north dakota

bar admission administrative agency:

state board of law examiners
judicial wing, first floor
600 east boulevard avenue – department 180
bismarck, nd 58505-0530
tel: 701/328-4201
fax: 701/328-4480
website: http://www.court.state.nd.us/
website: http://www.sband.org/


bar admission options:

without bar examination
an applicant who meets the other state bar requirements listed below and is a member of the bar of any u.s. jurisdiction may be admitted without examination if the applicant has:
1. been a member of the bar of another jurisdiction for at least five years and has, for at least four of the last five years immediately preceding the application, been actively engaged in the practice of law in one or more of the following:
a) private practice of law;
b) service as a judge of a court of record;
c) full-time teaching at a law school approved by the aba; or
d) the performance of full-time legal work in a legal capacity; or
2. received a scaled score of 150 or above on the mbe taken as a part of and at the same time as the essay or other written bar examination given by another jurisdiction, and has been admitted to the bar of the jurisdiction in which the mbe was taken; and received a scaled score of 80 on the mpre transferable from any jurisdiction. proof of the mbe score and a completed application must be received within two years of the date of the examination in the jurisdiction of admission.

application deadline: not applicable.

application/admission fees:
$400.00 application fee; $200.00 background investigation fee.

with bar examination
examination required for all other applicants.

examination components:
1. academic: mbe, mee, and 2 mpt questions.
2. ethics: mpre scaled score of 80 is transferable from any jurisdiction within five years of the date of application.

examination dates:
july (deadline: march 1). late fees apply; however, no application postmarked later than 90 days prior to the opening day of the july exam will be accepted.