maryland

bar admission administrative agency:

secretary
state board of law examiners
the robert f. sweeney district court building
251 rowe blvd, room 307
annapolis, md 21401
tel: 410/260-1975
e-mail: sble@courts.state.md.us
website: http://www.courts.state.md.us/ble/index.html
website: http://www.msba.org/

bar admission options:

without bar examination
legal services exception (rule 15): a member of the bar of another state who is employed by or associated with an organized legal services program that is sponsored or approved by legal aid bureau, inc., may practice in maryland pursuant to such program, under the supervision of a maryland bar member, for a period of up to two years if the individual meets the other state bar requirements described below.

with bar examination
examination required for all other applicants who will take either the attorney examination or the general bar examination.
1. attorney examination: a member of the bar of any state who has passed a written bar examination in a state, and who has engaged in the practice of law for ten years, or at least five of the last ten years immediately preceeding the application, is eligible to apply to take the attorney examination. the professional experience required for admission is based on full-time work as:
a) a practitioner of law as provided in the above paragraph;
b) a teacher of law at a law school approved by the aba;
c) a judge of a court of record in a state; or
d) a combination thereof.
2. general bar examination: all other applicants.

examination components - attorney examination:
12-question state essay examination given on the first day of the general bar examination.

examination dates:
february (application deadline: september 16 of the preceding year)
july (application deadline: january 16)

application/admission fees:
$600.00, plus $250.00 for ncbe character and fitness investigation and report.

examination components - general bar examination:
mbe and twelve state essay questions. maryland no longer accepts prior mbe scores. maryland will continue to accept concurrent mbe scores.

examination dates:
february (application deadline: september 16 of the preceding year)
july (application deadline: january 16)

applications with late fees will be accepted until december 20 for the february examination and until may 22 for the july examination.

application/admission fees: $175.00 application filing fee; $150.00 examination fee.

other state bar requirements:

1. graduate of a law school approved by the aba. this rule may be waived in the case of attorney applicants provided they meet the practice requirements listed above.

2. character check by the maryland character committee prior to bar admission.

3. completion of course on legal professionalism given by the maryland state bar association prior to admission.

4. required annual fees: $85.00 for the client protection fund of the bar of the state of maryland.

regulation of in-house counsel

an individual who is employed by a corporation and is admitted to the bar of any other state may give legal advice to that corporation in this state without being admitted to the maryland bar. such a person is subject to disciplinary proceedings as the maryland rules provide and may not represent the corporation before a unit of the state government or of a political subdivision unless a court grants the individual a special admission. see the annotated code of maryland, business occupations and profession article, § 10-206 (d).

bar association status:

[ ] mandatory

[x] voluntary
annual dues: $0.00 (first 8 months after admission); $75.00 (8 months-5 years after admission); $125.00 (more than 5 years after admission).

specialty certification

the maryland rules of professional conduct prohibit lawyers from holding themselves out as specialists [rule 7,4].