Colorado Bar Reciprocity

Rule 201.3 of the Rules Governing Admission to the Bar of the State of Colorado primarily governs admission to the Colorado Bar for attorneys licensed in other jurisdictions. The process in Colorado is called Admission on Motion. Attorneys must be able to demonstrate that they have actively and substantially practiced law for five of the past seven years in a jurisdiction(s) that accepts Colorado attorneys for admission without examination.

Colorado also accepts UBE scores more than two years old when combined with a practice of law requirement. Please see the Colorado bar exam page for more details. Furthermore, Colorado permits a practice pending admission for attorneys that have actively practiced for three of the past five years and who have submitted a UBE or Admission on Motion application.

Reciprocity

Colorado’s Admission on Motion procedure is based on bar reciprocity. Attorneys must be admitted and have practiced in a jurisdiction that accepts Colorado attorneys for admission without examination.

Reciprocal Jurisdictions

After previously denying a public records request, Colorado now publishes its reciprocity list to the public. The map above identifies the states that were identified on that list.

Additional Requirements

Colorado’s additional reciprocity requirements include:

Law Degree and Passed Bar Exam. A first professional law degree from an ABA accredited law school at the time of graduation. Attorneys must have also passed a bar exam.

Character and Fitness. Attorneys must meet the applicable character and fitness standards.

Good Standing. Attorneys must be admitted in good standing to the bar of another state, territory, or district of the United States that allows admission for Colorado attorneys without taking the bar exam.

Practice of Law. Attorneys must have actively and substantially practiced law for five of the past seven years in a reciprocal state immediately preceding the filing of the application. Part-time legal activities do not apply (at least 40 hours per week). “Practice of law” includes:

• Private Practice (sole practitioner or as a lawyer employee of or partner or shareholding a law firm, professional corporation, legal clinic, legal services office, or similar entity)

• Judges, Magistrates, Hearing Examiners, ALJs, law clerks, or similar local, state, or federal official (duties of hearing and deciding cases and controversies in judicial administrative proceedings, provided such employment is available only to an attorney )

• Government Attorneys (executive, legislative, or judicial) (local, state, and federal) (with primary duties of furnishing legal counsel, drafting documents and pleadings, interpreting and giving advice with respect to the law) (preparing, trying, or presenting cases before courts, executive departments, administrative bureaus or agencies)

• Judicial Law Clerks

• Law Professors teaching throughout their employment at ABA approved law schools

• Corporate Counsel, Partnership, Trust, Individual or Other Entity (with primary duties of furnishing legal counsel, drafting documents and pleadings, interpreting and giving advice with respect to the law) (preparing, trying, or presenting cases before courts, executive departments, administrative bureaus or agencies)

• Not specifically enumerated: Military Attorneys

MPRE. Attorneys must achieve a scaled score of 85 or better on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (“MPRE” ). The MPRE score cannot be achieved more than two years prior to the date of the application. The MPRE requirement may be fulfilled after the application is filed but must be completed prior to admission. An MPRE score must be submitted within six months of the character and fitness investigation or an additional $100 fee applies in order to update the investigation.

Mandatory Professionalism Course. Attorneys must complete the mandatory professional course within six months of admission to the Colorado Bar. The professionalism course is worth six units of general CLE credit.

Oath of Admission. The applicant must take the oath of admission within 18 months of the date of the attorney is notified that he/she is approved to take the oath of admission.

Colorado Bar Reciprocity Application Procedure

Attorneys eligible for Admission on Motion in Colorado must complete the Admission on Motion Application and supplemental forms. Applications may be filed at any time.

Attorneys who applied for admission on motion but are not qualified to do so may transfer their application to the next scheduled Colorado Bar Exam with a refund for the difference in fees or withdraw the application for a 50% refund.