mississippi

bar admission administrative agency:

bar admissions administrator
mississippi board of bar admissions
p.o. box 1449
jackson, ms 39215-1449
tel: 601/354-6055
fax: 601/354-6054
website: http://www.mssc.state.ms.us/
website: http://www.msbar.org/

bar admission options:

without bar examination
not available.

with bar examination
examination required for all applicants who will take either the attorney's examination or the general bar examination (mississippi bar examination).

attorney's examination:
an attorney from another state whose requirements for admission to the bar are equivalent to those of mississippi; who has practiced not less than five years; and who certifies his/her intention to establish a permanent office for the active practice of law in mississippi within 30 days after admission, may be admitted by taking the attorney's examination. a "permanent office" is one where the attorney intends to perform legal services on a regular basis as:
1. a sole practitioner or in association with other attorneys;
2. a legal officer for a government agency, corporation or other business organization;
c) a judge or other judicial officer; or
d) a full-time teacher in a law school.
for this purpose, "active practice" of law means:
1. a partner or associate of a private or public law firm;
2. a legal officer of a corporation or other business organization;
3. a governmental employee whose duties are primarily providing legal advice or representation of the governmental agency in the courts;
4. a legal officer in the u.s. armed forces;
5. a judge, magistrate, administrative judge or referee, or law clerk to a judge; or
6. a full-time teacher in a law school approved by the aba.

examination dates:
february (deadline: september 1 of the preceding year; late application by november 1)
july (deadline: february 1; late application by april 1)

application/admission fees: $1,000.00 ($1,200.00 late application fee); $200.00 ncbe character and fitness report.

general bar examination: all other applicants.

examination components - general bar examination:
1. academic: mbe, mee, six state essays, and two mpt questions. accepts previous mbe score (no minimum score required) within the immediately preceding 20 months of mississippi examination date; however, applicant should bear in mind that mississippi requires a combined passing score of 132.
2. ethics: a passing score of 75 on the mpre is required and is transferable from any jurisdiction. this score must be achieved on an administration of the mpre not less than 24 months before nor more than 12 months after the date of administration of the mississippi bar examination at which the applicant achieves a passing result.

examination dates:
february (deadline: october 1 of the preceding year)
july (deadline: march 1)

late applications with fees will be accepted until december 1 for the february examination and may 1 for the july examination.

application/admission fees: $625.00 plus $25.00 application packet fee.

other state bar requirements:

1. minimum age: 21

2. graduate of an aba-approved law school.

3. character check by the mississippi committee on character and fitness prior to examination.

4. required annual fees: $50.00 first year; $110.00 (2-3 years after admission); $225.00 (more than 3 years after admission); $50.00 (inactive).

regulation of in-house counsel:

mississippi bar admission rules cover in-house counsel (see “with bar examination, attorney's examination” above).

bar association status:

[x] mandatory (see required annual fees above)

[ ] voluntary

specialty certification:

mississippi does not regulate specialty certification. however, aba-approved private certification programs (below) are recognized for lawyer advertising purposes:

• accounting professional liability
• business bankruptcy
• civil trial advocacy
• consumer bankruptcy
• creditors’ rights
• criminal law trial advocacy
• elder law
• estate planning law
• family law trial advocacy
• legal professional liability
• medical professional liability