Rule 46(c) of the D.C. Court of Appeals Rules governs admission to the D.C. Bar for attorneys licensed in other jurisdictions. The process in D.C. is called Admission by Motion. Attorneys may be admitted through two ways.
First, attorneys may be eligible if they have been admitted in any state or territory of the United States for five years immediately preceding the application for admission.
Second, attorneys may be eligible if they:
(1) Have a law degree from an ABA approved law school;
(2) Were admitted to any state or territory of the United States after completing a written bar exam and achieving a scaled score of 133 or greater on the Multistate Bar Exam (“MBE” ), which the state or territory deems to have been taken as part of the bar exam;
(3) Have achieved a scaled score of 75 or greater on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (“MPRE” ).
Reciprocal Jurisdictions
The process in D.C. is not based on reciprocity with other jurisdictions. Attorneys meeting the requirements may apply for admission.
| Attorneys from these states may be Admitted on Motion in Washington, D.C. |
Additional Requirements
D.C.’s additional reciprocity requirements include:
Character and Fitness. Attorneys must meet the applicable character and fitness standards. The character and fitness report is conducted by the NCBE.
Good Standing and Prior Bar Exam. Attorneys must be in good standing in all jurisdictions where admitted.
Practice of Law. There is no practice requirement for admission.
MPRE. Attorneys must achieve a scaled score of 75 or better on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) if applying under the second option.
D.C. Bar Reciprocity Application Procedure
Attorneys eligible for Admission by Motion in D.C. are required to complete the Application. Applications may be filed at any time.