Summary: Before jumping into law school and receiving your J.D., be sure you know the requirements for admission to the bar in whichever state you plan on applying for.
Every state and territory has different bar admission requirements so before you dive into the legal industry, take a look at of what it will take to become a practicing lawyer. Some of the differing requirements include education and residency rules.
While every state has character and fitness evaluation requirements and fees, the rest of the admission requirements vary. The other categories are U.S. residency, felony conviction, conditional admission, prelegal education, law degree from ABA-approved school, and other study requirements.
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When it comes to requiring an applicant to be a U.S. resident, Arkansas, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island are the only ones. The rest of the states and territories are open to admitting lawyers that are not U.S. residents.
The states and territories that do not have additional study requirements are California, Connecticut, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
Felony convictions in Connecticut and Indiana show a presumption of evidence of lack of good moral character. Montana believes an applicant with a felony conviction lacks good moral character until they complete their sentence. Ohio has specific conditions that convicted felons must meet and Illinois requires felons to pass the character and fitness levels before taking the bar exam.
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Another area that needs careful attention is the additional education category. Some states require specific classes while others require continued education in areas. For example, Delaware requires applicants to pass a 5-month clerkship and pre-admission session. Idaho requires to continuing education credits in the first year of admission.
Source: https://www.bcgsearch.com/article/900046478/State-by-State-Bar-Admission-Requirements/
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