;
Ohio (Ohio State Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;Applicants convicted of a felony must meet specific conditions and undergo additional review before they can be approved.
Oklahoma (Oklahoma Bar) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools.
Oregon (Oregan State Bar) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
South Carolina (South Carolina Bar) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools.
South Dakota (South Dakota State Bar) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools.
Tennessee (Tennessee Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
Texas (Texas State Bar) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission; A felony conviction disqualifies a candidate from admission to the bar.
Utah – (Utah State Bar) Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission; Accepts UBE scores;
Vermont (Vermont Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
Virginia (Virginia State Bar) - Attendance of law school not required but certain conditions need to be met;
Washington – (Washington State Bar Association)- Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission; Attendance of law school not required but certain conditions need to be met;
West Virginia (West Virginia State Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
Wisconsin (Wisconsin State Bar) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
Wyoming (Wyoming State Bar) - Attendance of law school not required but certain conditions need to be met;
Other jurisdictions:
Dist. of Columbia (District of Columbia BarAssociation) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
Guam (Guam Bar Association) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools.
North Mariana Islands (CNMI Bar Association) - Eligibility to take the bar exam is limited to J.D. or LL.B. graduates of ABA-approved law schools; A felony conviction disqualifies a candidate from admission to the bar.
Puerto Rico (Puerto Rican Bar Association)
Virgin Islands (Virgin Islands Bar Association) - Graduates of foreign law schools eligible for admission;
TOTAL MEMBERSHIP OF ATTORNEYS IN THE DIFFERENT BAR ASSOCIATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES
These are broken down as follows per state:
Alabama 14,630
Alaska 2,456
Arizona 16,155
Arkansas 5,970
California 165,952
Colorado 21,761
Connecticut 18,655
Delaware 2,921
Florida 74,258
Georgia 31,340
Hawaii 4,193
Idaho 3,736
Illinois 63,211
Indiana 15,883
Iowa 7,526
Kansas 8,266
Kentucky 13,448
Louisiana 18,775
Maine 3,944
Maryland 23,902
Massachusetts 43,974
Michigan 34,739
Minnesota 24,522
Mississippi 7,059
Missouri 25,337
Montana 3,126
Nebraska 5,361
Nevada 6,858
New Hampshire 3,521
New Jersey 41,569
New Mexico 5,547
New York 172,630
North Carolina 23,136
North Dakota 1,665
Ohio 38,849
Oklahoma 13,465
Oregon 12,464
Pennsylvania 48,992
Rhode Island 4,224
South Carolina 10,031
South Dakota 1,939
Tennessee 17,965
Texas 86,494
Utah 8,413
Vermont 2,272
Virginia 24,062
Washington 24,844
West Virginia 4,918
Wisconsin 15,481
Wyoming 1,778
Other jurisdictions:
American Samoa 102
Dist. of Columbia 52,089
Guam 313
North Mariana Islands 210
Puerto Rico 15,318
Virgin Islands 456
TOTAL 1,300,705
Gender and other minority representation:
REFERENCES
http://www.americanbar.org/resources_for_lawyers/profession_statistics.html#
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes231011.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attorneys_in_the_United_States