washington

bar admission administrative agency:

director of admissions
washington state bar association
2101 fourth avenue, suite 400
seattle, wa 98121-2330
tel: 206/727-8241
fax: 206/727-8319
website: http://www.wsba.org/
website: http://www.courts.wa.gov/rules
e-mail: license@wsbar.org


bar admission options:

without bar examination

1. reciprocity. an attorney admitted in another u.s. jurisdiction must meet the following requirements:
*present satisfactory proof of both admission to the practice, together with current good standing, in another u.s. state or territory or the district of columbia, and active legal experience as a lawyer or counselor at law at the time of application;
*possess the good moral character and fitness requisite for a washington bar member;
*complete an application form, and submit any other required information;
*establish the terms and conditions under which the other jurisdiction to which applicant is admitted allows the admission of licensed washington lawyers;
*if the jurisdiction that licensed the applicant requires washington lawyers to complete or meet other conditions or requirements, the applicant must meet a substantially similar requirement for admission in washington, as determined by the board of governors and the supreme court; and
*pay all required fees.

2. house counsel exception: a lawyer admitted to practice in a u.s. state or territory or the district of columbia may receive a limited license to practice as in-house counsel in washington. the lawyer must be employed in washington as a lawyer exclusively for a profit or not-for-profit corporation, including its subsidiaries and affiliates, association, or other business entity, that is not a government entity, and whose lawful business consists of activities other than the practice of law or provision of legal services. attorneys must take and pass the professional responsibility portion of the bar exam.

3. indigent representation exception. a member in good standing of the bar of another u.s. state or territory or of the district of columbia, who is eligible to take the bar examination in this state, while rendering service in either a bar association or governmentally-sponsored legal services organization or in a public defenders office or similar program providing legal services to indigents and only in that capacity, may, upon application and approval, practice law and appear as a lawyer before the washington courts in any matter, litigation, or administrative proceeding, subject to the following conditions and limitations:
(1) application to practice shall be made to the board of governors, and the applicant shall be subject to the rules for enforcement of lawyer conduct and to the rules of professional conduct.
(2) the applicant must be associated with an active member of the bar association, who shall be the lawyer of record and responsible for the conduct of the matter, litigation, or administrative proceeding.
(3) the applicant shall apply for and take the first bar examination which is given more than 90 days after the date of admission under this rule.
(4) the applicant’s right to practice under this rule (i) may be terminated by the supreme court at any time with or without cause, or (ii) shall be terminated automatically for failure to take or pass the required bar examination, or (iii) shall be terminated for failure to become an active member of the bar association within 60 days of the date the bar examination results are made public, or (iv) in any event, shall be terminated within 1 year from the original date of admission under this rule.

4. educational purposes exception. a lawyer enrolled and in good standing as a postgraduate student or faculty member in a program of an approved law school in this state, involving clinical work in the courts or in the practice of law, may apply to the board of governors for admission to the limited practice of law by paying an investigation fee and by presenting satisfactory proof of (i) admission to practice and current good standing in any u.s. state or territory or the district of columbia, and (ii) graduation from a law school approved by the board of governors, and (iii) good moral character. practice under this exception shall be (i) limited to the period of time the applicant actively participates in the program, (ii) limited to the clinical work of the particular course of study in which the applicant is enrolled or teaching, (iii) free of charge for the services so rendered, and (iv) subject to the rules of professional conduct and the rules for enforcement of lawyer conduct.. an applicant admitted under this section shall be deemed an active member of the bar association only for the purpose of serving as a supervising lawyer under rule 9 (of the washington state court rules: admission to practice rules), and for no other purpose.

5. emeritus membership exception. a lawyer admitted to practice in a u.s. state or territory or the district of columbia, including washington state, may apply to the board of governors for a limited license to practice law as an emeritus member in this state when the lawyer is otherwise fully retired from the practice of law. an emeritus member shall provide legal services for a qualified legal services provider as defined in part (2) below. the lawyer shall apply by (i) filing an application to the board of governors; (ii) presenting satisfactory proof of admission by examination and current good standing in any u.s. state or territory or the district of columbia, provided that if a disciplinary sanction has been imposed upon the lawyer within 15 years immediately preceding the filing of the application, the board of governors shall have the discretion to accept or reject the application; (iii) presenting satisfactory proof of active legal experience as defined in rule 3(b) (of the washington state court rules: admission to practice rules) for at least 5 of the 10 years immediately preceding the filing of the application for lawyers admitted in washington and for at least 10 of the 15 years immediately preceding the filing of the application for lawyers only admitted to practice in jurisdictions other than washington; (iv) filing certification from a qualified legal services provider as defined in part (2) below that the applicant’s practice of law will comply with the terms of this rule; (v) paying such fee as may be set by the board of governors with approval of the supreme court; (vi) complying with training requirements as may be prescribed by the board of governors; and (vii) furnishing whatever additional information or proof that may be required. emeritus status shall be for one year subject to annual renewal as provided by the board of governors.

