administrator
board of bar examiners
state bar of montana
p.o. box 577
helena, mt 59624
tel: 406/442-7660
fax: 406/442-7763
website: http://www.montanabar.org/

bar admission options:

without bar examination
not available. note: the state bar of montana's committee on multi-jurisdictional practice has proposed two rule changes to the state bar’s board of trustees that would permit (1) admission on motion for certain attorneys admitted in another state, and (2) reciprocal admission (a.k.a. “short-form” admission on motion) for certain attorneys admitted in one of the neighboring states: idaho, wyoming, north dakota, south dakota, utah, oregon and washington.

with bar examination
currently, every attorney must take the montana bar examination.

examination components:
1. academic: mbe (minimum score 130). must answer 11 state essays administered in three sessions. accepts previous mbe score if 130 or above and taken within three years preceding the date of application.
2. ethics: mpre scaled score of 80 is transferable from any jurisdiction. scores are valid for three years from the date of examination.

examination dates:
february (deadline: october 1 - postmark date)
july (deadline: march 1 - postmark date)

no late applications accepted.

application/admission fees:
$15.00 initial application request fee. $400.00 attorney application fee; $150.00 student application fee; $375.00 essay fee; $75.00 mbe fee.

other state bar requirements:

1. graduate of a law school accredited by the aba with a jd degree at the time of graduation.

2. character check by the montana committee on character and fitness prior to examination.

3. required annual fees: $150.00 initial enrollment dues/fees; $20.00 annual lawyers' fund assessment fee; $25.00 annual licensing fee.

regulation of in-house counsel:

montana bar admission rules do not directly address in-house counsel. however, rule 5.5 of the montana rules of professional conduct states:

a lawyer shall not practice law in a jurisdiction where doing so violates the regulation of the legal profession in that jurisdiction.

bar association status:

[x] mandatory (see required annual fees above)

[ ] voluntary

specialty certification:

montana does not have a certification plan and does not otherwise regulate specialty certification, except to the extent that any attorney communication regarding specialized training, eduction, or certification must not be false or misleading.