hawaii

bar admission administrative agency:
 
chief clerk
supreme court of hawaii
ali'iolani hale
417 south king street
honolulu, hi 96813-2902
tel: 808/539-4977 (admission clerk)
tel: 808/539-4907 (information line)
fax: 808/539-4978
website: http://www.hawaii.gov/jud/
website: http://www.hsba.org/
 
 
bar admission options:
 
without bar examination
law school faculty members. a full-time faculty member of the university of hawaii law school who has graduated from a law school approved by the aba and who has been admitted to practice in another u.s. jurisdiction, may be admitted without examination for a period of three years. at the end of such pro tem membership, if the attorney has continued as a full-time member of the university of hawaii law school faculty and has complied with all other applicable rules governing the practice of law, he/she may be granted admission without limitation of time.
limited admission of military attorneys. a full-time active duty military officer serving in the office of the staff judge advocate of the u.s. army, air force, navy, marines, or coast guard, who has been admitted to practice by the highest court of another u.s. jurisdiction, whose license to practice in that jurisdiction is active, and who is a graduate of a law school approved by the american bar association council on legal education and admissions to the bar may apply for limited admission and be accorded limited admission without examination. the term of admission under this role shall be limited to a period of four years. the term may be extended one time at the request of the staff judge advocate or the commanding officer, naval legal service office, provided the uniformed service judge advocate has not been disciplined under rule 2 of the rules of the supreme court of hawaii. uniformed service judge advocates admitted pursuant to this rule may represent only active duty military personnel in enlisted grades e-1 through e-4 and their dependents to the extent such representation is permitted by the staff judge advocate.

with bar examination
examination required for all other applicants.

examination components:
1. academic: mbe, seven mee questions, two mpt questions, and a section on the hawaii rules of professional conduct.
2. ethics: mpre scaled score of 85 within two years before, or within one year after, the hawaii bar examination is taken.

examination dates: february and july (deadline: 90 days prior to the date of the examination).

application/admission fees: $300.00 application fee, plus ncbe character and fitness report fee.

other state bar requirements:

1. graduate of an aba-approved law school; or if the law school is not aba-approved, applicant must have been admitted to practice before the highest court of any u.s. jurisdiction or english common law jurisdiction and have actively practiced law for five of the last six years immediately prior to application. service as a judge of a court of record is considered active practice of law.

2. approved character check by the ncbe.

3. required annual fees: $245.00 (0-4 years after admission); $430.00 (5 years or more after admission).


regulation of in-house counsel:

hawaii bar admission rules do not address in-house counsel. hawaii rules governing the unauthorized practice of law require that any attorney practicing in hawaii be admitted to the hawaii state bar.


bar association status:

[x] mandatory (see required annual fees above)

[ ] voluntary

specialty certification:

upon successful completion of a program of study accredited by the american bar association (aba) for certification as a specialist in a subject of law, an active hawaii lawyer in good standing may petition the court for a hawaii certificate of specialization in that subject of the law [rule 1.13 of the rules of the supreme court of hawaii].