Louisiana does not offer bar admission without taking the Louisiana bar exam. All attorneys must take the Louisiana bar exam in order to be admitted to the Louisiana Bar or be specially admitted under another rule.
Pursuant to Section 11 of the Admission Rules, no person can be admitted to the Louisiana Bar solely upon the fact that the person is admitted to a bar of another state and that state’s law allows admission for Louisiana attorneys. Section 11 states:
Section 11. Reciprocity. No person shall be admitted to the Bar of this state based solely upon the fact that such person is admitted to the Bar of another state or because the laws of another state would grant admission to a member of the Bar of this state. The temporary practice of law in this state by visiting attorneys is governed by statute and by Supreme Court Rule XVII, Section 13. The Committee shall have no authority with regard to the practice of law by visiting attorneys. [Amended effective August 1, 2008]
Please see the Louisiana Pro Hac Vice page to view the requirements for admission to a particular proceeding, and the Louisiana Multijurisdictional Practice Rules (MJP) for legal practices that are excluded from the unauthorized practice of law.