Pennsylvania Code
Title 204 - JUDICIAL SYSTEM GENERAL PROVISIONS
Part IV - ADMISSION TO PRACTICE LAW
Chapter 71 - PENNSYLVANIA BAR ADMISSION RULES
Subchapter B - ADMISSION TO THE BAR GENERALLY
IN GENERAL
Rule 203 - Admission by bar examination
Universal Citation: 204 PA Code ยง 203
Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024
(a) Bar Examination. The general requirements for permission to sit for the bar examination are:
(1) Receipt
of an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university or the
receipt of an education which, in the opinion of the Board, is the equivalent
of an undergraduate college or university education.
(2)
(i)
Except as provided in subparagraph 2(ii) of this Rule, completion of the study
of law at and receipt without exception of an earned Bachelor of Laws or Juris
Doctor degree from a law school that was an accredited law school at the time
the applicant matriculated or graduated. See Rule 205 (relating to admission by
bar examination for graduates with foreign law degrees) for standards
applicable to graduates of foreign law schools; or
(ii) completion of the study of law at and
receipt without exception of an earned Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor degree
from a law school located within the boundaries of the United States of America
that was not an accredited law school either at the time the applicant
matriculated or graduated, provided that the applicant is a member of the bar
of a reciprocal state and meets the following qualifications:
(A) Presentation of a certificate from the
highest court or agency of such state having jurisdiction over admission to the
bar and the practice of law stating that the applicant is in good standing at
the bar of such court or such state.
(B) Presentation of proof satisfactory to the
Board that the applicant has for a period of five years of the last seven years
immediately preceding the date of filing of the application for admission to
the bar of this Commonwealth:
(i) engaged in
the practice of law in a reciprocal state or states outside this Commonwealth.
For purposes of this paragraph, the phrase "engaged in the practice of law" is
defined as "devoting a major portion of one's time and energy to the rendering
of legal services"; or
(ii) engaged
full-time in the teaching of law at one or more accredited law schools in the
United States; or
(iii) engaged
primarily in the performance of legal functions while serving on active duty in
the United States military service as a judge advocate as defined in the
Uniform Code of Military Justice,
10 U.S.C. §
801, as amended, regardless of the location
of the service.
Service under subparagraphs (i), (ii), and (iii) may be combined to satisfy the five year service requirement of this subparagraph.
(3) Presentation of a certificate of good
standing from the highest court or the agency having jurisdiction over
admission to the bar and the practice of law in every state or jurisdiction in
which the applicant has been admitted to practice law, stating that the
applicant is in good professional standing at the bar of such court or state.
An applicant who is disbarred or suspended for disciplinary reasons from the
practice of law in another jurisdiction at the time of filing an application
for permission to sit for the bar examination shall not be eligible to sit for
the bar examination.
(b) Admission to the Bar. The general requirements for admission to the bar of this Commonwealth are:
(1)
satisfactory completion of the bar examination administered by or under the
authority of the Board;
(2) absence
of prior conduct by the applicant which in the opinion of the Board indicates
character and general qualifications (other than scholastic) incompatible with
the standards expected to be observed by members of the bar of this
Commonwealth; and
(3) satisfactory
completion of the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination at the
score determined by the Court which score shall be publicly posted.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Pennsylvania may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