practice under this section shall be limited to providing legal service for no fee through a qualified legal services provider; or serving as an unpaid governing or advisory board member or trustee of or providing legal counsel or service for no fee to a qualified legal services provider. a qualified legal services provider is a not-for-profit legal services organization whose primary purpose is to provide legal services to low income clients. a lawyer admitted under this section shall pay to the washington state bar association an annual license fee in the amount required of inactive members. emeritus members are exempt from mandatory cle requirements. however, prior to engaging in practice as an emeritus member, the lawyer must complete a training course(s) approved by the board of governors.

6. military lawyer exception. a lawyer admitted to practice in a u.s. state or territory or of the district of columbia, who is a full-time active duty military officer serving in the office of a staff judge advocate of the army, air force, navy, marines, or coast guard, a naval legal service office or a trial service office, located in washington, may, upon application and approval, appear as a lawyer and practice before the courts of this state in any matter, litigation, or administrative proceeding, subject to the following conditions and limitations: the applicant must be of good moral character and shall apply by (i) filing an application to the board of governors; (ii) presenting satisfactory proof of admission to practice and current good standing as a member of the bar in any u.s. state or territory or the district of columbia; (iii) complying with training requirements as set forth below; and (iv) furnishing whatever additional information or proof that may be required.
(1) to qualify for this exception, an applicant must, prior to admission, complete at least 15 credit hours of approved cle on washington practice, procedure, and professional responsibility.
(2) military lawyers admitted pursuant to this rule are not, and shall not represent themselves to be, members of the washington state bar association.
(3) the applicant's right to practice under this rule: (i) may be terminated by the supreme court at any time with or without cause, or (ii) shall be terminated when the military lawyer ends active duty military service in this state.
(4) military lawyers admitted pursuant to the rule may represent active duty military personnel in enlisted grades e- i through e-4 and their dependents in noncriminal matters to the extent such representation is permitted by the supervisory staff judge advocate or commanding officer, naval legal service office or commanding officer, trial service office. other active duty military personnel and their dependants may be represented if approved by the service judge advocate general or his or her designee.
(5) military lawyers admitted pursuant to this section may not demand or receive any compensation from clients in addition to their military pay.
(6) practice under this section shall be subject to the rules of professional conduct, the rules for lawyer discipline, the admission to practice rules, and to all other laws and rules governing lawyers admitted to the washington bar.

application/admission fees:
1. reciprocity: $650.00.
2. house counsel: $650.00.

with bar examination
examination required for all other applicants.

examination components:
1. academic: 18 substantive law questions
2. ethics: one session of the bar examination (six questions) shall be devoted to questions on the washington rules of professional conduct.

each question has a possible grade of 10 points. you must receive a total grade of 126 on the substantive portion and at least 42 on the professional responsiblity portion to pass the exam.

examination dates:
february; july (deadlines: postmarked 120 days prior to the bar examination).

application/admission fees: $375.00


other state bar requirements:

1. good moral character

2. graduation from an aba-approved law school; or admission to practice by examination, together with current good standing, in any u.s. state or territory or the district of columbia or any jurisdiction where the common law of england is the basis of its jurisprudence, and active legal experience for at least three of the five years immediately preceding the filing of the application; or completion of the law clerk program (see rule 6 of the washington state court rules: admission to practice rules).

3. required annual fees:
active, admitted to any bar prior to 2001: $383.00
active, admitted to any bar in 2001 or 2002: $312.00
active, admitted to any bar in 2003 or 2004: $191.00
inactive, any admission date $117.00
emeritus, any admission date $117.00

in addition, the supreme court has ordered that all active members pay a $13 assessment to the lawyers' fund for client protection.

regulation of in-house counsel:

washington bar admission rules cover in-house counsel (see without bar examination, house counsel exception above).


bar association status:

[x] mandatory (see required annual fees above).

[ ] voluntary


specialty certification:

state rule of professional conduct 7.4 permits lawyers to use the terms "certified," "specialist," "expert" or similar terms to describe their qualifications. however, communications using these terms to reference board certification must: (1) be truthful and verifiable; (2) not be misleading; (3) identify the entity which granted the certification; and (4) state that the supreme court of washington does not recognize certification of specialties in the practice of law and the certificate, award or recognition is not a requirement to practice law in the state.