Georgia offers the Georgia Attorneys’ Exam for attorneys that are licensed in other jurisdictions who do not meet Georgia’s bar reciprocity requirements.
GEORGIA ADMISSION ON MOTION (Without Taking the Georgia Bar Exam)
Part C of Georgia’s Rules Governing Admission to the Practice of Law governs admission to the Georgia Bar for attorneys licensed in other jurisdictions. The process in Georgia is called Admission on Motion Without Examination. Attorneys must have been admitted by examination to another United States jurisdiction that has reciprocity with Georgia and must have been primarily engaged in the active practice of law for five of the seven years
immediately preceding application for admission.
Reciprocity
Georgia’s Admission on Motion procedure is based on bar reciprocity. If the reciprocal jurisdiction’s rules are more stringent and exacting and contain other limitations, restrictions, and conditions or higher fees, the attorney will be governed by the reciprocal jurisdiction’s rules. This includes the requirement to pay the higher fees of the home jurisdiction.
| Attorneys from these states may be Admitted on Motion in Georgia | |
| Attorneys from these states cannot be Admitted on Motion in Georgia (Determined not to allow Admission on Motion) | |
| Georgia considers West Virginia a reciprocal state but West Virginia does not consider Georgia to be reciprocal | |
| Oregon considers Georgia to be a reciprocal state but Georgia does not consider Oregon to be reciprocal |
Reciprocal Jurisdictions
Georgia does not publish its reciprocity list to the public. Georgia’s Bar Reciprocity List was obtained via public records request several years ago and contains jurisdictions that have a comity or reciprocity rule which allow Georgia attorneys to be admitted without examination. The map may be outdated. Georgia now refers potential applicants to the NCBE Guide Admission on Motion section. The guide is printed.
Additional Requirements
Georgia’s additional reciprocity requirements include:
Intent to Practice in Georgia.
Undergraduate Degree. Attorneys must possess an undergraduate degree by an institution approved by the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation (CORPA). A first professional law degree from an ABA approved law school waives this requirement.
Law Degree. A first professional law degree (J.D. or L.L.B.) from an ABA approved law school (determined at the time of graduation).
Character and Fitness. Attorney must meet the applicable character and fitness standards. Attorneys cannot have previously been denied certification of fitness to practice law in Georgia or any other state. For further information, please consult the Board’s Character and Fitness Considerations and Policy Statements.
Good Standing and Prior Bar Exam. Attorneys must be in good standing, or have resigned while in good standing, in every licensed jurisdiction and cannot have engaged in the unauthorized practice of law. Attorneys cannot have failed the Georgia Bar Exam or the Georgia Attorneys’ Exam.
Practice of Law. Attorneys must have been admitted by examination to another United States jurisdiction and must have been primarily engaged in the active practice of
law for five of the seven years immediately preceding application for admission. “Active practice of law” includes the following activities if performed in a jurisdiction where admitted or otherwise permitted by the jurisdiction where the attorney is not admitted:
- Private Practice (representation of one or more clients in the practice of law)
- Judges (local, state, or federal courts of record)
- Government Attorneys (local state, or federal)
- Judicial Law Clerks
- Military Attorneys
- Law Professors teaching at ABA approved law schools
- Corporate Counsel
- Not specifically enumerated: No Major Categories
- Does not include: The unauthorized practice of law in a jurisdiction where it was performed or in the jurisdiction where the client was located.
MPRE. The Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) is not required.
Georgia Bar Reciprocity Application Procedure
Attorneys eligible for Admission on Motion Without Examination in Georgia must submit an Application.
The Character and Fitness Application takes at least twelve weeks to process after an analyst has been assigned to the applicant. Once approved, a certificate of eligibility is issued and the attorney is eligible to be sworn in. The certificate is valid for one year from the date of issuance.