Rule V of the Rules for Admission to the Bar of Montana governs admission to the Montana Bar for attorneys licensed in other jurisdictions. The process in Montana 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 another jurisdiction.
Reciprocity
Montana’s Admission on Motion procedure is not based on bar reciprocity. Attorneys may be admitted in any jurisdiction.
Additional Requirements
Montana’s additional reciprocity requirements include:
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 Montana attorneys without taking the bar exam.
Practice of Law. Attorneys must have been engaged in the active practice of law for five of the past seven years in a reciprocal state.
- Private Practice
- Judges
- Government Attorneys
- Judicial Law Clerks
- Law Professors teaching full-time at ABA approved law schools
- Corporate Counsel
- Military Attorneys
MPRE. Attorneys must achieve a passing score on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (“MPRE” ).
Montana’s Bar Reciprocity Application Procedure
Attorneys eligible for Admission on Motion in Montana must submit an Application.